What you’ll learn to do: identify and explain how major sociological perspectives view religion

Figure 1. A woman administers communion, a religious ceremony, dispensing wine and bread to a line of congregants. (Photo courtesy of Alex Proimos/Wikimedia Commons)

Religion describes the beliefs, values, and practices related to sacred or spiritual concerns. It is a social institution, because it serves societal needs, including a sense of community. Religion is also an example of a cultural universal, because it is found in all societies in one form or another. Functionalism, conflict theory, and interactionism all provide valuable ways for sociologists to understand religion.