Ways Of Looking At Religion

Question 2

Weber defines religion as

Answer 2

A belief in supernatural or superior power that exists but cannot be explained scientifically.

Question 3

Durkhiem defines religion as a

Answer 3

Positive and cohesive integrator for society in creating value consensus. In religions there must be a sense of what is “sacred” and what is “profane”.

Question 4

Aldridge defines religion as

Answer 4

Not possible to universalise in one definition as it’s interpreted by individuals and is too diverse in practice.

Question 5

Parsons defines religion as a

Answer 5

An assimulator and keeper of social order in that it creates harmony through encouraging unity under itself.

Question 7

Durkheim said that religion promotes ______ _________

Answer 7

Value consensus

Question 8

Durkheim also proposed the theory of t_______, constructed after studying the A____ tribe.

Answer 8

Totemism

The Arunta tribe

Question 10

Marxist quotes on religion

Answer 10

“Opium of the people” - Marx
“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed people” - Marx

“Spiritual gin” - Lenin

Question 11

T________ of d____________
(Marxist term)

Answer 11

Theodicy of disprivelege

Question 12

Althusser talks about what?
How does it relate to religion?

Answer 12

The replication of ideological hegemony.
Religion in capitalism, is another tool of social control.

Question 13

Liberation theory is what (relating to religion)

Answer 13

That religion has a ‘dual character’ and can be an instrument that unifies people for revolution.

Question 14

Karen Armstrong’s feminist perspective on religion.

Answer 14

Older religions put women in the pantheon of God’s next to male God’s.
The Norse God Freyja is a God of both Love, war, and fertility.

The Abrhamic religions became monotheistic, they segregated women more in faith, made them more secondary to men.

Question 15

What’s the theory of the
‘Madona-whore’ complex.

Answer 15

The feminist theory posited by Armstrong.

That representations of women in the Abrahamic religions, is binary.
Either they’re pious and discreet or they’re lustful and a temptress.

Question 16

Malinowski’s perspective.

Answer 16

An anthropological, functionalist perspective.

Religion emboldens people in a world they cannot control, granting them an illusion of control.
It serves a ‘psychological need’
Allowing us to rationalise things like emotional turmoil of puberty and death.

The Trobriand islanders used a ritual before fishing to find the courage to face the waves and find food.

Question 17

Berger’s perspective on religion.

Answer 17

A postmodern adjacent perspective.

The ‘sacred canopy’ is the framework that gives people a way to understand the world.

The interaction between competing
‘Universes of meanings’ has led to the attrition of confidence in religion.

Question 18

What does the term cosmopolitanism mean?

Answer 18

A new intellectual tradition based on Liberal rationalism, to appear to engage with lots of different perspectives and constantly remodel your own views.

Question 19

What does a postmodern idea of subjective experience of everything have to do with the rise of NRM?

Answer 19

The NRM are often very accommodating to the individuals own spiritual journey and unlike older established religions, do not hold a monopoly on the truth.

This this way, it is similar to cosmopolitanism.

Question 20

Weber talked about Calvinism, but there’s two other religious and philosophical traditions that strengthen capitalist ideologies.

Answer 20

• Hindu-Nationalism
• Confucianism

Question 21

A thinker in the social democratic party of Germany called Karl Kautsky criticised Weber’s theory on religion.

How?

Answer 21

Says that Weber underestimates how economics away from existing cultural staples or shifts influenced the development of capitalism.

Capitalism actually, all be it in the more primitive forms pre-industrial revolution, actually predate Calvinism.

Question 22

What are some examples of religious institutions with more progressive participation from women?

Answer 22

• Reform Judaism has allowed women to be Rabbi’s since the 1970s.
• The Quaker’s movements compared to other religious traditions at the time promoted for more practiced gender equality.
• The church of England has today, very visible female members in high positions.