RELIGION
Religion are complex systems of beliefs, practices, and attitudes by which people
relate their lives to supernatural beings or principles
It functions to meet the spiritual needs of individuals
Émile Durkheim described it with “things that surpass the limits of our
knowledge” (1915).
Traverse and Rebore (1990) define religion as that which involves:
1. a belief about the meaning of life
2. a commitment by the individual and the group to this belief
3. system of moral practices resulting from a commitment to this belief
4. a recognition by the proponents of this belief that is supreme or absolute
Characteristics of Religion
1. Belief on a deity or in a power beyond the individual
Three Main Philosophical view:
a. Atheists believe that no deity exists.
b. Theists believe in a deity or deities. Most main religion are theistic. They
teach that deities govern or greatly influence the action of human beings as
well as events in nature
c. Agnostics say that the existence of deity cannot be proved or disproved.
They assert that it's impossible for human beings to know anything about
how the universe was created and if divine beings exist. Agnosticism was
coined by biologist T.H. Huxley and comes from the Greek
Agnostos which means “unknown or unknowable.”
While typically not an organized group, atheists and agnostics represent a
significant portion of the population. It is important to recognize that being a
nonbeliever in a divine entity does not mean the individual subscribes to no
morality.
2. A doctrine (accepted teaching) of salvation
Salvation - deliverance from sin and its consequences
the highest goal of the faithful and one that all followers should try to
achieve. Religions differ in what salvation is and how it can be
gained.
3. A code of conduct
– set of moral teachings and values that all religions have in some form.
4. The use of sacred stories
Religious rituals (acts and ceremonies) – by which believers appeal to and serve
God, deities, or other sacred powers (alone or in group). Participation in rituals
marks a person as a member of the community, as being inside a system of beliefs
Service – performance of a ritual being done regularly.
Functions of Religion
(According to Calderon (1998))
1. It serves a means of social control.
2. It exerts a great influence upon personality development.
3. It allays fear of the unknown.
4. It explains events or situations which are beyond the comprehension of man.
5. It gives man comfort, strength, and hope in times of crisis and despair.
6. It preserves and transmits knowledge, skills, spiritual and cultural values and
practices.
7. It serves as an instrument of change.
8. It promotes closeness, love, cooperation, friendliness, and helpfulness.
9. It alleviates sufferings from major calamities.
10. It provides hope for blissful life after death.
Church
Large, with inclusive membership, in low tension with surrounding society.
Ideologically conservative
Tends toward greater intellectual examination and interpretation of the tenants of
religion (e.g. biblical passages, what is the historical context of the passage, the
meaning to the people at that time, what interpretation application can be given to
the present).
Examples: Catholic Church, Islam
Denomination
It lies between the church and the sect.
a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and
identity.
Examples: Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists
Sect
Small, exclusive membership, high tension with society
Expect a high level of commitment
Examples: Hutterites, Amish.
Cult
The more innovative institutions and are formed when people create new religious
beliefs and practices (Star and Bainbridge (1985).
Religious groups that are small, secretive, and highly controlling of members and
have a charismatic leader
Types
1. Audience cults – doctrines delivered to consumers via TV, radio or
in printed materials. Least organized with no formal membership
or commitment. There is little interaction through members and
participation could be through media
2. Client cults – they have religious leaders who offer specific
services to their followers (homeopathic and spiritualism)
3. Cult movements- They are client cults that have been enlarged
because of a closely-knit organization (San Juan, et al 2007). These
are the most organized and demand commitment.
The Elements of Religion
1. Sacred and profane
Sacred
Supernatural phenomena
Represented by wide variety of symbols
o god or set of gods, a holy person
o various revered writings (Bible, Koran, Torah, etc)
o holy objects such as cross
o holy cities (Jerusalem, Mecca)
Profane
Refers to all phenomena that are not sacred (example: Many
considered the water from Jordan River in Middle East to be sacred,
but to the Jordanians and Palestinians, it is not.
things that are more practical and down-to-earth (Émile Durkheim)
2. Legitimation of norms
Religious sanctions and beliefs reinforce the legitimacy of many rules and
norms in the community (eg, abortion, divorce, contraception)
3. Rituals
Formal patterns of activity that express symbolically a set of shared meanings
(baptism, communion)
Heavily laden with symbolism (e.g. Christians – the Cross profess their
religious belief)
4. Religious community
Religion establishes a code of behavior for the members, who belong and who
does not. The members often share the same interests, values, and beliefs.
Religion as Institution
Social scientists recognize that religion exists as an organized and integrated set
of beliefs, behaviours, and norms centred on basic social needs and values. Moreover,
religion is a cultural universal found in all social groups.
Émile Durkheim on Religion
“religion happens” in society when there is a separation between the profane
(ordinary life) and the sacred (1915). A rock, for example, isn’t sacred or profane
as it exists. But if someone makes it into a headstone, or another person uses it for
landscaping, it takes on different meanings—one sacred, one profane.
It is about community: it binds people together (social cohesion)
It promotes behavior consistency (social control), and
It offers strength for people during life’s transitions and tragedies (meaning and
purpose). - He contended that these values need to be maintained to maintain
social stability.
It give opportunities to create social interaction and the formation of groups. It
provides social support and social networking, offering a place to meet others
who hold similar values and a place to seek help (spiritual and material) in times
of need.
Trending topics on Religion and social change in the Philippines:
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References & Sources:
Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge(16th book)1998
https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/sociology-comprehensive-edition/s20-01-religion-as-a-
social-instituti.html
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter-15-religion/
https://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/social-institutions/section4/
