ABSTRACT
Religion is socially and sociologically a controversial phenomenon. Historically, religion has been the inspiration of much sublime thought, lofty human ideals, and highly valued art, but on the other hand, much destruction and many wars have been started in a religiously inflamed environment. A very influential author regarding thought on religion in modern societies is Niklas Luhmann. According to a review by James Beckford Luhmann is optimistic about the role of religion in modern societies. The modern situation should be the most important context for religion, since it is the massive reality of the modern world that will greatly determine the fate of religion and that we have to observe in order to discuss the matter. The chapter concludes that both symbols and values are similarly important as fundamentally different mechanisms of culture. Religion is a fundamental category of culture because it makes much use both of symbols and values.
