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First of all, this article presents sociological definitions of religion and then it generally evaluates all these attempts which have tried to define religion. Many sociologist of religion have produced various definitions of religion. However, they have failed to reach a standard definition for it. Because all this definitions have been determined by their various methodological approaches. In my opinion, this is a very natural outcome, since the sociology is very dynamic and complex. This complexity and dynamism do not give a chance to a sociologist of religion to make a universal and standard definition for religion

While early sociology of religion theorists like Weber and Dürkheim were interested in the societal level of religion, this conceptualization of religion changed in the 1960s. Luckmann, for example, assumes that religion does not loose its significance in modem society but changes its social form. Luckmann, as well as Berger and Luhmann, assume an individualization of religion, meaning that the question of belief becomes a private decision and an individual experience. This point of view has had a great impact on the latest debates concerning the concept of religion. Currently, definitions which focus on religious experience or religious communication are enjoying great popularity in the sociology of religion. Supposing that such conceptualizations of religion can be problematic, we examine the current sociology of religion discourse and critically discuss various definitions of religion. In so doing, we present an alternative sociological approach to religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]