Definitions of religion

Question 1

What are the 3 ways in which sociologists define religion?

Answer 1

Substantive / Exclusive (Narrow definition)
Functional / Inclusive (Broader definition)
Social Constructionist (Broadest definition)

Question 2

What is the Substantive / Exclusive definition?

Answer 2

The most obvious or straightforward definition. How most people would define religion.

Question 3

What does the Substantive / Exclusive definition focus on?

Answer 3

The content or substance of religious belief, such as belief in God or the Supernatural.

Question 4

Who favours the Substantive / Exclusive definition?

Answer 4

Max Weber

Question 5

What does Max Weber define religion as?

Answer 5

Belief in a superior or supernatural power that is above nature and can’t be explained scientifically.

Question 6

How are substantive definitions exlcusive?

Answer 6

They draw a clear line between religious and non-religious beliefs. To be a religion, a set of beliefs must include belief in God or the supernatural.

Question 7

What is the bad thing about Substantive / Exclusive definitions conforming to a view of religion as belief in God?

Answer 7

Leaves no room for beliefs and practices that perform similar functions to religion but don’t involve belief in God. e.g. New Age, Cults and Buddhism (don’t believe in God.)

Question 8

Give some negatives of the Substantive / Exclusive definition.

Answer 8

Accused of western bias because they exclude religions such as Buddhism, which don’t have the western idea of a god.

Question 9

What is the Functional / Inclusive definition?

Answer 9

This a broader definition that defines a set of beliefs as religious if such beliefs have a positive social and psychological use or function for individuals and society. Beliefs that integrate are covered by this definition.

Question 10

Who favours the Functional / Inclusive definition?

Answer 10

Emile Durkheim

Question 11

What does Emile Durkheim define religion as?

Answer 11

Defines religion in terms of the contribution it makes to social integration, rather than any specific belief in God or the supernatural.

Question 12

What is included in the Functional / Inclusive definition?

Answer 12

New Age beliefs and practices such as Yoga and Buddhism.

Question 13

Give some advantages of the Functional / Inclusive definitions

Answer 13

They are inclusive - allowing us to include a wide range of beliefs and practices that perform functions such as integration.

Since they don’t specify belief in god or the supernatural, there is no bias against against non-western religious groups.

Question 14

Give a problem of the Functional / Inclusive definition

Answer 14

Just because an institution helps integrate individuals into groups, this doesn’t make it a religion. For example, collective chanting at football matches might give individuals a sense of integration, but this doesn’t mean it is a religion.

Question 15

What approach do Social constructionists take?

Answer 15

An interpretivist approach that focuses on how members of society themselves define religion.

Question 16

What do social constructionists argue?

Answer 16

They say it is impossible to produce a single universal definition of religion to cover all cases, since religion is so diverse and means so many different things.

Question 17

What are social constructionists interested in?

Answer 17

How definitions of religion are constructed, challenged and fought over.

Question 18

What does Alan Aldridge show?

Answer 18

For its followers scientology is a religion, whereas several governments have denied its legal status as a religion and sought to ban it.
This shows that definitions of religion can be contested and are influenced by who has power to define the situation.

Question 19

Give a problem of the social constructionist definition of religion

Answer 19

As social constructionists don’t assume that religion always involves a belief in god or the supernatural, or that it performs similar functions for everyone in all societies. Their approach allows them to get close to the meanings people themselves give to religion.

THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GENERALISE ABOUT THE NATURE OF RELIGION, SINCE PEOPLE MAY HAVE WIDELY DIFFERING VIEWS ABOUT WHAT COUNTS AS A RELIGION.