Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Project 2 Institutions Analysis
Project 2 Institutions Analysis
By Trisha Cease
THE ORIGINS OF RELIGION
Religion has existed long before a
written history of civilization began
Secular theories on the origins of
religion suggest it was developed as
a means for humans to explain
what they could not
Natural phenomena such as
rainfall or earthquakes
Religion provided a means for
people to connect with nature and
unite a group of people into one
common belief system
Created to give early people a sense
of control over an environment
they could not control
PREVALENCE OF RELIGION
Today there is approximately 4,200 dierent religions spread all across the globe
Early religions developed exclusive of one another despite spatial separation of
civilizations
This coincidence has happened because of the psychological and sociological benefits
of a religious belief system
Religion is one of the oldest institutions of sociology
SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION: WHAT IS RELIGION?
Religion is a social institution dedicated establishing a
shared sense of identity, encouraging social integration, and
oering believers a sense of meaning and purpose (Witt)
Contrary to typical institutions, religions focus is on entities
beyond the natural and physical world
Religion is geared towards realities beyond everyday
existence into the supernatural
Religion involves the sacred, as opposed to our every day
profane life
SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION: WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE?
Religion unifies believers into a community through shared
practices and a common set of beliefs relative to sacred
things (Witt)
All religions each have a unifying system of beliefs and
practices that are shared by all its members
Religion provides a community where members have beliefs,
practices, and shared sacred things in common
In each religion, there are objects or ideas labeled as sacred
which all members are designated to treat with reverence and
care
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES: FUNCTIONALIST
According to Durkheim, religion is an integrative force in
human society
Religion acts as a societal glue
Unites a group of people together despite their inherent
dierences
Prompts members to arm their common values and belief
systems continuously
Gives purpose and meaning to peoples lives on this earth
Provides a sense of belonging
Is a vehicle for social change (positive and negative)
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES: CONFLICT
Marx observed that religion was an influencer for the less fortunate
to accept their poor conditions in this life and focus on the afterlife
Gave people a reason to accept their current social conditions, no
matter how bad
Discourages social change by encouraging nonresistance to social
structure
Encouraged people to focus on the afterlife rather than their
current lives
Distracts people from and justifies worldly injustices
Reinforces social structure and other social institutions
Perpetuates social inequality
FUNCTION OF RELIGION IN A PARTICIPANTS LIFE