Chapter 17 : Religion in Modern Society

The Sociological Study of Religion

  There are no known societies that do not have some form of religion, although religious beliefs and practices vary from culture to culture. All religions involve a set of shared beliefs and rituals practiced by a community of believers.

  The sociology of religion is not concerned with whether a particular religion is true or false, but with how it operates as an organization and its relationship to the larger society. Religions are viewed as arising from social relationships and providing a sense of social solidarity to followers.

How Sociologists Think About Religion

  Sociological approaches to religion have been most influenced by the ideas of the three "classical" thinkers: Marx, Durkheim, and Weber. All believed that religion is fundamentally an illusion. They held that the "other" world that religion creates is our world, distorted through the lens of religious symbolism.

  To Marx, religion contains a strong ideological element: Religion provides justification for the inequalities of wealth and power found in society. To Durkheim, religion is important because of the cohesive functions it serves, especially in ensuring that people meet regularly to affirm common beliefs and values. To Weber, religion is important because of the role it plays in social change, particularly the development of Western capitalism.

  According to the classical view, religion in modern society is threatened by a long-term process of secularization in which the challenge of scientific thinking, as well as the coexistence of numerous competing religions, inevitably leads to the complete demise of religion.

  The more recent religious economy approach draws the opposite conclusion: that competition among religious groups and the challenges of secularization force religions to work harder to win followers, thereby strengthening the various groups and countering any trend toward secularization.

Types of Religious Organizations

  Several different types of religious organization can be distinguished. A church is a large, established religious body, having a bureaucratic structure. Sects are small and aim at restoring the original purity of doctrines that have become "corrupted" in the hands of official churches. A denomination is a sect that has become institutionalized, having a permanent form. A cult is a loosely knit group of people who follow the same leader or pursue similar religious ideals.

  Although traditional churches have been experiencing a decline in membership in recent decades, many new religious movements have emerged alongside mainstream religions. New religious movements encompass a broad range of religious and spiritual groups, cults, and sects. They can be broadly divided into world affirming movements, which are akin to self-help groups; world rejecting movements, which withdraw from and criticize the outside world; and world-accommodating movements, which emphasize inner religious life over worldly concerns.

  The three most influential monotheistic religions (religions in which there is one God) in world history are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Polytheism (belief in several or many gods) is common in other religions, such as Hinduism.

Religion in the United States

  The United States is one of the most religious among the industrial nations. Although only about one quarter of all Americans report regularly attending church, the large majority claim to believe in God and to engage in regular prayer. Although church and state are legally separated by the U.S. Constitution, religious imagery and rituals pervade politics and civic life.

  Mainline liberal and moderate Protestant religious denominations in the United States have experienced declining membership recently, while more conservative or evangelical groups have seen an increase. These groups have sought to expand their direct influence in U.S. politics in recent years.

Religion as a Global Social Institution

  Religion has always been one of the most global of all social institutions. Fundamentalism has become common among some believers in different religious groups across the world. "Fundamentalists" are called this because they believe in returning to the fundamentals of their religious doctrines. Islamic fundamentalism has affected many countries in the Middle East following the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, which set up a religiously inspired government.

  Another important development is the role played by liberation theologists in fostering social justice and economic inequality, particularly in Latin America and Africa.

The Global Rise of Religious Nationalism

  Religious nationalism is an important force in the world today, existing in a precarious relationship with modern secular states.They often recast ordinary conflicts as religious "cosmic wars" between good and evil that must be won at all costs. This is especially likely to be the case when the conflict is seen as central to one's beliefs, losing it would be unthinkable, and winning it is unlikely.

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