It binds the community of believers together. Religion helps maintain the social order. It reinforces the norms and values of society. Religion provides meaning, gives answers about the universe. Religion provides psychological support for important events and in crises.
Religion legitimates the social inequities in societies.
Religion benefits the dominant group. Numerous examples can be found to illustrate how religion was used during slavery to reinforce the existing relationships between slave masters and their slaves. The following is a portion of a sermon given by a Virginia pastor in a slave-attended church. It shows how Christianity was taught selectively by some. Each religious community has its own definition of the sacred.