Theories of religion Flashcards
What is religion?
What are the three main ways in which sociologists define religion?
- substantive,
- functional,
- social constructionalist
What is religion?
What do substantive definitions of religion focus on?
- The content or substance of religious belief
- such as belief in God or the Supernatural
What is religion?
What does Max Weber (1905) define religion as?
belief in a superior or supernatural power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically
What is religion?
Which sociologist defines religion as: belief in a superior or supernatural power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically?
Max Weber (1905)
What is religion?
What are substansive definitions?
Exclusive
What is religion?
What does it mean that substantive definitions of religion are exclusive?
They draw a clear line between religious and non-religious beliefs
What is religion?
According to the substantive definition of religion, what must a set of beliefs include to be a religion?
Belief in God or the supernatural
What is religion?
What widespread view does the substantive definition conform to?
Religion as a belief in God
What is religion?
What does defining religion using the substantive definitions leave no room for?
Beliefs and practices that perform similar functions to religion but do not involve a belief in God
What is religion?
What is the substantive definition of religion accused of?
Western bias
What is religion?
Why is the substantive definition of religion accused of Western Bias?
Because they exclude religions such as Buddhism, which do not have a Western idea of a God
What is religion?
How do functional definifitions define religion?
in terms of the social or psychological functions it performs for individuals and society
What is religion?
Which funtionalist sociologist provides a definition of religion?
- Emile Durkheim (1915)
What is religion?
How does Emile Durkheim (1915) define religion?
In terms of the contribution, it makes a social integration rather than any specific belief in God or the supernatural
What is religion?
Which functionalist sociologist identifies functions that religion performs?
Milton Yinger (1970)
What is religion?
Which functions does Milton Yinger (1970) identify that religion perform?
- such as answering ‘ultimate questions’
- about the meaning of life and what happens when we die
What is religion?
What is an advantage of functional definitions of religion?
They are inclusive
What is religion?
What does it mean that funtional definitions of religion are inclusive?
allowing us to include a wide range of beliefs and practices that perform functions such as integration
What is religion?
What is avoided as a result of the fact functional definitions of religion do not specify a beief in God or the supernatural?
Western Bias
What is religion?
Complete the sentence according to the functional definition of religion:
However, just because an institution gelps intergrate individuals…
this does not make it a religion
What is religion?
Give an example evidencing how just because an institution helps integrate individuals into a group, it does not make it a religion
- Collective chanting at football matches might give individuals a sense of integration,
- but this does not mean it’s a religion
What is religion
What kind of approach do social constructionist take in the constructionist definition of religion?
Interpretivist
What is religion?
What does the social constructionist interpretivist approach focus on?
How members of society themselves define religion
What is religion?
What do social constructionists argue?
That it is not possible to produce a single universal definition of religion to cover all cases
What is religion?
Why do social constructionist argue that it’s not possible to produce a single universal definition of religion?
Since in reality, different individuals and groups mean very different things by religion
What is religion?
What is a social constructionist interested in?
How definitions of religion are constructed challenged, and fought over
What is religion?
Which social constructionist evidences interest in how definitions of religion are constructed challenged and fought over?
Alan Aldridge 2013
What is religion?
Describe Alan Aldridge’s (2013) theory of Scientology
- He shows how for followers Scientology is a religion
- where several government have denied its legal status as a religion and sought to ban
What is religion?
What does Alan Aldridge’s investigation into Scientology and its status as a religion show?
- That definition of religion can be contested
- and are influenced by who has power to define the situation
What is religion?
What do social constructionist not assume?
- That religion always involves a belief in God or the supernatural
- or that it performs similar functions for everyone and all societies
What is religion?
What does the social constructionist approach allow them to do?
Get close to the meanings people themselves give to a religion
What is religion?
What does the social constructionist approach in defining religion make it impossible to do?
Generalise about the nature religion
What is religion?
Why does the social constructionist approach in defining religion make it impossible to generalise about the nature of religion?
Since many people have widely differing views of what counts as a religion.
Functionalist theories of religion
What is society for functionalist?
A system of interrelated parts or social institutions
Functionalist theories of religion
Describe how society is like an organism according to functionalist
It has basic needs that must be met in order to survive
Functionalist theories of religion
What are the needs of society met by?
the different institution
Functionalist theories of religion
What are societies most basic needs?
the need for social order and solidarity
Functionalist theories of religion
For functionalist what makes order possible?
The existence of value consensus
Functionalist theories of religion
What is value consensus?
A set of shared norms and values by which society members live
Functionalist theories of religion
What happens in the absence of a value consensus?
- Individuals would pursue their own selfish desires
- and society would disintegrate
Functionalist theories of religion
Who was the first functionalist to develop the idea of religious institutions playing essential part in creating and maintaining value consensus order and solidarity?
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
Functionalist theories of religion
What idea did Emile Durkheim develop?
That religious institutions play essential part in creating and maintaining value consensus order and solidarity
Functionalist theories of religion
For functionalist such as a Emile Durkheim, what central part do religious institutions play in society?
Creating and maintaining value consensus order and solidarity
Functionalist theories of religion
What was a key feature of religion for Durkheim (1915; 1962)?
The fundamental distinction between the sacred and the profane and all religions
Functionalist theories of religion - Durkheim
What are the sacred?
- Things set apart and forbidden
- that inspire feelings of awe, fear and wonder
- and are surrounded by taboos and prohibitions
Functionalist theories of religion - Durkheim
What are the profane?
- Things that have no special significance,
- ordinary and mundane things
Functionalist theories of religion - Durkheim
Complete the sentence:
religion is never simply a set of beliefs.
It also involves..
- Definite rituals or practices in relation to the sacred
- and these rituals are collective
Functionalist theories of religion - Durkheim
What does it mean that Rituals are collective?
They are performed by social groups
Functionalist theories of religion - Durkheim
What does the fact sacred things evoke such powerful feelings in believers indicate to Durkheim?
This is because there are symbols representing something of great power
Functionalist theories of religion - Durkheim
