Functionalism, Civil Religion

Question 1

Durkheim: Sacred Objects and the Collective Consciousness

Answer 1

• Distinguished between sacred objects and the profane
• Argues sacred objects represent the collective consciousness (norms and values) of society
• Based this on his study of religion he called totemism among Australian Aboriginal communities
• Communities were divided into clans, each had their own totem that they worshipped - argued that the worship of the sacred totem was them worshipping their God and the society the sacred object represents
• Sacred Objects -> Collective Consciousness -> Worship Society
• Beneficial for society as it prevents anomie, people follow the shared norms and values
• Shows that religion is a conservative force (keeps society the same), doesn’t encourage social change, reinforces society’s existing norms and values

AO3 - Many different religions exist and have their own sacred objects, cannot represent the collective conscience

Question 2

Durkheim: Social Solidarity

Answer 2

• Argued religion creates social solidarity through shared acts of ritual and collective worship - brings people together, unites society with the same norms and values (collective consciousness)
• Example: Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square -> people all over the world went to listen to the Pope
• Supports religion as a conservative force

AO3 - there are many different religions and branches, religion may be a divisive force rather than creating social solidarity
Does not recognise that secularisation may have caused religion to have less influence over society today

Question 3

Malinowski: Life Crises

Answer 3

• Religion helps people cope with life crises (births, deaths, marriages)
• These can be disruptive, religion helps deal with this through ceremonies such as baptisms, weddings and funerals
• People come together to show their support and solidarity for those experiencing the life crises

Question 4

Malinowski: Relieving Anxiety

Answer 4

• Religion helps to relieve anxiety in situations where the outcome is unknown and uncontrollable
• A religious ritual such as prayer may relieve feelings of anxiety and enable people to carry out their task
• Example: Fishermen of Trobriand Islands, would pray before fishing on the dangerous, open seas because they could not be certain they would return safely (did not pray before fishing in the calm, safe water of the lagoon)

Question 5

Parsons: Religion Preserving Life’s Meaning

Answer 5

• Preserves the sense that life has meaning when good people suffer and bad people prosper by explaining that suffering is a test of faith - good people will be rewarded in the afterlife
• Ensures people will adjust to their circumstances, helps maintain social stability - focus on being good, and following society’s norms and values instead of spreading conflict (reduces crime), a conservative force

AO3 - not everyone is religious so it will not apply to them, secularisation

Question 6

Bellah: Civil Religion

Answer 6

• Looks at how in a civil religion (a belief system that attaches sacred qualities to society itself) performs the functions of traditional religion
• USA made up of many religions, so one church cannot unite society
• The civil religion of AMERICANISM can do this to create a collective consciousness and maintain social solidarity (Thanksgiving, 4th of July)
• Have similar feature to traditional religions; have an ‘American God, celebrate festivals, have sacred objects (Lincoln Memorial, American flag)
• Unites people of all religions (social solidarity), reinforces the collective consciousness (follow the shared norms and values of America) - pledge allegiance to the flag, sing the national anthem

Question 7

Evaluation of Functionalism

Answer 7

• Feminists argue how they ignore that religion oppresses women and reproduces a patriarchal ideology
• Marxists argue religion is part of the ISA that spreads a ruling class ideology to benefit capitalism, not society as a whole
• Postmodernists argue they ignore religious diversity, many religions in one society, no social solidarity or a collective consciousness
• They ignore the process of secularisation and that some people may not be religious, religious belief unlikely to unite them