Theories of Religion Flashcards
What is a conservative force?
Maintaining traditional norms and keeping society how it is
What is a force for social change?
Religion can change society and help to move it forwards
What do functionalists believe the function of religion is?
To create social harmony and reinforce the value consensus
What is the value consensus?
Widespread agreement around main values in society which maintains social order
What are the 4 functionalist theories of religion?
Religion unites people
Religion answers ultimate Q’s
Religion provides comfort
Religion integrate you into society
Who is the theorist for religion uniting people?
Durkheim
What are the sacred things?
Things that inspire feelings of awe and wonder
What is the profane?
Things that have no special significance
What theory is the sacred and profane associated with?
Religion unites people- functionalism
What is totemism?
Worshipping a sacred object
What do functionalists believe about totemism?
People are really worshipping society which creates social glue
How do people worship society?
Through ceremonies and rituals
How does religion unite people?
The commitment and identity of religion creates a collective conscience and sense of belonging
What does Durkheim believe religion prevents?
Rapid social change which could damage society
Who is the functionalist theorist for religion answers untimate Q’s?
Parsons
What does ‘religion answers ultimate Q’s’ mean?
It answers questions about the meaning of life and gives a sense of justice for bad things that happen
Who is the theorist for religion provides comfort?
Malinowski
When are the 2 times religion provides comfort?
When the outcome is important but uncontrollable and uncertain
Life crises
What was the study for outcome being uncontrollable?
A tribe fishing in the ocean could be dangerous so they performed a ritual (canoe magic) and they would return safely which gave them some control
What is an example of religion providing comfort in a life crisis?
Funeral services
How can funeral services provide comfort?
Beliefs of life after death
Support from friends and relatives when experiencing grief and stress
Who is the theorist for religion integrates society?
Bellah
What kind of society is America according to Bellah?
Multi- faith society
What is civil religion?
A belief that attaches sacred qualities to society itself
What does American civil religion involve?
Loyalty to the nation and belief in God (true American)
What is an example of Americans practicing civil religion?
Pledge of allegiance to the flag
Singing national anthem
How can civil religion integrate people into society?
Binds people in America together from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds
What are the 3 Marxist theories of religion?
Religion provides comfort
Religion maintains capitalism
Religion legitimates the hierarchy
Who is the Marxist theorist for religion provides comfort?
Marx
How does religion provide comfort according to Marxists?
It promises an afterlife which distracts from the unhappiness caused by capitalism
How are the WC exploited?
They are made to work in dehumanising conditions
Why do the exploited WC turn to religion for comfort?
It is a form of meaning and consolation as to why they are treated how they are
What is the opium of the people?
Religion acts as a drug to dull the pain of exploitation but it just masks the exploitation
Who are the 2 theorists for religion maintaining capitalism?
Marx
Lenin
What is ideology?
Distorts people’s perception of reality and serves the interests of the ruling class
How does religion maintain capitalism?
It justifies the suffering of the poor as something God-given and that they will be favoured in the afterlife
What is a false class consciousness?
A distorted view of reality that prevents the poor from acting to change their situation
What is spiritual gin?
An intoxicant given out by ruling class to confuse the WC and keep them in their place
What does Lenin believe about religion maintaining capitalism?
The ruling class create a mystical fog that obscures reality
How does religion legitimate the hierarchy?
Disobedience is seen as a sin to Gods authority so reinforces the power and privilege of the ruling class
What is an example of religion legitimating the hierarchy?
Hindu caste system
What is the Hindu caste system?
A hierarchy within Hinduism that tells you your place within society and their religion
What are the 4 feminist theories that religion oppresses women?
Legitimates gender hierarchy
Maintains patriarchy
Segregates the sexes
Instrument of male domination
Who is the theorist for religion legitimising gender hierarchy?
De Beauvoir
Religion legitimates the gender hierarchy through…
Sacred texts
How do sacred texts reinforce gender hierarchy? (4 ways)
Men claim their authority comes from God
Women closer to god as long as passive
False consciousness- false belief they will be rewarded
Anti-female stereotypes
What do sacred texts largely feature?
Male gods and prophets
What do they believe about Eve?
That she created the ‘original sin’
Who is the feminist theorist for religion maintaining patriarchy?
Armstrong
Religion maintains patriarchy through…
Religious organisations
How do religious organisations maintain patriarchy?
Male dominated even though more women participate in religion
What is an of religious organisations maintaining patriarchy?
Women not allowed to be priests
What does Holm believe?
Women face a stained glass ceiling
Who is the feminist theorist for religion segregating the sexes?
Holm
Religion segregates the sexes through…
Places of worship
What are examples of places of worship segregate the sexes?
Seating them behind screens while men have the more central spaces
Taboos regarding menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth eg. not being allowed to touch Qu’ran during periods
How do places of worship segregate the sexes?
Women marginalised and their participation is restricted through the way the building is set out for men to be the centre of attention
Religion is dominated by men through…
Laws and customs
How do laws act as an instrument of male domination?
Religious laws give women fewer rights than men and reinforce the traditional domestic role done by women
What is an example of laws and customs which act as an instrument of male domination?
Access to divorce
Decision making
Dress codes
Who is the theorist for religion being an instrument of male domination?
Woodhead?
What did Woodhead say about religion being male dominated?
Women not allowed to be priests shows the Churches unease about women’s inclusion
What are the 4 feminist theories that religion doesn’t oppress women?
Culture is oppressive, not religion
Religious organisations do not maintain patriarchy
Religious forms of feminism
Religion empowers women
Who is the theorist for culture being oppressive?
El Sadaawi
How is culture oppressive instead of religion?
Women’s subordination is due to patriarchal forms in society and not religion
why did El Sadaawi say that religion however might be oppressive?
Society has re-shaped religion and men have reinterpreted beliefs to favour patriarchy
How is the power of men being legitimised through religion?
Monotheism- believing in one God
Why do religious organisations not maintain patriarchy?
There has been a march of progress
What kind of feminist believes in a march of progress?
Liberal
What is an example of organisations not maintaining patriarchy?
Church of England now allow women priests
Who is the theorist for religious forms of feminism?
Woodhead
What does religious forms of feminism mean?
Many religions aren’t patriarchal and women use religion to gain freedom and respect
What is an example of religious feminism?
Wearing a hijab may symbolise resistance to oppression but is seen as a symbol of oppression to other people
Why do some women wear hijabs?
For more opportunities as it frees women from the male gaze and escapes the confines of the home
How does religion empower women?
New age movements allow women to have high positions which empowers them to take on a dominant role
What does Butler say about religion empowering women?
Hijab is a sense of their identity and they are embracing their religion
Who is the theorist for religion being a force of change?
Weber
What does Weber believe about religion being a force of change?
That Protestant beliefs helped the development of capitalism in Europe
What is Calvinism?
Teachings of pre-destination that taught self-discipline and hard work with a promise of economic success is they did this
What has Calvinism lead to?
Meanings could change society and lead to a more skilled workforce which created profits for our newly capitalist society?
who is the Neo-Marxist theorist for counter-hegemony?
Gramsci
What is counter-hegemony?
The ruling class is questioned in some societies in relation to power and control due to religion being a strong force of change
What are 2 examples of counter-hegemony?
Martin Luther King
Malcolm X
What is Liberation theology?
The combination of teachings for Christianity and Marxism
Why did the liberation theology emerge?
Rural poverty
Human rights abuses
More Priests having growing commitment
What are the 4 examples of religion promoting social change?
Civil rights movement
New Christian right
Iran revolution
Afghanistan and the Taliban
How did the civil rights movement bring about social change?
Martin Luther King was seen as respectable and a Christian- ‘turn the other cheek’
Motivation and support
Who is the theorist for the civil rights movement?
Bruce
What is the new Christian right?
A political movement which practiced strong protestant fundamentalist beliefs
What did the new Christian right do?
They took America back to God teaching traditional roles which took society back in time (opposite of march of progress)
What are some examples of why the new Christian right was bad?
Abortion laws
Homosexuality
Banning sex education
How did the new Christian right come across so strongly and why did everyone follow it?
Televangelism- church owning media and TV, converted many people and turned them back to fundamentalist religion
What was the 1979 Iran revolution about?
America wanted access to their oil so replaced the shah with a western one who would act in the interests of people in America
What did the western shah do?
Lived a lavish lifestyle and got rid of religion as made it out as a bad thing
What did Afghanistan and the Taliban do?
They got rid of many women’s rights due to traditional religious beliefs
What are examples of what Afghanistan did to women?
forbidden from education
Harsh punishments
Forced to dress a certain way
