Functions of Religion: Religion is an important universal institution in human society. It is a part of society, interwoven with all other aspects of human life. It is obvious that religion has an important role in society, it performs a number of important, functions:
Social Solidarity:
(a) Emile Durkheim, defines religion as “a unified system of belief and practice related to sacred things”. A thing is sacred not because of a peculiar quality inherent in the thing itself. What makes a thing sacred is an attitude filled with emotion and sentiment a feeling that certain things are above and apart from the ordinary matters of everyday life.
(b) By defining the values and moral beliefs as sacred, religion provides them with greater power to direct human action. Social obligations are transformed into religious duties, in worshipping society men recognize the importance of the group, their dependence upon it.
(c) Collective worship as a means of reinforcing social solidarity in a social group. In collective ceremonials, the members of a group express their faith in common values and belief, a sense of group solidarity is affirmed and frightened.
(d) Malinowski argues that religion promotes social solidarity by dealing with situations of emotional stress such as birth, puberty, death, accidents and natural disaster which threaten social cohesion.
(e) Religious beliefs provide the ultimate justification for the values do social system. It provides support for social standard, socially accepted behavior. Thus the doctrines of Karma and Dharma in Hinduism. The Christian society maintains the tradition like Christmas, baptism and monogamous marriage, and tries to encourage conformity to society’s norms.
