Jurjemae M. Rodriguez - 2 ACA
SOCECON 10
1. What are the functions of Religion?
Religion plays an integral part in society. As defined by Beyers (2021), Religion is a
unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart
and surrounded by prohibitions. In line with this, according to research, the several functions of
Religion in Society include the following:
(a) Giving meaning and purpose to life - as there are things even before that are hard to
explain, especially when it comes to life and death, wherein it remains a mystery even though
Science has been evolving since then. Faith and belief rooted in someone's Religion help a
person to make sense of things that even Science has not been able to explain concretely yet.
(b) Reinforcing social unity and stability - as Religion sets common beliefs towards people
of the same Religion, this creates a sense of being able to socialize with others who have the
same beliefs as them. Another thing is that communal practices bring people together, which
creates an opportunity for people to socialize and strengthen their social bonds.
(c) Serving as an agent of social control of behavior - Religion teaches its believers moral
behavior, which helps them have a guide on how they should act in a particular manner to be
good members of society.
(d) Promoting physical and psychological well-being - a person's faith towards Religion can
develop his or her physical and psychological well-being as their faith can be a source of
comfort in times of struggles in life.
(e) Motivating people to work for positive social change - religious beliefs may inspire
people to a movement towards positive social change. An example is when Martin Luther King
Jr. and other civil rights activists risked their lives to desegregate the South.
2. Is Religion the source of conflict or the path of peace?
I myself have a strong faith and beliefs towards my Religion as I was raised in a religious
family. However, I cannot deny that Religion can be a source of social conflict. Although having
a strong faith and belief guides a person to do good and be good, there are still instances where
some are ready to go the extra mile because of religious differences. In research from the
University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing (2019), the history of the world shows that
individual people, whole communities, and nations are quite ready to persecute, kill, and go to
war over religious differences. The source also highlights how Religion somehow promotes
social inequality. Well, not really the Religion itself but by how the believers interpret situations
from the perspective of how their Religion works. To be specific, there is a provided example
regarding the idea of Karl Marx wherein "people think it is God's will that they are poor, either
because he is testing their faith in him or because they have violated his rules. Many believe
that if they endure their suffering, they will be rewarded in the afterlife" (University of Minnesota
Libraries Publishing, 2019). With the latter idea, most people tend to accept this fact instead of
appealing for accountability from the people who have abused their powers, leading to an
increasing rate of poverty and social inequality.
Sources:
Beyers, J.. (2021). The role of religion and spirituality in transforming society. Acta Theologica, 41(Suppl. 32), 52-69.
https://dx.doi.org/10.18820/23099089/actat.sup32.5
University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. (2019). Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World. Open
Education North Carolina.