Wk 7: Religion Flashcards
What is religion?
From a sociological perspective, it
refers to the faith in metaphysical
influences that provide significance to
our existence. The broad spectrum of
beliefs categorized as ‘religious’
presents challenges in formulating a
single, concise definition.
* Religion permeates society
extensively, manifesting itself in
various dimensions.
* The doctrines and principles of
Catholicism and Protestantism have
significantly molded our political
landscape throughout the 20th
century.
* Religion wields the power to shape
societal structures, knowledge
systems, and the intricate interplay
of relationships between genders.
* Religion is a dynamic force that
engenders both cohesion and
division within communities.
Additionally, it plays a pivotal role in
shaping individual and collective
identities.
Religion as per Australian Law
Generally, a religion is
regarded as a set of beliefs and
practices, usually involving
acknowledgment of a divine or
higher being or power, by which
people order the conduct of their
lives both practically and in a moral
sense
In Australian law, the definition or
religion lists two criteria
first, a belief in a supernatural being, thing
or principle;
second, ‘the acceptance
of canons of conduct in order to give
effect to that belief’
Key elements of religion
- Ideas about beings or forces existing beyond the
human realm. - Engaging in established traditions and practices.
- Presence of structured frameworks within religious systems.
- Relationships of control or influence between humans and entities beyond humanity.
- Providing answers to questions about the meaning of life.
- Offering explanations for tragic or uncontrollable
events. - Justifying and supporting the current societal norms.
- Connecting individuals and groups with natural or supernatural elements.
- Projecting human ideals and aspirations onto an
idealized order beyond our world
Theism
the belief in a god or
gods
monotheism
meaning they believe that there
is only one God.
polytheism
Some religions believe in multiple
gods or demigods
The three main religious groups
of the West
Christianity, Judaism and Islam
secularisation
religion as insignificant
The changing of Australian
religion
Since the Second World War, Australians’
relationship with religion has been
changing.
1. The rise in secularisation (religion as
insignificant),
2. There has been a shift in Christianity
from rational to affective (experiential, feeling-oriented) worship,
3. The impact of migration on the global
movement of religious groups, and,
4. The impact of globalisation on the
spread and separation of religious
ideas and practices (such as by the
internet).
* The result of these four things
accounts for the great diversity of
religious and spiritual beliefs and
practices in contemporary Australia.
Civil religion
- The state employs rituals,
symbols, and language to foster
a consistent national culture
and identity, often with ties to
religion. - The ANZACs and the Australian
War Memorial can be seen as
constituting a civic form of
devotion separate from religion. - Anzac Day commemorates
Australian ideals like
camaraderie, not limited to
valorous individuals, but also
extolling the nation’s ethos and
heritage, strengthening
Australian identity.
Spirituality
- A state of being related to a
divine, supernatural or
transcendent order of reality - A sense of awareness of a a
reality goes beyond life
ordinarily experienced. - “Religion is structure, an
institution. It limits you.
Spirituality is something you
are” (Wuthnow, 2001, p. 306) - An expression of self-identity
- Religion can be considered to
be both separate and
overlapping.
Secularisation
The separation of society from close
identification with religious values.
* The decrease in religious devotion on personal and institutional fronts has resulted in a rise of
secularization.
* Modernity posits that industrialization and adopting scientific knowledge would bring about a move towards secularization.
* Capitalism is aligned with a logical perspective, creating a contrast with religious views.
* Rational actions prioritize intellectual reasoning over sentiment, tradition, and religious beliefs.
* Modernity has shifted society’s attention away from religion, often deeming it incompatible with rationality.
Consuming
religion
- ‘New Age’ religions have become
increasingly popular in Australia since
the 1980s, with a substantial increase
in ‘spiritualities by choice as opposed
to religions by birth’ - Many consumer religions appropriate
existing spiritualities and cultures.
While this may often be well intended,
appropriations of Indigenous culture in
Australia, for example, can be highly
destructive, becoming ‘a form of
cultural genocide that destroys such
traditions’ (2002, p. 201). - They take the form of tarot card
readings, astrology, New Age healing,
shamanism and crystals, a consumerist
revival of the old.
Agnosticism
is the view that the truths
about claims made by religions (such as
the existence of an afterlife or deities)
are unknowable
Atheism
on the other hand, is a
rejection of these claims, and is regarded
as oppositional to theism
Philosophies of
life
Some cultures don’t have religions per
se, but have philosophies that help guide
people throughout life. Philosophies of
life are doctrines that focus on a set of
ethical, moral or philosophical principles
(i.e., Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism)
totemism
Preliterate societies practised totemism
by honouring a totem or a sacred object.
The totem itself was thought to have
divine and mystical powers.
animism
is the belief which
recognises that animate spirits live in
natural objects and operate in the world.
Is religion really
on the decline?
- The visibility of religious engagement in
public life has somewhat diminished, yet
it remains notably evident in discussions
involving gender, education, and its
impact on US politics. - Church attendance, membership, and
active involvement have shown a
decrease, resulting in a nearly 44%
decline in Christianity across Australia. - The count of individuals identifying with
no religious affiliation has nearly
doubled since 1996. - Not all religious groups are experiencing
decline, and this phenomenon can be
attributed to the connection between
ethnicity and religious identification. - Although Buddhism and Islam
are growing – this is due to
migration. - Younger age groups are growing
in reporting no religion. In 2016,
around half of those stating no
religion were younger than 18
years old. Numbers start to rise
at 15 and peak between 22 and
24. - While declining in the West,
Christianity is growing in Africa,
Latin America and Asia –
potentially the result of
education or globalisation.
Global lead for religion?
Currently, Christianity holds the
global lead as the most widespread
religion. However, projections
indicate that by 2050, the number of
Christians and Muslims might be on
par.
Core components of fundamentalism:
- Founding religious doctrines and scriptures are
literally true - Doctrines and scriptures and valid for all times and places.
- The potential to be linked to political movements associated with radical reformation of society on the basis of what was ordained by God.
- The potential to reinstate ‘a golden age of
religiosity’ - Fundamentalist religions can be highly integrated into mainstream institutions (e.g., Iran) or marginalised (e.g., Australia).
cults
Cults are new religious
movements led by charismatic
leaders with few followers (for
e.g., Cult of the Martyrs)
sect
Once a cult has enough members
to sustain itself, it becomes a sect.
Sects are still regarded as being
oppositional to society’s
dominant norms.
