In the text, Emile Durkheim describes religion as "things that surpass the limits of our knowledge". He also says that religion is, "a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say set apart and forbidden, beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community, called a church, all those who adhere to them."
Although many people think of religion as something individual because religious beliefs can be personal, it is actually a social institution. Religion is a cultural universal found in all social groups.
Social scientists have recognized that religion exists as an organized set of beliefs, norms, and behaviors that is centered on social needs and values.
Emile Durkenheim saw religion as a source of stability, while Max Weber saw religion as a precipitator of social change.
Durkenheim analyzed religion in terms of its impact on society. He believed religion is about community. He believed that religion joined people together, promotes social control, and offers meaning and purpose especially during tragedies.
According to the text, "Weber believed it was a precipitor of social change. He examined the effects of religion on economic activities and noticed that heavily Protestant societies were the most highly developed capitalist societies and that their most successful business leaders were Protestant."