Sociology of Religion in Modern World

Year 2018, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 179 - 190, 30.12.2018

Hüsnü Ezber Bodur

Abstract

The sociology of
religion as a sub-discipline of sociology has emerged in western European
historical context at the time of scientific, industrial and French
revolutions. First, the Comtean Principles were adopted by some positivistic
intellectuals. Political - ideological context has been influential on the
developments of sociology of religion, at the same time it is affected by it.
In the first stage of development of sociology of religion there is a struggle
between dominant ideological views of that are and the scientific understanding
of this sub-discipline. In an environment with upheavals in Europe sociology
emerged to explain social change and social order. Auguste Comte is considered
to be founder of sociology, especially as a name father.

In contrast to the
general idea related to the origin of sociology and within this the sociology
of religion, the real founder of it is sociologist, historian, social scientist
and philosopher Tunisian  Ibn Khaldun who
lived at the time of 14^th century. In his Muqaddimah he laid out the
principles for a new discipline called ilm al-umran al-bashari (the science of
human organization) or al-ijtima al-insani (the science of human society)
(Spickart 2017:149-55). Ibn Khaldun aims to discover the patterns of social living
associated with religion based on historical data. Comparing Ibn Khaldun and
Durkheim both of them thought that religion plays an important role on social
life. But there are differences on their views. Ibn Khaldun's approach about
religion is close to substantive to society definition. He gives priority to
the supernatural domain as an explanation to society. But Durkheim's priority
is on the functional definition of religion, so as a product of society
religion's role in creating social solidarity tribal units. Ibn Khaldun's
approach shows that his thesis was explanative of the relationship between
religion and social structure than Durkheim's views at the same time, Ibn
Khaldun's analysis about the religion and economics, he is the precursor of Marx
and Weber.

The centrality of
religion in theories of the founding fathers like Marx, Weber and Durkheim ways
very clear. Durkheim as an architect of functionalist theory of religion was
mainly concerned with the role of religion as a force for social integration in
society. Weber based on historical data examined the interaction between
Protestantism and the rise of capitalism. Prior to the work of weber and
Durkheim, the leading sociologist like Comte and Marx had viewed religion as a
relic of past so declared the obituary of religion. According to Marx, as an
economic determinant and the father of modern conflict theory, religion operate
to justify the self-interests of various groups. So, Marx declared the demise
of religion as a result of classless society. Inspired by the enlightenment's
principles of rationality, positivistic ideologies as well as the rise of
industrial state, sociology since its inception in Europe was conceived as a
secular enterprise (Pelayo, 2013:5). So, the sociology of religion has
concentrated its attention on the process of secularization taking place in
western societies. In fact, positivistic ideas are left aside the ideological
weight of it is steal alive sociology of religion.

This paper titled the
state of "sociology of religion in the world" is divided into three
parts. In the first part the developments in the sociology of religion were
examined by reference to textbooks written in this sub-discipline with in the sociology.
At the same time the topics of sociology of religion can we traced by following
the great socio-political and economic changes. For example, in the 1960s-1970s
the sociology of religion began to focus more on new religious movements and
the social study of religion has been present in the world scene in these
years. Second part of this paper is related on the debates of secularization
theories. Beginning in the mid-1970s and continuing there after major world
events and movements related religion like liberation theology in Latin America
the Religious Right in the United States. Catholic Solidarity in Poland etc.
force the social scientists to thing about these socio-political and religion
events. Either by rejecting the classical secularization theory entirely or
condemning some aspects of it. According to Berger who is previously supporting
the classical secularization theory now this agrees with it, religion was
clearly an important force in social political and cultural life (Berger,
1999). Studies about the religious phenomena carried out on sociology
departments and institutionalization or institutional development of the
sociology of religion, have increase the interest in the sub-discipline.
Especially during 1990s and the first decades of the 2000s the social study of
religion began to develop rapidly and became noteworthy on the global scale.
Secularization theories are grouped under three headings: These are; a)
Classical secularization theory, b) The "modified" version of the
classical secularization thesis, c) de-secularization or refuting this
entirely. In addition to these discussions on secularization theory, the
religious market model or economics of religion and Davie's "believing and
belonging" typology are examined. The third one of this paper is related
to stages of institutionalization like research centers and academic
departments publications, dissertation, in addition to these establishment of
journals on sub-discipline and foundation and societies commitment to this
field, scientific actives as conferences have contributed to the development of
sociology of religion in the world (Kasselstrand, 2013: 57-89).  

Modern Dünyada Din Sosyolojisi

Abstract

Sosyoloji 19. yüzyılın ikinci yarısından sonra Batı Avrupa'da gözlemlenen sosyal yapı ile ilgili değişimi açıklamak üzere bir dizi teori ve kavramlardan meydana gelen sosyal bilim dalıdır. Sosyolojinin klasiklerinin birçoğunun toplum çözümlemelerinde evrensel bir kurum olan dinin oldukça önemli bir konumda olduğu görülmüştür. Bu yüzden sosyolojinin alt disiplinlerinden biri olan ve dini fenomenlerle ilgilenen din sosyolojisi de sosyoloji ile birlikte gelişmiştir. Tarihsel olarak dinin sosyolojik analizlerinde Weber ve Durkheim gibi klasik sosyologların katkılarıyla bu bilim dalı gelişmeye başlamıştır. Bu iki teorisyenden biri olan Durkheim, dinin toplumsal bütünleşmeye katkısı üzerine yoğunlaşırken din ve toplum arasındaki ilişkiyi açıklamaya yönelik olarak Weber de analizlerinde bir dizi tarihi veriden yararlanarak Protestanlığın kapitalizmi meydana getirdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Bu çalışmada din sosyolojisi alanında bir ya da birden fazla yazarlı din sosyolojisi kitaplarıyla ile el kitabı formatındaki editörlü kitaplara başvurularak din sosyolojisinin konuları hakkında genel bilgi verilmiştir. Tarama metoduyla sosyolojinin alt disiplininde din ve toplum ilişkileri dine sosyolojik yaklaşım başlığı altında teoriler ve kavramlar çerçevesinde din ve sosyal hayatın birbirlerine nasıl etki ettikleri hususu üzerinde durulmuştur. Din sosyolojisinin gelişim seyrine neredeyse tek başına damga vuran sekülerleşme tezi etrafındaki tartışmalara Davie’nin “inanma ve ait olma” tipolojisi ve dini piyasa modeliyle dâhil olunmuştur. Din sosyolojisinin gelişmesi akademik kurumsallaşma süreçlerinin ve çeşitli dernekleşme bünyesinde araştırma kuruluşların yaygınlaşması ve uluslararası dizeyde periyodiklerin çıkarılması, konferans, sempozyum ve panel gibi çeşitli bilimsel faaliyetlerin düzenlenmesi Collins’in “etkileşim ritüeli” ve “entelektüel ağlar” zinciri tezi etrafında incelenmiştir. Sosyoloji içerisinde önemli bir yerde olan dinin sosyal bilimsel araştırmasının, gelecekte de sosyal bilimciler tarafından sürdürüleceği, din ve modernite arasındaki ilişkilerin birbirlerini dışlamadan ziyade bir arada varlığını sürdüreceği tespitiyle din sosyolojisinin gelecekteki statüsünde bir düşüşün olmayacağı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Keywords

Din, Sosyoloji, Modern dünya

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