Thanks for tuning in. Welcome to another insightful discussion here at Greg’s InsighTalk. Today, we will be talking about religion as a significant social institution. This lecture is the fifth and the last part of our discussion on major social institutions. We will discuss this topic using a sociological lens, intending not to engage in religious debate based on established faith to anyone.

What is a religion? The Oxford Dictionary defines religion as a system of beliefs, faith or worship of God or Gods with superhuman powers. On the other hand, let us take how sociologist Emile Durkheim defines religion based on his famous “Elementary Forms of Religious Life.” Durkheim defines religion as a structure of beliefs and practices concerning sacred things that unite people and adhere to them, creating a single moral community called the church. Hence, it is a fact that most of us belong to or are church members of any religious organization or group.

The World’s Major Religions. As one of the major social institutions, religion is critical in the foundation of any human society, whether it be ancient or modern times. Let us take a look at the primary faiths or religious beliefs around the world. The world has five major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Let us learn a little about their emergence, history, and philosophy.

First, Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, originating from the Indus Valley in India about 4,500 years ago. It ranks the third largest religion in the world, with a billion followers. Hindus believe in the divine power. Vedas is their sacred text written in Sanskrit. Hindus believe in the principles of dharma, referring to one’s duty in the world that resembles or agrees with “right” actions. It includes the notion of karma, a spiritual ramification of one’s action in this life or the future life called reincarnation.

Second, Buddhism, which emerged in 500 B.C.E., is the second oldest religion. Siddharta Gautama, who founded Buddhism, achieved enlightenment (bodhi/awakening) upon meditating under a sacred fig tree. He was then known as Buddha, the “enlightened one.” Buddha’s teachings include meditation and encouragement to lead a moral life by accepting the Noble Truths. Four noble truths guide Buddhists: first, life is suffering or misery. Second, suffering results from one’s attachment to desires and wants. Third, suffering stops when the attachment to desires ends. Finally, autonomy from suffering is possible by following the “middle way.” The “middle way” concept encourages people to live in the present and accept others.

Third, Judaism emerged after the Jewish people’s covenant of a special relationship with God called “Yahweh” during their exodus from Egypt in the thirteenth century B.C.E. Abraham is a crucial figure in the foundation of the Jewish faith, including Christianity and Islam, which resulted in three “Abrahamic” religions. The Jews’ sacred text is the Torah, embracing the first five books of the Christian Bible, including Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, which comprise the first five books of the Old Testament. Jewish teachings emphasize moral behaviour and actions in this world in contrast to personal belief in personal salvation after life or the next world. Their culture adheres to the “Judeo-Christian” values. One more interesting historical fact about the Jewish people is popularly known as the Jewish Diaspora, resulting from the mass relocation of the Jews to different parts of the world after numerous wars and invasions of their homeland, Israel. Most of them are in Europe and the United States.

Fourth, like Judaism, Islam is another monotheistic religion, believing in one God: Yahweh for the Jews, while Allah for the Muslims, the followers of Islam. Muhammad, born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia,  founded Islam around 570 CE. He is the prophet and only messenger of Allah, who is divine. Islam means peace and submission to Allah. The Muslims follow prophet Muhammad’s teachings based on their sacred text, the Qur’an. Their beliefs and practices are the “five pillars.” These five pillars include 1.) the only God is Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet; 2.) praying Salah or praying five times daily; 3.) helping those deprived and impoverished; 4.) fasting is a required spiritual practice; and 5.) pilgrimage to their Holiest Mosque in Mecca, the Kaaba, which only Muslims can enter this place of worship. One-fifth of the world’s population, which is around 1.8 billion, identified themselves as Muslims. Islam is the second largest religious group in the world after Christianity.

Fifth, Christianity, the world’s largest religious group with an estimated number of followers between 2.3 and 2.6 billion, emerged 2000 years ago in Palestine. Jesus of Nazareth founded Christianity based on his teaching about Caritas (charity), or treating others as we want to treat ourselves. This world’s largest religious group believes in the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the sacred text of the Christians. However, different Christian denominations have various versions of the Bible, such as the Roman Catholic, the Orthodox, the Church of Christ of the Latter-Day Saints and the Protestants, by which the New Testament accounts for the teachings of Jesus as the son of God. While the Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Islam and Christianity, share many similar historical religious stories, their spiritual faith and ways of worshipping vary. For the Christians, Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Yet, the Jews and the Muslims disagree. The Jewish people believe that the prophecy has not yet been fulfilled or is still yet to come.

The Role of Religion in Society. After giving the significant backgrounds of the world’s foremost religions, let us ask ourselves. What does religion do as an essential social institution? Stay with me, and let us see the sociological perspectives behind religion.

In a functionalist view, religion serves several roles in society. One, religion finds meaning in life and gives purpose to our existence. For instance, many things in life are difficult to understand, but people’s religious beliefs help them realize and comprehend their situations. Two, religion reinforces social unity and stability. It unifies society, strengthens solidarity, and guides people’s social behaviours. For example, the religious norms or standard set of beliefs is an essential agent of socialization. Let us also take the communal practice of worship or ritual. It brings people together, facilitates social interactions and strengthens their social bonds. Third, religion, an agent of social control, strengthens social order. Religion teaches moral behaviour and social values to its followers to become good members of society.

Fourth, religion is also a great source of psychological and physical well-being. A perfect example is in times of distress and hardship; religious faith and practice provide support and comfort and enhance people’s social interaction. Many studies find that religiosity promotes better physical health, and people of different ages are happier and more contented. Lastly, religion may motivate people to work for positive social change. For instance, in the case of  Martin Luther King Jr., religious beliefs led him and other civil rights activists to unify the South to achieve racial equality in the United States.

From a conflict perspective, religion reinforces social inequity and conflict or struggle. Because people believed in the reward afterlife, it helped poor people to accept their life conditions, leading to hostility and violence stirred by religious differences. Another example is the hierarchy system in most churches, a gender inequality issue such as male dominance in leadership, hence promoting traditional gender roles. It also justifies unequal social structure, for instance, India’s caste system and other religious/church hierarchy classifications.

Finally, the symbolic interactionist views that people demonstrate meaning-making based on religious symbols in everyday life and interactions. In this sense, interactionists consider beliefs and experiences sacred if individuals in society regard them as holy and revered. Symbols, such as the Cross, the Crescent and Star and the Star of David, communicate meaning, and people’s experiences have particular religious meanings, too. For example, people express and interpret religious values in everyday life and manifest them in social interactions, such as acts of kindness and compassion or what is pious or sinful.

Synopsis. In summary, religion, ideally, gives meaning and purpose to life. It reinforces social solidarity and serves as an agent of social control. Religion promotes psychological and physical well-being that motivates people for constructive social change, affecting their daily lives based on how they interpret their religious experiences. Religion makes its followers good members of our society by reinforcing religious norms and sound behaviour patterns.

In contrast, religion may help keep poor people happy and contented in their lives while promoting traditional gender roles and emphasizing hierarchical structure, strengthening communal disparity. It also provokes intolerance with people of different religious faiths, thus fostering divisiveness and creating other religious sects and denominations. For example, Christianity has a lot of denominations, such as Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity, to name a few of which Catholics is the largest.

Let me reiterate that this lecture does not aim to engage in faith-based debate. I underscored religion and the world’s primary religions to delineate how religions and their philosophies affect people’s lives and behaviour and how they interact based on their spiritual engagement or religious beliefs, practices and experiences. For instance, the Hindu principle of dharma and karma, the Buddhist four noble truths and their notion of the “middle way,” and the Christian value of “do unto others what you want others to do unto you.” Therefore, religion has a significant, if not the most, influence on people’s interactions toward social order. After discussing major social institutions, we will discuss different social issues and see or analyze how people react or interact objectively or subjectively. We will reflect on our daily interactions with various social institutions in the next Insightalk.

Thank you for staying with me. Until next time on Greg’s InsighTalk: Your way, our way of understanding pieces of social realities.