Functionalists on Religion

what is religion to functionalists

A vital institution for maintaining social cohesion and solidarity

What did Durkheim (1858-1917) say about the sacred and profane

Sacred: The product of a higher power or supernatural being

Profane: An everyday ordinary object which has no special meaning or value

What did Durkheim (1858-1917) about Totemism

• He studied the Arunta Aboriginal tribe

• The AAT came together periodically to worship a sacred totem

• The totem represents the clans original identity and they worship this to bring them together in worshiping society and for a sense of belonging

What did Durkheim (1858-1917) about Collective Consciousness

• Shared norms, beliefs, values and knowledge that make social living possible

• Regular religious rituals reinforced the collective Consciousness and helped people maintain social integration

• Reminds people that they have a shared moral outlook and religion helps to remind them that they are apart of something big

What did Durkheim (1858-1917) about Cognitive Functions

• Religion was the concepts of origins and categories that we need for reasoning, communication and understanding of the world

• Argues that people need the concept of time, space, cause, substance and number to make sense of the world, while also being able to communicate effectively

• “Religion is the origin of human thought, reason, and science” - positivist approach

Criticisms of Durkheim

Wasley (1956) “ evidence for totemism is weak”

• No clear difference between sacred and everyday life

• Different clans may share same totem

• Even if Durkheim is right, doesn’t mean they share same core characteristics

• His theory explains unity, not conflict

Criticisms of Durkheim

Mestrovic (2011) - Postmodernism

• Durkheim’s ideas don’t work for modern society where growing diversity has fragmented collective consciousness

• No longer a single shared value system for religion to strengthen

What did Parsons (1967) say about Values and Meanings

It helps people to cope with unforeseen circumstances and uncontrollable outcomes. He identities 2 essential functions that religion performs in a modern society.

Parsons (1967) 1st Function

• Creates and legitimises societies central values by sacralising them which serves to promote a value consensus

Parsons (1967) 2nd Function

• It’s a primary source of meaning by trying to answer ultimate questions about the human condition

• Example: Why do people suffer and Why do the good die young?

• It helps people to make sense of these vents and helps society maintain stablility

What did Bellah (1991:2013) say about Civil Religion

• Its a belief system that sacralises society itself such as the ‘American Way of Life’

• It integrates American society in a way that religion and churches can’t

• American civil religion involves loyalty

  Various Symbols that can express this are:

• Pledge of allegiance

• National anthem

• ‘One nation under God’

What point supports Bellah (1991:2013)

Functional Alternatives

What did Functional Alternatives say

• There can be non-religious beliefs that can maintain values and social cohesion

• Example: Nazi Germany and Soviet Union which uses political ideologies

Criticism of Functional Alternatives

• Ignores what makes religion unique - belief in the supernatural

What did Malinowski (1954) say about Psychological Functions

• Agreed with Durkheim that religion promotes social solidarity and that there are 2 types of situation that promotes it

Malinowski (1954) First Situation

Where the outcome is important but uncontrollable and uncertain:

He found this in his study of the Trobriand Islanders

• Lagoon fishing - was certain and safe which meant there was no reason for a ritual

• Ocean fishing - was dangerous and uncertain which meant a ‘canoe magic’ ritual was performed to relieve tension and reinforce social group solidarity

Malinowski (1954) Second Situation

At times of life crisis:

• Major life events such as birth, death, puberty and marriage could all cause life disruption

• Religion serves to minimalise that disruption

• Example: Funerals give solidarity to survivors and comfort to the bereaved

Strength of Functionalism

• Emphasises on social nature of religion and positive functions it performs

Criticisms of Functionalism

• Neglects negative aspects such as religion as a source of oppression amongst the poor

• Hamilton and Dysfunction: Ignores ways in which religion can be a source of social division for example: Northern Ireland, Protestants and Catholics