definitions of religion

Question 1

SUBSTANTIVE definitions

Answer 1

• they focus on the content of religious belief systems
• e.g. WEBER; defines religion as a belief in superior/supernatural power that is above nature and cant be explained scientifically
• TYLOR; religion is humanity’s attempt to understand the soul and STAR and BAINBRIDGE agree

Question 2

evaluation of SUBSTANTIVE definitions

Answer 2

• it provides narrow definitions because it draws a clean definition to be a religion you must have a belief in God.supernatural
• so it exclude certain religions like Buddhism who do not have the idea of a God

Question 3

FUNCTIONAL definitions

Answer 3

• they focus on what you would get out of the religion
• e.g. DURKEIM defines religion in terms of the contribution it makes to social integration which achieves social solidarity

Question 4

evaluation of FUNCTIONAL definitions

Answer 4

+ inclusive; allows us to include wide range of beliefs and practices that perform functions e.g. integration
+ they don’t specify a belief in God/supernatural so there is no bias against Western religions

• just because a belief system integrates individuals into groups doesn’t make them a religion
  e. g. chanting at football matches give people a sense of integration but it doesn’t make them a religion

Question 5

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST definitions

Answer 5

• they take on an interpretivist approach that focus that a religion is anything you want it to be
• e.g. ALDRIDGE; Scientology is a religion even if governments have denied its legal status as religion

Question 6

evaluation of SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST definitions

Answer 6

+ they don’t assume that religion always involves a belief in God/supernatural or it performs similar functions for everyone
+ approach allows them to get close to the meanings

• impossible to generalise about the nature of religion since people hold different views about what counts as a religion