Final answer:
Sociologists and anthropologists analyze religion to understand how it shapes individual and societal beliefs and practices, focusing on aspects like experience, beliefs, and rituals and ensuring cultural relativism in their studies.
Step-by-step explanation:
When anthropologists and sociologists study religion, they examine various aspects such as religious experience, beliefs, and rituals. This scrutiny delves into how religious beliefs assist people in reconciling scientific knowledge with their spiritual beliefs, a practice noted as reflexive spirituality among American Christians. Sociologists like Émile Durkheim have contributed to understanding religion's role in society, examining it as a set of practices and social institutions that foster community cohesion. Religion, characterized as a system of beliefs connecting humans with the supernatural and sacred, also critically informs how adherents view and act on various life aspects, from politics to environmental interaction. Furthermore, it's essential when studying religion to adopt a perspective of cultural relativism, striving to understand beliefs from within a culture rather than imposing external definitions or assumptions, which could lead to misunderstandings.