Church and Society from Socio-Religious Perspective

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to discuss the roles Church play in society. A Church is a Christian institution. As a religious institution it installs patriotism and acceptance of current arrangement of power. The term social institution refers to concrete and highly relevant realities that affects our lives. The church with its sacred books, clergy, and worship constitute a social institution. Religion is an institution with a complex of practical, sociological and experimental dimensions, which is distinguished by characteristic objects; gods, salvation and giving meaning to life. Sociologists consider religious Institutions as church, denominations, sect and cult. The Church is an agent of socialization, it is the custodian of spiritual needs of the society. The method adopted in the study is critical analysis. Findings in this article is that Christianity began like a grain and seed planted upon the soil that grew mightily. The longing of the missionaries was fulfilled, as the grain grew into a tree of life (Prov.13:12). A church is a large organization with a hierarchy of officials. It ministers to all members of society. The method adopted in the study is sociological and critical analysis. The church performs some functions that are observed empirically such as marriage, solving youth problems, burial, educating the young through Sunday school and catechism. Man should love his fellow man, to keep the law of love make the soul sound, love is the bond of perfection. Among the Jews in the early church the social bond was always a bond of blood while among the Christians the social bond was bond of the spirit, discipleship. The Christians form community and association to replace the Jewish ‘mishpaha’ (clan or community).