The Role of Religion in Shaping Cultural Norms

Abstract

This qualitative research paper takes a unique approach to exploring quantification and secularisation in diverse cultures through religion. By investigating beliefs for God, beliefs instead of God, practices and culture, and peoplehood in faith and out of faith, the study aims to uncover how religion shapes virtues, behaviours, and policies. Utilizing interviews, surveys, and literary analyses, the study highlights the multifaceted influence of religion on cultural norms, examining historical and contemporary factors. The evidence indicates that religion plays a dual role, offering individuals a basis for personal belief while shaping a collective structure for societal engagement, moral principles, and social connectedness. Overall, the study underscores the significance of religion in shaping existing cultural norms and reinforcing them as buffers on higher social strata, providing a dual perspective on religion as a social glue and a source of division. It also offers a more subtle account of the importance of religious frameworks in cultural identities and possible avenues of further research.

Keywords: Religion, Cultural Norms, Social Behaviors, Moral Values, Community Cohesion