Theories of Religion Flashcards
What are the three main ways sociologists define religion?
Substantive: the content of religious belief ie Weber defines religion as a belief in God or supernatural power that can’t be explained scientifically
Functional: defines religion in terms of the social/psychological functions it performs for society
Constructionist: Interpretivist approach that focuses on how definitions of religion are constructed, challenged and fought over. eg: Aldridge showed how for its followers scientology is a religion, but some governments have denied it legal status as a religion.
What is the functionalist perspective on religion?
Religion is a vital institution for maintaining social cohesion and solidarity.
What is the functionalist perspective on religion according to Durkheim
Sacred and Profane: sacred symbols perform the essential function of uniting believers into a single moral community, as when they worship sacred symbols, they are worshipping society itself. Profane are things that have no special significance.
Totemism: studied Arunta Aboriginal Tribe. Consists of a clan that come together to worship a sacred totem (emblem such as an animal). Shared totemic rituals reinforce solidarity and belonging.
Collective conscience: sacred symbols represent societies collective conscience (shared norms/values), regular rituals thus reinforce collective conscience and maintain social integration, makes us feel we are part of something greater than ourselves.
What is the functionalist perspective on religion according to Malinkowski?
Religion helps individuals deal with psychological stresses like birth, marriage and death so acts as a catharsis. Funerals reinforce solidarity amongst survivors and give comfort to the bereaved.
Religion helps people deal with situations they can’t predict or control.
This reinforces social solidarity and social order.
What is the functionalist perspective according to Parsons?
Religion promotes a value consensus, eg the Ten Commandments provide a basis for good and bad behaviour, thus this maintains social stability.
Religion helps people make sense of difficult situations.
Explain civil religion according to Bellah?
American civil religion involves loyalty to the nation state and belief in one God, both of which are equated with being a true American.
This expressed through the pledge of allegiance to the flag, singing national anthem and phrases like ‘one nation under God’
This unites people across different backgrounds.
How can the functionalist view on religion be evaluated?
- Ignores negative aspects of religion like hate crimes, fundamentalism, oppression of women and certain social groups
- Hamilton says religion can be a source of social division such as in NI between Catholics and Protestants.
What is the Marxist perspective on religion?
The main function of religion is to help maintain ruling classes power.
What is Marx’s perspective on religion?
He argued religion is the opium of the masses, creates illusions amongst the oppressed to maintain the power of the ruling class
What are the three way religion eases the pain of oppression according to Marx?
The virtue of suffering: religion promises an eventual escape from evil and suffering through rewards of the afterlife.
Religion offers hope of supernatural intervention to solve problems on Earth
Religion provides an explanation for inequality by saying it is god’s will to the proletariat.
What is the Marxist perspective on religion according to Althusser?
Religion acts as an ideological state apparatus to legitimise social class inequality.
It justifies the suffering of the poor as inevitable and God given and promotes the idea that suffering is a virtue, offering rewards for this in the afterlife.
Ideas such as this create false class consciousness, a distorted view of reality that prevents the poor from acting to change their position or revolt
How can we evaluate this Marxist perspective on religion?
- Ignores the positive functions of religion set out by functionalists
- Neo marxists see certain forms of religion as assisting not hindering the development of class consciousness
- Abercombie, Hill and Turney say religion doesn’t necessarily function as an ideology to control the population. In pre-industrial society Christianity was a big element of the ruling class ideology but had little impact on the peasantry.
What is the Neo-marxist view on religion?
They agree with Marxism that religion can exploit the poor, however they argue religion is also a source of social change.
What is the Neo-marxist perspective on religion according to Maduro?
In societies where protests were against the law, the church could act as a safe outlet for frustration for the proletariat. Religious leaders where charismatic and could inspire their congregation achieve social change.
In the 19th century, Catholic priests became critical of racial and social inequalities in Latin America and became supports of the Liberation Theology movement, which was critical of the wealth and power of the bourgeoisie and supported the redistribution of wealth.
EVAL: The pope John Paul II rejected the Liberation Theory and told priests to focus on their religious responsibilities.
What is the Neo-marxist perspective on religion according to Gramsci?
While the church does play a part in maintaining cultural hegemony that benefits the ruling class, it also could produce its own set of ideas that inspire social change.
Members of the clergy and lower members of the church hierarchy can make a difference in their community, this individual autonomy could override the ruling class ideology promoted by the religion.
