Last Updated 12-13-03.
Religion provides and interprets the beliefs that respond to universal questions concerning the ultimate origin, meaning, and purpose of human life. These beliefs justify the obligations, goals, and values that govern human behavior toward other persons in their community and towards persons outside their community.
The following diagram can serve as a basis for discussing the interrelations among the institutions of religion and the functional institutions of the socio-cultural system such as: judicial systems, politics, economics, education, and more. The institution of religion preserves the general, and largely universal, goals and values of the society, which guide the interactions among the functional institutions. The latter include the values and norms that guide behavior within the institutions and the actions of persons involved with the functioning of each institution. There and also norms that govern the interactions among the various institutions.
The following diagram lists some of the major components and responsibilities that fall under the purview of each institution. These are provided to serve as a partial checklist for reminding the viewer of some of the many functional areas within each institution.
For a detailed discussion on Frameworks, see my posting: "Some Ideas On Mental Frameworks."
Go to my posting on: "Northern Colorado's UNA-USA."