Ways Of Looking At Religion Flashcards
Weber defines religion as
A belief in supernatural or superior power that exists but cannot be explained scientifically.
Durkhiem defines religion as a
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”.
Aldridge defines religion as
Not possible to universalise in one definition as it’s interpreted by individuals and is too diverse in practice.
Parsons defines religion as a
An assimulator and keeper of social order in that it creates harmony through encouraging unity under itself.
Durkheim said that religion promotes ______ _________
Value consensus
Durkheim also proposed the theory of t_______, constructed after studying the A____ tribe.
Totemism
The Arunta tribe
Marxist quotes on religion
“Opium of the people” - Marx
“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed people” - Marx
“Spiritual gin” - Lenin
T________ of d____________
(Marxist term)
Theodicy of disprivelege
Althusser talks about what?
How does it relate to religion?
The replication of ideological hegemony.
Religion in capitalism, is another tool of social control.
Liberation theory is what (relating to religion)
That religion has a ‘dual character’ and can be an instrument that unifies people for revolution.
Karen Armstrong’s feminist perspective on religion.
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.
What’s the theory of the
‘Madona-whore’ complex.
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.
Malinowski’s perspective.
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.
Berger’s perspective on religion.
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.
What does the term cosmopolitanism mean?
A new intellectual tradition based on Liberal rationalism, to appear to engage with lots of different perspectives and constantly remodel your own views.
What does a postmodern idea of subjective experience of everything have to do with the rise of NRM?
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.
Weber talked about Calvinism, but there’s two other religious and philosophical traditions that strengthen capitalist ideologies.
- Hindu-Nationalism
- Confucianism
A thinker in the social democratic party of Germany called Karl Kautsky criticised Weber’s theory on religion.
How?
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.
What are some examples of religious institutions with more progressive participation from women?
- 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.
