[1.0] Functionalist theories of religion

Question 1

Name three social institutions.

Answer 1

Religion, family, economy, education system, prison system.

Question 2

What is society’s most basic need?

Answer 2

The need for social order and solidarity, so that it’s members can co-operate.

Question 3

Who developed the distinction between the sacred and the profane?

Answer 3

Durkheim (1915)

Question 4

What are ‘sacred’ objects?

Answer 4

Items that are set apart from everyday items, they inspire feelings of awe and wonder.

Question 5

What are ‘profane’ objects?

Answer 5

Items which are normal and have no special significance.

Question 6

What does the Arunta clan do?

Answer 6

They come together periodically to worship a totem, the clan’s emblem.

Question 7

What do the totemic rituals of the Arunta do?

Answer 7

The rituals reinforce the group’s solidarity and sense of belonging.

Question 8

When members of the Arunta worship their totem, what are they unknowingly worshipping?

Answer 8

Society.

Question 9

What is the collective conscience?

Answer 9

Shared norms, values and beliefs in society which make co-operation possible.

Question 10

What reinforces the collective conscience?

Answer 10

Regular, shared rituals.

Question 11

What other function does Durkheim say religion has?

Answer 11

A cognitive function.

Question 12

Durkheim sees religion as the creator of our intellectual capacities, giving us categories which allow us to think and reason. What are examples of these categories?

Answer 12

Time, space, substance and cause.

Question 13

How does Worsley (1965) criticise Durkheim’s idea of the sacred and the profane?

Answer 13

He says there is no sharp distinction between them.

Question 14

What is the problem with Durkheim’s theory in terms of diverse societies?

Answer 14

In big, diverse societies there is no single moral code, so the collective conscience’s existence is doubtable.

Question 15

How does Mestrovic (1997) criticise Durkheim’s collective conscience?

Answer 15

He states that post-modernisation has fragmented the collective conscience so Durkheim’s theory is not applicable to modern society.

Question 16

What function does Malinowski (1954) suggest religion performs?

Answer 16

A psychological function.

Question 17

Give an example of a psychological function of religion.

Answer 17

Helping the believer to cope with stress.

Question 18

What are the two situations in which religion performs a psychological function?

Answer 18

Where the outcome is important but uncontrollable, and at times of life crises.

Question 19

What functions does Parsons (1967) identify religion performs?

Answer 19

The creation and legitimation of society’s central values and it is the primary source of meaning.

Question 20

How does religion legitimate norms and values?

Answer 20

By sacralising them, in the USA Protestantism has sacralised the values of individualism, meritocracy and self-discipline.

Question 21

How does religion provide a source of meaning?

Answer 21

By answering ultimate questions such as why the good suffer and why some die young.

Question 22

Who developed the concept of civil religion?

Answer 22

Bellah (1970)

Question 23

What is civil religion?

Answer 23

A belief system that attaches sacred qualities to society itself.

Question 24

Which country has a civil religion?

Answer 24

America.

Question 25

How is the American civil religion expressed?

Answer 25

Pledging allegiance to the flag and singing the national anthem.

Question 26

What are functional alternatives?

Answer 26

Non-religious beliefs that perform similar functions to religion.

Question 27

Evaluate functionalist theories of religion in three points.

Answer 27

1. Fails to consider religion’s oppression of the poor and women.
2. Fails to recognise that religion can cause conflict.
3. Civil religion is not really a religion as it does not involve belief in the supernatural.