Religion in Social Life and Social Change: Functions of Social Glue, Sources of Values, and Moral Movements

Abstrak

This study examines the role of religion in social life and social change through a qualitative literature review approach. The analysis focuses on two main questions: how religious institutions function as social glue and sources of values in modern society, and how they act as agents of social change and moral movements. The findings reveal that religious institutions serve as social glue by creating a sense of togetherness through collective rituals and building cross-class solidarity through internal redistribution mechanisms. As sources of values, they provide ethical frameworks for navigating moral choices amid pluralism and transmit values across generations through active negotiation between tradition and change. In their role as agents of social change, religious institutions possess exceptional mobilizational capacity and moral resources, demonstrated in transformative movements such as civil rights and anti-apartheid struggles. However, the direction of religious engagement is shaped by theological interpretations, internal authority structures, relationships with political power, and socio-political contexts. The effectiveness of religious institutions in fulfilling their functions depends on their ability to manage tensions between universality and particularity, commitment to truth and openness to dialogue, and political engagement and moral authority preservation. Theoretical contributions shift the focus from secularization narratives toward understanding religion as a dynamic force that adapts to and shapes modernity. Practical implications point to the need for policy frameworks that recognize the unique capacities of religious institutions while maintaining state neutrality in religious affairs.