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Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber are not only considered three of the key founders of modern sociology, but they are also considered to be the first to connect religion to sociological philosophies and ideas. The three originally based their ideas off of the belief that people of all races and ethnicities used religion to better connect and understand with the world around them. As the twentieth century progressed, their original ideas changed and molded to resemble the current events in the world. Not only did the sociology of religion adapt over time, but it also changed and conformed over regional boundaries. Ideas spread across the world, and as they did they adapted to the regions they encountered. In the United States, many viewed religion as a functionalist aspect of society, one in which social constructs were woven into different sects of religions. In the ladder half of the twentieth century, changing times and increased conflict with wars and religion itself had changed the way that many Americans viewed religion. They began to treat religion as a social aspect of life rather than a devout commitment. This change in ideology continues today as trends in American culture have strayed away from religion in favor of a more secular lifestyle. In Europe, the Catholic Church has reigned dominant for centuries. Many twentieth century Europeans still viewed religion in a similar fashion as the previous generations. However, as time progressed and modernization occurred around the world, religion in Europe has taken a step back in terms of importance in European society. Many European cultures now focus much more on science rather than religion, and this has caused a steady decline in the number of people who identify as religious across Europe.

http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/Sociology1.htm

Secularism in modern society has tremendously risen compared to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Modern society is almost completely secular, with religion be disassociated with most modern governments and laws, as well as the decline of the number of people who associate with religion. Over time, people have shifted from relying solely on religion to answer questions, to nowadays relying almost completely on science to solve problems. In past generations people would cite religious text to justify an event, a question, or anything out of the ordinary, but as humans evolved and technology advanced, secularism and science rose to prominence. Science and technology has led to the surge in secularism, as the progression of society has enabled people to explain things that before were never able to be concretely explained. When sociologists view this change from a theistic society to a secular society, this is the most common theme of why the change occurred. While religion still plays a large role in many peoples lives around the world, science and technology have been the largest factors in the rapid growth of society.

https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2016/01/20/importance-understanding-sociology-religion#

Ever since the establishment of modern formal religious sects, religion has been used as much as a social institution as it is a personal lifestyle and guide to fulfillment. Religion has been the backbone of society for centuries, but more so in ancient times than in today's society. In ancient times, religion defined who you were, who you associated with, your class status, and pretty much anything else that represented yourself. People who were not religious were deemed as outcasts of society as they were ostracized for not worshiping the same God as everybody else. The social institution aspect of religion has evolved over time to represent different groups of people rather than being the all-defining aspect of people. This is partly due to the rise in secularism, but it is also due to the fact that people have become more accepting of people with different beliefs over the years. Centuries ago, people would only associate with people that were similar to them, whether that was their race, class, or religion. Nowadays, differences are valued in society and are not seen as dividing factors to most people. While religion is still a major social institution today, it is not the same as it used to be as peoples attitudes and opinions have changed over time. Many people still identify strongly with their religion, associate with people who share similar beliefs, or claim that their religion is the most important aspect of their life, but religion is not the defining aspect of people's lives as it used to be.

https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter-15-religion/

For all of history, religion has been used in a way to give people a sense of purpose and collectivism. Religion allows people to connect with a higher power on a personal level, one which allows somebody to have an outlet or safety net when they need it the most. This concept translates into people getting a purpose out of life by connecting with their religious beliefs. Many follow their religious guidelines and have a relationship with their God, as it gives them a purpose and driving factor to keep living life in the name of their higher power. When many people find this common purpose, they tend to group together. This is the simplest definition of religion: a group of people who share common beliefs in a higher power. This common purpose that everybody in such religion shares forms collectivism. The act of people believing in the same morals and ideals brings people together through a common bond. This collectivism strengthens the religion, and may cause outsiders to feel compelled to join because of the strong collectivism. This collectivism has helped establish religion as one of the largest social institutions, and it has helped give people purpose in their daily lives.

http://www.religion-online.org/book-chapter/sociology-of-religion/