Summation, Theories of Religion (12/03)

What was the "Early European Method" of studying religion?

Scholars studied religion by comparing them to Christianity, assuming it was the "ideal" or "quintessential" religion.

Why was the Early European Method criticized?

It reflected a Western bias and assumed Christianity was the model religion.

What was the "Early Academic Method" (late 1800s)?

Anthropologists studied "primitive cultures" (indigenous peoples) believing they best preserved prehistoric religion.

Why did the "primitive cultures" approach fall out of favor?

There was no proof these cultures preserved ancient religions, and the term "primitive" was viewed as offensive and biased.

What is "Comparative Religion"?

An approach starting in the mid-1900s that treats all religions as equals to find common features.

Who was E.B. Tylor?

A British anthropologist in the late 1800s; the first anthropologist to study religion.

How did Tylor define the origin of religion?

He believed prehistoric people were like philosophers or scientists trying to explain how the world worked and difficult phenomena.

What is "Animism" in Tylor's theory?

The belief that living things (and eventually nature like rivers/stars) have souls or spirits; this idea arose from observing that people stop moving when they die.

What is the major criticism of Tylor's theory?

It is impossible to prove because prehistoric people left no written records of their thoughts.

Who was Emile Durkheim?

A founding father of sociology.

According to Durkheim, what is the function of religion?

Its major function is to foster social cohesion.

How did Durkheim view moral values and God?

He believed society created moral values and projected them onto God to make them legitimate; worshipping God was essentially worshipping the society.

What role do rituals play for Durkheim?

They are experiences that unite communities through coordinated actions, making people feel part of something larger.

How did Marx view religion?

As an illusion created by the rich/powerful to keep the poor complacent and in line.

What is Marx's famous quote regarding religion?

Religion is the opium of the people

According to Marx, what does religion promise the poor?

It promises rewards and riches in heaven (after death) if they remain peaceful and obedient in this life

What are the criticisms of Marx's theory?

He focused almost entirely on Christianity, and he ignored parts of the New Testament where Jesus criticizes the rich.

How did Freud characterize religion?

He viewed it as a symptom of psychiatric illness.

What is the "Regression to Childhood" theory?

Adults refuse to accept they cannot be protected from everything; they replace their biological father with God to provide protection from harm and death.

Which religions did Freud primarily focus on?

Judaism and Christianity.

How did William James view religion differently than Freud or Marx?

He viewed it from the inside (the believer's perspective) and saw it as healthy and positive.

What is "Pragmatism" in the context of religion?

The philosophy that an idea is true if it has a positive practical impact; James believed religion was "true" because it made people happier and better.

What are the criticisms of James's theory?

Religion does not always make people happy (it can cause guilt) and does not always make people "better" (e.g., religious violence)

What was Eliade's methodological approach?

Comparative Religion: Treating religions as equals and looking for common features from the believer's perspective.

What is "Phenomenology" in Eliade's work?

Analyzing religion as it appears to the believer, suspending judgment on whether it is factually true or false.

What is "Reductionism" (which Eliade opposed)?

The tendency to reduce religion to something else (e.g., sociology, psychology, or politics) rather than studying it on its own terms.

Give an example of a "Common Feature" Eliade studied.

The Sacred Tree (found in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism) or the Moon Cycle (symbolizing life, death, and rebirth)

What view of the human mind does CSR reject?

It rejects the "Tabula Rasa" (blank slate) theory, arguing the mind is wired by evolution before learning begins.

How does the "Predator Detection" theory explain religion?

The evolutionary trait that makes humans hyper-alert to noises (to avoid predators) causes the brain to also imagine invisible beings like spirits or gods.

How does CSR explain religion via "Group Cohesion"?

Tribes with shared religious beliefs and moral rules had better cohesion, allowing them to survive, hunt, and wage war better than non-religious tribes, passing on the trait.