functionalist view on beliefs in society Flashcards
what are theories of religion?
theories of religion seek to explain the effect of religion on individuals and society.
there are two main debates:
1. religion acts as a conservative force (tries to maintain things as they are or take them back to the way they used to be)
2. religion acts as a force for social change
functionalism: theories of religion
- say that religion maintains social stability and prevents society from disintegrating
- functionalists have a very positive view of religion
- say that it provides vital functions for individuals and society
EMILE DURKHEIM
sacred and profane
- says religion plays an important part in creating a value consensus = agreement about what values are important
- DURKHEIM argued that the key feature of all religions is the difference between the sacred and the non-sacred (profane)
- all societies divide the world into sacred and profane
- the cross is a sacred symbol to christians but to non-christians is simply two pieces of wood
- sacred things are special and create powerful emotions from believers
- religion relates to the sacred aspect of society
- worshipping sacred objects is the most basic form of religion
EMILE DURKHEIM
totemism
- DURKHEIM used studies of an australian aboriginal tribe with a clan system to find the essence of religion
- a totem is an object, an animal or plant which has a deep symbolic significance to a particular clan
- the totem is a collective symbol that represents god and society
- he believed god and society were the same thing
- DURKHEIM argued people were actually worshipping society
EMILE DURKHEIM
the importance of religion
- religion helps society to develop a collective conscience, a shared set of beliefs, values, traditions and norms
- acts of collective worship are re-affirming their support for shared values and beliefs
- it also creates social solidarity - a feeling of togetherness
- religion also provides the answers to questions regarding things like time, space and causation - ideas about the creator and the beginning of time
three criticisms of DURKHEIM’S theory
- DURKHEIM’s work on totemism is methodologically flawed as it is based solely on secondary sources
- it’s ethnocentric: he was a white european male - he didn’t fully understand totemism
- other sociologists argue DURKHEIM’s work is only relevant to small-scale societies with a single religion.
what did BRONISLAW MALINOWSKI study?
he studied Trobriand Islanders
what did MALINOWSKI see when studying the trobriand islanders
- islanders used religion rituals to create a sense of control when they needed to take risks and the outcome was uncertain e.g. ocean fishing
- when fishing in the safe lagoons, they did not carry out rituals
what did MALINOWKSI conclude from his study?
- MALINOWSKI concluded that religion helps people cope with emotional stress and during situations that threaten social stability
- argued that religion promotes social solidarity by responding to the psychological needs of individuals during times of stress and uncertainty
- therefore, events such as birth and death are surrounded by religious rituals
two criticisms of MALINOWSKI’s study
- number of rituals that most people in society take part in have declined significantly e.g. fewer marriages are religious
- science has reduced the majority of uncertainty so no need for religion. why the uk is becoming more secukar.
TALCOTT PARSONS: 2 functions of religion
first function
- religion creates and legitimizes societies core values
- regulates peoples behaviors through core morals an values and norms (e.g. ten commandments - guilty conscience)
second function
- religion is the primary source of meaning
- religion can answer difficult questions such as why do some people suffer
- religion offers meaning and explanation to help make sense of life when people are faced with crisis
- this helps to keep society stable
ROBERT BELLAH: civil religion
- religion unifies society
- for example, the USA is made up of immigrants with different religions, however, they are united by ‘Americanism’
- BELLAH calls this civil religion where americans worship americian values and attach sacred qualities to society itself, e.g. american flag, constitution etc
- phrases such as “one nation under god”, “god bless america” do not refer to the god of a particular faith, but rather an ‘american god’
BELLAH: american sacred symbols
sacred texts
- declaration of independence
- american constitution
sacred objects:
- flag
- eagle
sacred places:
- lincoln memorial
- the washington monument
- statue of liberty
these symbols help bind a nation together by reminding it’s people of their nations history and most important principles
criticisms of functionalism
- ignores conflict created by religion (northern ireland, india, iraq)
- ignores secularisation - fewer people hold religious beliefs
- multicultural society/religious pluralism
- many religions - so cannot create a single collective conscience
