Religion and Society

1. Society’s Role in Religion

Religion without society would be the realm of pure god or gods. How can you know that? You know this because religion needs people to say such things. It needs people to believe there is a god or gods in the first place. It needs them to say that there is some other realm that’s somehow important and relevant beyond the human realm.

It needs this because religion, in this sense, can’t exist without societies to consider it. Religion needs people to present and represent it to themselves, the world, other generations, other cultures, different societies, et cetera.

2. Religion’s Role in Society

In societies past and present, there has always been a range of different religious beliefs and practices. Among them there has always been some portion of non-believers, or atheists, and those who are unsure of the beliefs held by the religious—these are called agnostics.

did you know

According to the 2005 Eurobarometer Poll, 33% of the population of France has no belief in a spirit, god, or other life force. However, 34% reported having some belief in god. Wherever you look, you’ll find some percentage of religious belief among a population, even if it’s as little as 19%, as in the Czech Republic.

In societies that are traditionally stable or expansive, religion often works as a binding force with shared values, beliefs, and practices. In every case, religion and the often complex structure of belief and practice are what give rise to societies in the first place, like with the civilizations of ancient Egypt.

Built into the religious paradigm is a social fabric that has the history, the words, and the customs of tradition that are imprinted and worked through its fibers to form societies.

In any moderately religious society, both old and new, whether it has a national religion or is secular (or even officially atheistic, like China), religion provides guidance, direction, and support to the individual. Life’s transitions are full of surprises, and many find solace in the beliefs and practices of religion as they navigate their solo journey.

terms to know

Atheist

An adherent of atheism; one who believes that god does not exist.

Agnostic

An adherent of agnosticism; one who either has not decided whether or not god exists or who believes that the existence or non-existence of god can never be known.

3. Crisis Management

Religion can also help to support the family. A family may sit more unified at the table with a moment of grace or prayer before the meal. However, mealtime is not without its own tensions sometimes. Given the rich variety of individual wills and desires and tensions and goals, there’s always an available recipe for dispute, conflict of interest, et cetera.

As a trusted societal institution and resource, though, religion has traditionally stepped in to mediate such conflicts. For many followers of Judaism, it’s not uncommon to solicit the support and aid of the community rabbi when a family dispute erupts. The Christian Good Shepherd or Good Samaritan organizations provide a variety of social services, such as conflict resolution, prison reform, counseling, et cetera.

think about it

Why would religion step in to resolve crisis?

Although religion and its associated values and practices might be shared among members of a society, it doesn’t guarantee a smooth ride. However, it might have the advantage of having structures in place to mediate and help resolve conflict. The absence of an ideological common ground of shared belief, on the other hand, exposes a situation to more variables, such as aimless violence that can be religiously motivated or not.

Many religions have international wings that help with political refugee crises, natural disaster assistance, and things like that. In this sense, religion plays a strong role in binding communities and forming new relationships between individuals and groups.