Functionalist perspective of religion: Role 1 sacred symbols that unite communities

Question 1

Religion provides people with sacred symbols which unite communities

Answer 1

Religious belief systems revolve around sacred objects + symbols

Sacred objects are things that are regarded as important to religious followers

Question 2

Sacred objects

Answer 2

Visual representation of a person’s belief in super natural, They bring people together to maintain social order

Question 3

Durkheim believed

Answer 3

That the worship of god or supernatural beings was actually people worshipping society

The concept of god and religion was made up to help people make sense of the world around them

The role of god and religion has now changed - become a symbol of power and faith - bringing communities together

Question 4

Durkheim + 2 systems

Answer 4

Durkheim’s view that the worship of a supernatural being was in fact worshipping society can be applied to both simple + advanced belief system

• Compared two very different systems - Christianity + Totenism

Question 5

Christianity

Answer 5

Western societies have created the notion of God

There are scared symbols that represents him e.g. the cross that help to control and calm people

Having these symbols to direct religious feelings towards makes worshipping the supernatural easier

Question 6

Totemism

Answer 6

Communities divided into clans

Each clan is represented by a spirit, animal or plant
Worship their image by carving it into a totem pole

The totem is cared to the clan and they come together to worship around it

Durkheim believes that the totem pole binds the clan together