Theology and Sociology

[Anomalocaris]

Of course sociology is much more than religious beliefs - I don’t think anyone can sensibly dispute that. But it seems difficult (if not impossible) to study a society (sociology) without taking religion into account. To do so, it’s not only needful to study what people believe (religion), but why they believe it (theology).

I’m not saying that theology is the most important part of sociology, or even a major part. But I do think it’s a vital part - attempting to understand a society without considering why it believes what it believes does a disservice to both.

Yep. Not disagreeing, Boru. Seems like the question left is how much of Theology is “why they believe”. Do you think that “why they believe” is all of Theology or a portion? I would say it's a small part of Theology.

Why they believe is not at all what theology is.   Why they believe is entirely behavioral science.       

Theology is but a grandiose name conceived by those who seek to puff up what they believe, and to armor what they self-indulgently believe against the twinge  of cognitive dissonances arising from their beliefs.     So, being without any underlying validatable, unifiable, framework like those which underpin physics or chemistry,     Theology is also just behavior.     So theology too is something that can best be understood through behavioral science.