Sistem Toplum ve Din Niklas Luhmann’ın Sosyolojik Teorisi

System Society And Religion Niklas Luhmann’s Sociological TheoryrnSociological theory is a crucial scientific necessity for the disciplines of sociology and the sociology of religion. In this context, various theories have been developed in both classical and contemporary sociology to explain society and religion. Among the most prominent sociologists of recent times, Niklas Luhmann stands out for developing one of the most comprehensive and systematic theories in sociology through his general systems theory. Drawing on multiple disciplines, Luhmann constructed a radical “super theory” that challenges traditional sociological approaches, aiming to explain society and social phenomena. Luhmann conceptualized the global society as a system and sought to analyze all social phenomena associated with this world society. He produced a universal theory applicable to all societies by developing conceptual abstractions and cognitive frameworks. According to Luhmann, modern society possesses a highly complex structure, and this hyper-complex society can only be explained through an equally complex theory. In this framework, modern society consists of functional subsystems forming the social system branches. Luhmann analyzed various social phenomena—such as education, economy, science, art, health, and law—within the context of these functional subsystems. Religion, by specializing in a specific function and gaining autonomy, has found its place in modern society. Luhmann examined the phenomenon of religion within the framework of systems theory and evaluated it from a systemic perspective. However, it can be argued that Luhmann has not yet received the recognition he deserves in academic circles. While the significance of his general systems theory has been acknowledged in some countries and various studies have been conducted for this purpose, the existing body of work is still not considered satisfactory. Similarly, the general systems theory remains relatively unknown in Turkey, which is seen as a shortcoming for Turkish sociology and the sociology of religion. This study aims to contribute to addressing this gap in Turkish sociology and sociology of religion literature.rnKeywords: Sociology of Religion; Niklas Luhman; General Systems Theory; Social Systems Theory; Theory of Religio;, Sociological Theory.