Role of Religion in Politics

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Religion and politics are closely related mainly because political leaders are also considered temporal leaders. However, the form of religion, as well as the region, is the main variable that must be taken into consideration when analyzing the relationship between the two concepts.

In the traditional society, religion had a tremendous effect on politics, but situation is different in the modern society because of socio-political and economic developments. The signing of the treaty of Westphalia in 1648 changed the relationship between politics and religion since politics was delinked from religion.

Nevertheless, religion has continued to insert too much pressure on politics, especially in regions that Islam is dominant. In such countries as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, and Iran, religious leaders are also considered political leaders. For example, the Ayatollah of Iran control political and religious affairs of the state. The religious leaders are charged with policy formulation regarding the relationship of the state with other actors in the international system in Iran.

The Ayatollah of Iran has always determined the leadership of the country implying that Islam is the main actor concerning domestic and foreign policy formulation processes. In developed democracies such as the United States, religion and politics are separate because of the constitutional provisions.

In the US, the Bill of Rights contains a clause referred to as the Disestablishment Clause, which states categorically that politics should be delineated from religion. However, this has never stopped religion from influencing political issues. In other established democracies, such as Sweden, religion plays a critical role because a leader with questionable record of accomplishment is always removed from office. In Poland, the religious affiliation of the political leader determines his or her success (Johnstone 12).

During the Cold War and the transition from communism to capitalism in East Europe, religion played a critical role. The pope was able to influence the decisions of some leaders since he was considered a respected religious leader. This confirms that religion is a factor that has always influenced politics in all societies. In developing countries, religious leaders are always relied upon to offer directions during constitutional crises.

The church, particularly in Africa, has contributed to social development because it engages itself in establishing social amenities such as the health centres, schools, colleges, universities, and care institutions. This makes the church the major shareholder in government because of the services it offers to the populace. Religion is associated with a certain belief system that is believed to determine the political direction of leaders.

People establish a belief system using some religious principles and codes. The media analyzes the behaviour of a political leader based on his or her belief system. In American politics, a leader must identify with a particular religious group meaning that the number of votes a political leader would gunner in any election would depend on the religious support that he or she receives. The issue of religion emerged when the US president was forced to reveal his religious affiliation in his first presidential bid.

There is a popular belief among Christians that good leaders are usually sent by God. This is based on the Bible whereby many kings and prophets were sent by God to lead Israelites in the times of war and calamities. Political leaders have always presented themselves as leaders sent by God to accomplish certain missions.

Through this, they have been able to ascend to leadership positions. Whenever political leaders make speeches, they quote the Bible to show the electorate that they understand the Christian principles.

The idea that political leaders must come up with policies favouring the poor is based on the teachings of the Bible. The Bible and the Koran teaches that people must always be assisted to achieve their potentials in society. It is not the interest of the ruling class to help the poor.

Religious Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism is a relatively new term in the sociology of religion because it was first used in the 19^th century. The modern society is complex to understand because of the changes brought about globalization and technology. Therefore, fundamentalism in the modern society has a different meaning.

Religion in the modern society serves a different purpose as compared to its role in the traditional society. Religious fundamentalists do not believe that anything has changed as far as religion is concerned. In this case, modern interpretations must not be accepted because they go against the traditional teachings of religion (Johnstone 78).

When other people embrace change in society, religious fundamentalists encourage conservatism. To them, religion is absolute meaning that it dictates everything in society. A controversy exists among scholars regarding the use of the term because fundamentalists are perceived as people who are not intelligent.

Others view them as uneducated individuals who believe religion is everything in society. Religious fundamentalists believe that some things should not be allowed to go on in society. For instance, they oppose science, abortion, feminism, the use of family planning drugs, and homosexuality.

Recently, the term has been associated with Islamic extremists who believe that justice should be sought through terrorism and violence. For Islamic fundamentalists, the main problem in the world is exploitation. The west has always exploited people in other parts of the world, including the Middle East. To them, the main issue is that the west has always neglected the presence of Arabs.

Works Cited

Johnstone, Ronald. Religion in Society: Sociology of Religion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.

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Role of Religion in Politics

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