Sosiologi agama adalah usaha memahami agama, sebagai bagian yang tidak dapat dipisahkan dari fenomena sosial, secara sosiologis (empiris dan rasional=ilmiah). Para pemikir yang dianggap sebagai pendiri (founding fathers) sosiologi maupun antropologi, hampir dipastikan semua menjadikan agama sebagai kajian ini mereka.

Religious violent extremism remains a problem for Indonesia. Recently, three consecutive attacks carried out by violent religious extremists — a suicide bombing in front of a Cathedral Church in Makassar South Sulawesi, the discovery of several prepared high explosive bombs in Condet Jakarta, and a female lone wolf attack on the Indonesian Police Criminal Investigation Agency — shocked the public (Fakta-data di Balik Bom Bunuh Diri, 29 Maret 2021; Polisi sebut Terduga Teroris Condet & Bekasi, 2021; Teroris Penyerang Mabes Polri, 2021). It may not be surprising since there were some early indications from various studies that some Indonesian people still have religious attitudes and behaviors that are exclusive, closed, anti-citizenship, anti-state, and even pro-violence (PPIM, 2016, 2017, 2018; Puspidep, 2017, 2018). The PPIM study results (2018) show that around 58.5 percent of students tend to be religious radical, and 51.1 percent tend to be intolerant to differences within Muslim groups. Then, as many as 34.3 percent of students are intolerant to non-Muslim groups. Radical views that are intolerant toward those who are different are the first step to violent extremism. These studies are a reminder that violent extremism is a problem for all of Indonesian society. Therefore, PPIM surveyed the perceptions of the public, students, teachers, and Indonesian Members of Parliament on violent extremism.In Indonesia, political parties have a vital role. Political parties develop policies, laws, and regulations. Another strategic part is that political parties become important actors in crystallizing citizens' political aspirations, including rules related to religion and religious education (Mujani & Liddle, 2018; Muhtadi & Mietzner, 2019; LIPI, 2018, 2019). Through their representatives — who are elected through a regular fair election once every five years — in the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, political parties have an essential role in determining public policy through their function as a check and balance institution for the Government. The enactment of religious education as a compulsory subject for all students at all levels has become a debate among the Indonesian public, and whether the Government should regulate religious issues in public education. The issue of religious education in public schools is essential as PPIM's research suggests that the religious subject's teachers may contribute to students' radical views (PPIM, 2017).

This article explores Indonesia’s institutional foundations to understand the country’s resilience against violent extremism. First, Pancasila has been the foundation of an inclusive state that can bind Indonesian diversity. Second, multiparty elections allow Islamist groups to participate in politics and express their aspirations constitutionally, thus moderating their violent strategies. Third, the support of the largest Islamic organizations, especially NU and Muhammadiyah, for counterterrorism and law enforcement against extremist orchestrated by the government. Both organizations exhibit a stronghold essential to countering the Salafi jihadist ideology. However, although infrequent and small in scale, the continued acts of violent extremism in Indonesia have shown that there is still room for the terrorist ideology to grow. Some Islamic educational institutions deliberately educate students to support Islamism, and some students are introduced to Salafi jihadist ideology. Such a development should serve as a warning for the government to pay more attention to the curriculum and teachers, especially in Islamic educational institutions.