Theories of Religion Flashcards

1
Q

What is a conservative force?

A

Maintaining traditional norms and keeping society how it is

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2
Q

What is a force for social change?

A

Religion can change society and help to move it forwards

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3
Q

What do functionalists believe the function of religion is?

A

To create social harmony and reinforce the value consensus

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4
Q

What is the value consensus?

A

Widespread agreement around main values in society which maintains social order

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5
Q

What are the 4 functionalist theories of religion?

A

Religion unites people
Religion answers ultimate Q’s
Religion provides comfort
Religion integrate you into society

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6
Q

Who is the theorist for religion uniting people?

A

Durkheim

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7
Q

What are the sacred things?

A

Things that inspire feelings of awe and wonder

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8
Q

What is the profane?

A

Things that have no special significance

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9
Q

What theory is the sacred and profane associated with?

A

Religion unites people- functionalism

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10
Q

What is totemism?

A

Worshipping a sacred object

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11
Q

What do functionalists believe about totemism?

A

People are really worshipping society which creates social glue

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12
Q

How do people worship society?

A

Through ceremonies and rituals

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13
Q

How does religion unite people?

A

The commitment and identity of religion creates a collective conscience and sense of belonging

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14
Q

What does Durkheim believe religion prevents?

A

Rapid social change which could damage society

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15
Q

Who is the functionalist theorist for religion answers untimate Q’s?

A

Parsons

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16
Q

What does ‘religion answers ultimate Q’s’ mean?

A

It answers questions about the meaning of life and gives a sense of justice for bad things that happen

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17
Q

Who is the theorist for religion provides comfort?

A

Malinowski

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18
Q

When are the 2 times religion provides comfort?

A

When the outcome is important but uncontrollable and uncertain
Life crises

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19
Q

What was the study for outcome being uncontrollable?

A

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

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20
Q

What is an example of religion providing comfort in a life crisis?

A

Funeral services

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21
Q

How can funeral services provide comfort?

A

Beliefs of life after death
Support from friends and relatives when experiencing grief and stress

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22
Q

Who is the theorist for religion integrates society?

A

Bellah

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23
Q

What kind of society is America according to Bellah?

A

Multi- faith society

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24
Q

What is civil religion?

A

A belief that attaches sacred qualities to society itself

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25
Q

What does American civil religion involve?

A

Loyalty to the nation and belief in God (true American)

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26
Q

What is an example of Americans practicing civil religion?

A

Pledge of allegiance to the flag
Singing national anthem

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27
Q

How can civil religion integrate people into society?

A

Binds people in America together from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds

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28
Q

What are the 3 Marxist theories of religion?

A

Religion provides comfort
Religion maintains capitalism
Religion legitimates the hierarchy

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29
Q

Who is the Marxist theorist for religion provides comfort?

A

Marx

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30
Q

How does religion provide comfort according to Marxists?

A

It promises an afterlife which distracts from the unhappiness caused by capitalism

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31
Q

How are the WC exploited?

A

They are made to work in dehumanising conditions

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32
Q

Why do the exploited WC turn to religion for comfort?

A

It is a form of meaning and consolation as to why they are treated how they are

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33
Q

What is the opium of the people?

A

Religion acts as a drug to dull the pain of exploitation but it just masks the exploitation

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34
Q

Who are the 2 theorists for religion maintaining capitalism?

A

Marx
Lenin

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35
Q

What is ideology?

A

Distorts people’s perception of reality and serves the interests of the ruling class

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36
Q

How does religion maintain capitalism?

A

It justifies the suffering of the poor as something God-given and that they will be favoured in the afterlife

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37
Q

What is a false class consciousness?

A

A distorted view of reality that prevents the poor from acting to change their situation

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38
Q

What is spiritual gin?

A

An intoxicant given out by ruling class to confuse the WC and keep them in their place

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39
Q

What does Lenin believe about religion maintaining capitalism?

A

The ruling class create a mystical fog that obscures reality

40
Q

How does religion legitimate the hierarchy?

A

Disobedience is seen as a sin to Gods authority so reinforces the power and privilege of the ruling class

41
Q

What is an example of religion legitimating the hierarchy?

A

Hindu caste system

42
Q

What is the Hindu caste system?

A

A hierarchy within Hinduism that tells you your place within society and their religion

43
Q

What are the 4 feminist theories that religion oppresses women?

A

Legitimates gender hierarchy
Maintains patriarchy
Segregates the sexes
Instrument of male domination

44
Q

Who is the theorist for religion legitimising gender hierarchy?

A

De Beauvoir

45
Q

Religion legitimates the gender hierarchy through…

A

Sacred texts

46
Q

How do sacred texts reinforce gender hierarchy? (4 ways)

A

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

47
Q

What do sacred texts largely feature?

A

Male gods and prophets

48
Q

What do they believe about Eve?

A

That she created the ‘original sin’

49
Q

Who is the feminist theorist for religion maintaining patriarchy?

A

Armstrong

50
Q

Religion maintains patriarchy through…

A

Religious organisations

51
Q

How do religious organisations maintain patriarchy?

A

Male dominated even though more women participate in religion

52
Q

What is an of religious organisations maintaining patriarchy?

A

Women not allowed to be priests

53
Q

What does Holm believe?

A

Women face a stained glass ceiling

54
Q

Who is the feminist theorist for religion segregating the sexes?

A

Holm

55
Q

Religion segregates the sexes through…

A

Places of worship

56
Q

What are examples of places of worship segregate the sexes?

A

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

57
Q

How do places of worship segregate the sexes?

A

Women marginalised and their participation is restricted through the way the building is set out for men to be the centre of attention

58
Q

Religion is dominated by men through…

A

Laws and customs

59
Q

How do laws act as an instrument of male domination?

A

Religious laws give women fewer rights than men and reinforce the traditional domestic role done by women

60
Q

What is an example of laws and customs which act as an instrument of male domination?

A

Access to divorce
Decision making
Dress codes

61
Q

Who is the theorist for religion being an instrument of male domination?

A

Woodhead?

62
Q

What did Woodhead say about religion being male dominated?

A

Women not allowed to be priests shows the Churches unease about women’s inclusion

63
Q

What are the 4 feminist theories that religion doesn’t oppress women?

A

Culture is oppressive, not religion
Religious organisations do not maintain patriarchy
Religious forms of feminism
Religion empowers women

64
Q

Who is the theorist for culture being oppressive?

A

El Sadaawi

65
Q

How is culture oppressive instead of religion?

A

Women’s subordination is due to patriarchal forms in society and not religion

66
Q

why did El Sadaawi say that religion however might be oppressive?

A

Society has re-shaped religion and men have reinterpreted beliefs to favour patriarchy

67
Q

How is the power of men being legitimised through religion?

A

Monotheism- believing in one God

68
Q

Why do religious organisations not maintain patriarchy?

A

There has been a march of progress

69
Q

What kind of feminist believes in a march of progress?

A

Liberal

70
Q

What is an example of organisations not maintaining patriarchy?

A

Church of England now allow women priests

71
Q

Who is the theorist for religious forms of feminism?

A

Woodhead

72
Q

What does religious forms of feminism mean?

A

Many religions aren’t patriarchal and women use religion to gain freedom and respect

73
Q

What is an example of religious feminism?

A

Wearing a hijab may symbolise resistance to oppression but is seen as a symbol of oppression to other people

74
Q

Why do some women wear hijabs?

A

For more opportunities as it frees women from the male gaze and escapes the confines of the home

75
Q

How does religion empower women?

A

New age movements allow women to have high positions which empowers them to take on a dominant role

76
Q

What does Butler say about religion empowering women?

A

Hijab is a sense of their identity and they are embracing their religion

77
Q

Who is the theorist for religion being a force of change?

A

Weber

78
Q

What does Weber believe about religion being a force of change?

A

That Protestant beliefs helped the development of capitalism in Europe

79
Q

What is Calvinism?

A

Teachings of pre-destination that taught self-discipline and hard work with a promise of economic success is they did this

80
Q

What has Calvinism lead to?

A

Meanings could change society and lead to a more skilled workforce which created profits for our newly capitalist society?

81
Q

who is the Neo-Marxist theorist for counter-hegemony?

A

Gramsci

82
Q

What is counter-hegemony?

A

The ruling class is questioned in some societies in relation to power and control due to religion being a strong force of change

83
Q

What are 2 examples of counter-hegemony?

A

Martin Luther King
Malcolm X

84
Q

What is Liberation theology?

A

The combination of teachings for Christianity and Marxism

85
Q

Why did the liberation theology emerge?

A

Rural poverty
Human rights abuses
More Priests having growing commitment

86
Q

What are the 4 examples of religion promoting social change?

A

Civil rights movement
New Christian right
Iran revolution
Afghanistan and the Taliban

87
Q

How did the civil rights movement bring about social change?

A

Martin Luther King was seen as respectable and a Christian- ‘turn the other cheek’
Motivation and support

88
Q

Who is the theorist for the civil rights movement?

A

Bruce

89
Q

What is the new Christian right?

A

A political movement which practiced strong protestant fundamentalist beliefs

90
Q

What did the new Christian right do?

A

They took America back to God teaching traditional roles which took society back in time (opposite of march of progress)

91
Q

What are some examples of why the new Christian right was bad?

A

Abortion laws
Homosexuality
Banning sex education

92
Q

How did the new Christian right come across so strongly and why did everyone follow it?

A

Televangelism- church owning media and TV, converted many people and turned them back to fundamentalist religion

93
Q

What was the 1979 Iran revolution about?

A

America wanted access to their oil so replaced the shah with a western one who would act in the interests of people in America

94
Q

What did the western shah do?

A

Lived a lavish lifestyle and got rid of religion as made it out as a bad thing

95
Q

What did Afghanistan and the Taliban do?

A

They got rid of many women’s rights due to traditional religious beliefs

96
Q

What are examples of what Afghanistan did to women?

A

forbidden from education
Harsh punishments
Forced to dress a certain way