What is Religion? Flashcards
Who supports substantive definitions?
Max Weber
How does Weber define religion?
As belief in a superior or supernatural power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically.
What are the two evaluation points that can be made about substantive definitions?
1) defining religion in this way leaves no room for belief and practices that perform similar functions to religion but do not involve belief in God.
2) accused of western bias because they exclude religions such as Buddhism, which do not have the Western idea of a god
Explain what the functional definition of religion is
Define it in terms of the social or psychological functions it performs for individuals or society.
Explain what the substantive definitions of religion is
These focus on the content or substance of religious belief, such as belief in God or supernatural. Substantive definitions are exclusive - drawing a clear line between religious and non religious believers. To be a religion, a set of beliefs must include belief in God or supernatural
Who supports the functional definition of religion?
Durkheim and Yinger
How does Durkheim define religion?
Defines religion in terms of the contribution it makes to social integration, rather than any specific belief in God or supernatural.
What does Yinger identify about religion?
Identifies functions that religion performs for individuals, such as answering “ultimate questions” about the meaning of life and what happens when we die.
List two advantages of the functional definitions of religion?
They are inclusive - allowing us to include a wide range of beliefs and practices that perform functions such as integration.
Since they do no specify belief in God or the supernatural, there is no bias against non-western religions such as Buddhism.
Criticism of functional definitions
Just because as institution helps integrate individuals into groups, this does not make it a religion. For example, collective chanting at football matches might give individuals as sense of integration, but this doesn’t mean it is a religion
What type of approach do social constructionists take to religion?
Interpretivist approach
How do social constructionists go about defining religion?
They focus on how members of society themselves define religion. And do not assume religion always involves a belief in God or the supernatural
, or that it performs similar functions for everyone in all societies.
What does the social constructionists approach allow for sociologists?
Their approach allows them to get close to the meanings people themselves give to religion.
List a criticism of the social constructionist definition of religion
The different definitions makes it impossible to generalise about the nature of religion, since people may have widely differing views about what counts as a religion.
