Functionalist Theories of Religion

Question 1

Durkheim on Religion

Answer 1

for functionalists religious institutions play a central part in creating and maintaining Value Consensus, order and society.

Question 2

Durkehim The Sacred and the Profane

Answer 2

• the key feature of religion was a distinction between the sacred and the profane
  the SACRED - are things set apart and forbidden that inspire feelings of awe, fear and wonder and are surrounded by taboos and prohibitions.
  the PROFANE - no special significance - ordinary and mundane
• a religion is never simply a set of beliefs. It also involves rituals or PRACTICES in relation to the sacred and these rituals are COLLECTIVE - performed by social groups
  the fact that such sacred things evoke such powerful feelings indicates that this is because they are symbols representing of great power This can only be society itself, since society is the only thing powerful enough to command such feelings.
  When they are worshipping these sacred symbols they are worshipping society itself.
• all sacred symbols perform the essential function of unity

Question 3

Totemism

Answer 3

• believed that the essence of all religion could be found by studying it’s simplest form in the simplest type of society - clan society
  for this reason he used an Aboriginal Australian tribe with a clan system
• consisted of bands of kin who come together to perform these rituals involving worship of a sacred
  totem
• the shared totemic rituals serve to reinforce the groups solidarity and sense of belonging
• when worshipping their totem they are worshipping society - even when they themselves are not aware
• the totem inspires feelings of awe in the clans members because it represents the power of the group

Question 4

what is a totem

Answer 4

clans emblem, such as an animal or plant that symbolises the clans origins and identity

Question 5

Collective Conscious Durkheim

Answer 5

• the sacred symbols represent society’s collective conscience.
• regular shared religious rituals reinforce this and maintain social integration.
• binds individuals together, reminding them they are part of a single moral community to which they ow their loyalty
• such rituals also remind the individual of the power of society - without which they themselves are nothing and to which they owe everything
• religion performs an important function for the individual.
• Reinvigorates and strengthens us to face life trials and motivates us to overcome obstacles that would otherwise defeat us

Question 6

what is the collective conscience

Answer 6

shared norms, beliefs, values and knowledge that make social life and cooperation between individuals possible - without these society would disintegrate.

Question 7

Cognitive functions of religion Durkheim

Answer 7

• religion not just source of social solidarity but also our ability and reason to think conceptually.
• religion is the origin of the concepts and categories we need for reasoning, understanding of the world and communicating
• origin of human thought, reason and science

Question 8

Criticism Worsley

Answer 8

• notes that there is no sharp division between the sacred and the profane, and that different clans share the same totems. Even if D is right about totemism, this does not prove that he has discovered the essence of all other religions.

Question 9

Criticism

Answer 9

• theory may apply better to small scale societies with a single religion. It is harder to apply to large scale societies, where two or more religious communities may be in conflict.

Question 10

Criticism Mestrovic

Answer 10

• argue that Durkheims ideas cannot be applied to contemporary society, because increasing diversity has fragmented the collective conscience, so there is no longer a single shared value system for religion to reinforce.

Question 11

Psychological Functions - Malinowski

Answer 11

• agrees with D that religion promotes solidarity.
• however in his view, it does so by performing psychological functions for individuals, helping them to cope with emotional stress that would undermine social solidarity.

Question 12

Malinowski -
Trobriand Islanders
Situation in which religion performs the role of social solidarity

Answer 12

1. Where the outcome is important but is uncontrollable and thus uncertain.
   - study of Trobriand Islanders, M contrasts fishing in the lagoon and fishing in the ocean.
   - Lagoon fishing is safe and uses the predictable and successful method of poisoning. When they fish in the lagoon there is no ritual
   - Ocean fishing is dangerous and uncertain and this is accompanied by ‘canoe magic’ - rituals to ensure a safe and successful expedition. This gives people a sense of control, which eases tension, gives them confidence to undertake hazardous tasks and reinforce group solidarity.
   - he sees ritual serving as a ‘god of the gaps’ - it fills in the gaps in human beings control over the world, such as being unable to control the outcome of a fishing trip.

Question 13

Malinowski

Situation in which religion performs the role of social solidarity

Answer 13

2. At times of life crisis
   - events such as birth, puberty, marriage and death mark major and disruptive changes in social groups.
   religion helps to minimise disruption e.g. funerals reinforce solidarity while the notion of immortality gives comfort to the bereaved by denying the fact of death.
   - death is the main reason for the existence of religious belief

Question 14

Parsons: Value and Meaning

Answer 14

• sees religion helping individuals to cope with unforeseen events and uncontrollable outcomes.
  Identifies two other functions that religion performs in society
• Creates and legitimates society’s central values
• It is the primary source of meaning
  Religion creates and legitimates society’s basic norms and values by sacrilising them. In the USA, Protestanism has sacrilised the core American values of individualism, meritocracy and self discipline. This serves to promote the value consensus and social stability.
• religion also provides a source of meaning. In particular it answers ultimate questions about the human condition such as why good suffer and why some die young.
• such events make life appear meaningless and this may undermine our commitment to society’s values.
• religion provides answers to such questions for example by explaining suffering as a test of faith
  -religion enables people to adjust to adverse events and helps maintain stability