functionalist approach to religion

Question 1

how do functionalists see society?

Answer 1

as a biological organism with independent parts (organs) all playing a vital role in maintaining the social system

Question 2

what are societies basic needs?

Answer 2

social order ; cooperation and social solidarity

get social order through consensus about society’s shared norms & values

Question 3

durkheim’s view of religion

Answer 3

religious institutions play a central part in creating and maintaining the value consensus, order and solidarity of a society.
durkheim therefore argued that religion plays a very important role within society.

Question 4

what was durkheim interested in?

Answer 4

not interested in the belief in gods or spirits, but in the distinction between the sacred and the profane.

SACRED: things set apart and forbidden that inspire feelings of awe, fear and wonder and are surrounded by taboos and prohibitions

PROFANE: things that have no special significance – things that are ordinary and mundane.

Question 5

collectivism and collective conscience

Answer 5

• religion is not merely a set of beliefs but definite practices or rituals in relation to the sacred. These rituals are collective.
• to worship the sacred is to worship society itself because society is the only thing powerful enough to evoke such feelings.
• sacred items perform the essential function of uniting believers into a single moral community.
• the sacred items used in religion represent the societies shared norms, values, beliefs and knowledge that make social life and integration possible, without these, society would disintegrate

Question 6

malinowski’s view of religion

Answer 6

• religion reinforces social norms and values and promoting social solidarity
• provides explanations for events that were hard to explain, as well as security in the face of uncertainty
• religion fulfills the need for emotional security and relieves situations of emotional stress which threaten social solidarity and stability, e.g events such as death and illness
• provide a source of comfort, explanation and meaning for individuals when faced by such crisis

Question 7

parsons view of religion

Answer 7

religion helps people to cope with unforeseen situations and uncomfortable outcomes
he identifies 2 essential factors that religion performs in modern society:
1. creates and legitimates societies central values by socializing them which serves to promote a value consensus
2. primary source of meaning by trying to answer the ultimate questions about the human condition such as why people suffer and the good die young which enables people to make sense of these vents and helps society maintain stability

Question 8

evaluation

Answer 8

• ignores the negative aspects of religion such as hate crimes, oppression of certain social groups and fundamentalism
• hamilton and dysfunction - ignores the ways in which religion can be a source of social division for ex in northern ireland between protestants and catholics