Good or Bad? Investigating the Social Consequences of Religion

Is religion good or bad? In many ways the only way to answer that question is to answer "it depends." But how might we be able to begin to understand if religions are part of the problem or part of the solution? What do we really know about the social consequences of religions, and what more can we learn about them? Many regard religious faith and practice as a dynamic, prosocial force—a force for good in the world, part of and even a source of solutions to the wide range of problems we face, like poverty and sickness. But religions are often associated with negative social outcomes like intolerance and conflict. How can we increase the social dividends associated with religious faith and practice and reduce the negative effects that can occur when religions get mixed up with other factors, like fear or greed? Templeton Religion Trust’s Social Consequences of Religion initiative — or SCORE, is building a repository of data on the various interconnected impacts and influences of religion in culture.