QUESTION a) Evaluate the function of religion to society (roles of religion) b) To what extent has religion promoted gender inequality  

1. QUESTION
a) Evaluate the function of religion to society (roles of religion)
b) To what extent has religion promoted gender inequality

2. Introduction
Religion refers to a set of organized beliefs, practices and systems that most often relate to
belief and worship of s controlling force such as a personal God or another supernatural
being.
Religion is also defined as a belief in God or gods and the activities that are connected with
this belief. For example praying and worshiping.
Religion involves arrange of practices including sermons, rituals, prayers, mediations, holy
places, symbols and feasts.
Some of the religions include:-
Bahai, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, Shinto, Hinduism, Taoism, Islam, Jainism,
Rastafarianism, traditional African religions among others.
Society is a community or group of people having common traditions, institutions and
interests.
A society is also defined as a group of people with common interests, beliefs or purpose.
According to western Mark Giddings, society is a group of individuals living a co-operative
life for a common interest.
The functions of religion to society are evaluated as below;
Religion creates a moral community: Religion provides a system of beliefs around which
people may gather to belong to something greater than themselves in order to have their
personal beliefs reinforced by the group and its rituals. Those who share a common ideology
develop a collective identity and a sense of fellowship.
Religion is an emotional support: Religion is a sense of comfort and relief to the
individuals during times of personal and social crises such as death of loved ones, serious
injury, etc. This is especially true when something ‘senseless’ happens. It gives them

3. emotional support and provides consolation, reconciliation and moral strength during trials
and defeats, personal losses and unjust treatments.
Religion controls sexuality: Religion has the function of controlling the sexuality of the
body, in order to secure the regular transmission of property via the family’. In feudalism,
and now in capitalism, religious control of sexuality is an important vehicle for the
production of legitimate offspring.
Religion provides mental peace: Human life is uncertain. Man struggles for his survival
amidst the uncertainties, insecurities and dangers, Some-times he feels helplessness. It is
the religion which consoles and encourages him in all such time of crisis. Religion gives right
shelter to him. He gets mental peace and emotional support. It encourages him to face his
life and problems.
It inculcates social virtues: Religion promotes the major social virtues like truth, honesty,
non-violence, service, love, discipline etc. A follower of the religions internalizes these virtues
and becomes a disciplined citizen of the society.
Religion promotes social solidarity: Religion gives rise to the spirit of brotherhood.
Religion strengthens social solidarity, it also has the supremely integration and verifying
force in human society. It is true that common belief, common sentiment, common worship,
participation in common rituals are the significant cementing factors which strengthen unity
and solidarity.
Religion is an agent of socialization and social control: Religion is one of the most
important agents of socialization and social control. It has significant role in organizing and
directing social life. It helps in preserving social norms and strengthening social control. It
regulates the activities of people in its own way. Organization like temples, mosques, church
also control the behavior of the individuals at different level.
Religion promotes welfare: Religion teaches people to serve the masses and promote their
welfare. It gives message that “the service to humanity is service to God”. For this reason,

4. people spend money to feed poor and needy. Great religions like Hinduism, Islam, and
Christianity put emphasis on aim-giving to the poor and beggars. It develops and injects the
idea of mutual help and co-operation.
Religion gives recreation: Religion plays a charming role in providing recreation to the
people. Religious rites and festivals are more or less performed in every religion which gives
relief to the people from mental exertion. Similarly religious lectures, musical concerts
followed by the utterance of hymn gives much more pleasure to the people and provides
eternal recreation.
Religion influences political system: Religion has played a significant role in political
system in the ancient and medical society. Even in modern times in many countries of the
world the religion directly and indirectly also influences political activities. During ancient
and medieval period, the monarchs were treating themselves as the representatives of the
God or ruling the society in the name of God. Even today, Political leaders take oath in the
name of God. The political system of the countries of the world are influenced by religion.
Religion as an agent of de-politicization: According to Bryan Wilson (1976), religion
functions as an agent of de-politicization. Marxists suggest that by inducing a ‘false
consciousness’ among the disadvantaged, religion lessens the possibility of collective
political action. In simpler terms, religion keeps people away from seeing their lives and
societal conditions in political terms.
Religion acts as psychotherapy: In modern world, religion has also become a supporting
psychology a form of psychotherapy. Now, God is conceived of as a humane and considerate
God. Such a hopeful perception helps the sufferer in alleviating his/her personal and social
crisis.
Provides rites of passage: Religion helps us in performing ceremonies and rituals related
to rites of passage (birth, marriage, death and other momentous events) which give meaning
and a social significance to our life.

5. However, religion has caused or got negative effects to the society as expounded
below:-
Divisions. People are divided according to their religious affiliations for example Muslims,
Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Buddhists among others.
Inequality among people based on age and economic status for example between the old
and the young, the rich and the poor where the rich are more respected in places of worship
than the poor.
Compulsory payment of tithe, offertory, thanks giving and the seed in same places of
worship.
Gender inequality. This is common between men and women among some religion where
women have been kept in inferior positions than men.
Religion has helped people to achieve false objectives for example kibwetere in Uganda
burnt believers in the church, child sacrifices, extracting money from believers among others.
Some religious leaders show bad examples in society for example catholic priests with
homosexuality, some pastors with immorality and adultery for example pastor Bugingo in
Kampala.
b) To what extent has religion promoted gender inequality?
Gender inequality refers to imbalances or unfair treatment of people based on sex or sexual
status for example men against women.
Lack of religious freedom. Women suffer due to extremist ideologies that come into a
community and restrict religious freedom. When there’s more religious freedom, the
economy becomes more stable thanks to women’s participation. This shows religion has
promoted gender inequality.
Lack of political representation. Most heads of state are male. Despite progress in this area
over the years, women are still grossly underrepresented in government and the religious
aspirations. This means that certain issues that females tend to bring up such as parental

6. leave and childcare, pensions, gender equality laws and gender-based violence are often
neglected.
Racism. The pay gaps between women and men continues that legacy of discrimination and
contributes to gender inequality. It would be impossible to talk about gender inequality
without talking about racism. It affects what jobs women of color are able to get and how
much they’re paid, as well as how they are viewed by legal and healthcare systems. Gender
inequality and racism have been closely-linked for a long time.
Women have been given inferior positions in leadership. Most key positions in religious
positions have been given to the male for example in the Muslim faith most of the sheikhs’
are male as opposed to women. Same to Cristian faith most key positions like reverends,
church fathers, and pastors are male this creates gender inequality in religions.
The absence of women in positions of religious authority. The processes of the production
of religious knowledge largely exclude women. Because of lack of will, capacity, and/or
confidence, male leaders have not fully acknowledged or confronted gender inequality and
its many implications within their faith communities. Despite the widespread engagement
of women in their religious communities, religious leaders and those authorized to interpret
religious doctrine are predominantly men.
Decision making is not balanced in religious institutions since men take the final decisions
in most church and mosque roles. This has created gender inequality in most religious places
since most women are left with no say on matters pertaining decisions in these religious
institutions.
Some jobs in religious organizations are given to men because they are considered to be
more powerful than women. For example male counterparts are more vocal in audience
summons than their fellow female counterparts. This creates the gender inequality in
different religions.

7. Considering economic status of gender men are more economically empowered than
women due to riches.
Religion has created social class between the rich and the poor that is commonly between
men and women.
Religion has failed to promote lasting solution for specific gender issues for example
domestic violence among women and children, poverty, gender based violence and others.
Religion promotes gender inferiority complex. This is manifested where women and girls are
limited to certain levels especially high religious positions.
Religion subjects people to unfair cultures for example religion allows people to marry like
in churches and mosques than subjecting to culture, it subjects people to circumcision,
wearing red marks among the Buddhists especially the married women.
Religion denies human rights on specific gender and fully grants them to the opposite
gender for example from men to women. For instance a man to marry four women and a
woman to get married only to one man.
However, apart from religion, there are other factors that promote gender inequality and they
include:-
Nature of work for example engineering positions, army, and mechanics are commonly done
by men than women.
Education levels for example surgeons, pilots or captains, doctors have mostly been attained
by big numbers of males than females.
Family background for example between the rich and the poor for certain opportunities.
Leadership. High positions in leadership have been taken over by men compared to women
for example arch bishops.

8. Lack of employment equality: some countries in the world give women the same legal work
rights as men. In fact, most economies give women the same rights as men. If employment
became a more even playing field, it has a positive effect on other areas prone to gender
inequality.
Job segregation: Gender inequality within employment is the division of jobs. In most
societies, there’s an inherent belief that men are simply better equipped to handle certain
jobs. Most of the time, those are the jobs that pay the best. This discrimination results in
lower income for women.
Lack of legal protections: These places become unsafe and without protection, women
frequently have to make decisions that compromise and limit their goals. This has a
significant impact on women’s ability to thrive and live in freedom. In many countries, there’s
lack of legal protections against harassment in the workplace, at school, and in public.
Ignorance of the law. People rights are not respected because they are not aware of their
rights.
Illiteracy. Some people especially women have not been given a chance to go to school and
learn or acquire reading and writing skills.
Cultural practices like circumcision, bride price, choosing heir among others.

9. References
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Gundy-Volf, J. (1998, September–October). Neither biblical nor just: Southern Baptists and
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Klassen, P. (Ed.). (2009). Women and religion. New York, NY: Routledge.
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