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Is Religion in decline as a major social Institution?
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In sociology there are broadly two approaches to the definition of religion. Social theorist, Emile Durkheim (1912), defines religion in terms of its social functions: religion is a system of beliefs and rituals with reference to the sacred which binds people together in social groups. This definition however has been criticized for being too inclusive as almost any public activity, take football for example, may have an integrative effect for social groups. The second approach, which follows research by Max Weber, defines religion as any set of coherent answers to human existential dilemmas – birth, sickness, death – which make the world meaningful. Again there is a criticism and that is that this approach implies that all humans are religious, since we are all faced with problems such as ageing, illness and death. The two above approaches are not ‘set in stone’ definitions of religion; they are simply a starting point for discussion. It is not possible to compact all beliefs and practices of a given religion such as Christianity, Judaism Islam etc. into one definitive statement. A second difficulty in defining religion is identifying the essential difference between the religious and the non-religious. (Taylor et al. 1995: 493). When looking at If and why religion is on the decline, one must firstly look at why people hold religious beliefs in the first place. This is a question that has intrigued social scientists and many theories have been put forward in relation. Anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski (1931) saw religion as a gap fill between human aspirations and abilities. He believes that “ religion provides an institutionalised means of adjusting oneself to life’s uncertainties and risks” (1931: 625). Another theory is that of Talcott Parsons (1952), who saw religion as a filling gap between social expectations and experiences. Parsons said, “ In all societies, some expectations are doomed to failure, that pain and deprivation are distributed haphazardly, that violations of moral standards are rewarded and upstanding behaviour may end in personal loss and defeat” (1952: 312). There are numerous more theories but these examples highlight some of the reasons for which people turn to religion. Human beings need to feel that the world is comprehensible, that there is a reason for the events of their life. Therefore they hold on to religion because “ religion deals with problems of meaning” (Weber 1904). Many sociologists share the view that the role religion plays in society has changed. Traditionally religion was seen as authority in all areas of social life; farmers prayed to the gods before planting crops, Priests or Shamans were responsible for healing. Conflicts and disputes between families or villages were acted out in religious rituals or through religious trials and formal education was in the hands of the clergy. In modern industrial societies, religion is one of many specialized institutions and as a result has been stripped of many of its former functions and must compete with other institutions for authority.
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