Religion and Society

• What is religion?
– A system of beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies

– Promotes community among followers

– Provides a personal spiritual experience for its

members

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 Religion

• As a social institution, religion is a pattern

of social action organized around the
beliefs and practices that people develop
to answer questions about the meaning of
existence.

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 Religious Institution Definition
Durkheim
• Religion the unified system of beliefs and
practices related to sacred things, that is
to say things set apart and forbidden and
unite people into a moral community.

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 Religious Institutions

•Bait ullah
•Masjids
•Madarsa
•Imam baregha
•Jamat Khana
•Religious School, collages

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 The Great Transformation of
Societies
• In preindustrial societies, religion dominates all
aspects of society.

• In industrial societies, the institution of religion

has become separated from many social and
economic activities

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 Function of Religion
• What does religion do for people?
– Gives them hope of something better than what
they have now.

– Gives answers to unknowing questions.

• What happens when I die?
• Why am I here?
• What is the point to life?

– Serves to bind people together in times of crisis

and confusion 6
 Religious Institution Functions
• Remove fear and anxiety
• Relation between man and universe.
• Relation between man and God.
• Judgment of right and wrong.
• Presentation of values.
• Creates Purity and Cleanliness.
• Socializing institution. Crates Social Solidarity.
• Relates man and woman.

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 Characteristics of Religion
• Beliefs
– Ideas, based upon faith, that people consider true

• The sacred
– Sacred: that which has supernatural qualities

• Rituals
– Routines that reinforce the faith

• Moral communities
– People who share a religious belief

• Personal experience
– Grants meaning to life
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