What you’ll learn to do: identify and explain how major sociological perspectives view religion
![A woman with a head covering is in the middle of the photo holding a cup. There is a cross and a depiction of Jesus Christ out of focus in the background.](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/courses-images/wp-content/uploads/sites/2034/2016/05/27220623/1599px-The_Line_of_Communion_7074868945.jpg)
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. ItĀ is a social institution, because it servesĀ 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.