definitions of religion Flashcards

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1
Q

SUBSTANTIVE definitions

A
  • 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
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2
Q

evaluation of SUBSTANTIVE definitions

A
  • 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
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3
Q

FUNCTIONAL definitions

A
  • 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
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4
Q

evaluation of FUNCTIONAL definitions

A

+ 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
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5
Q

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST definitions

A
  • 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
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6
Q

evaluation of SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST definitions

A

+ 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
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