Beliefs - Theories on religion

What are the 3 main definitions for religion?

substance, functional and social constrcutionist

What is the substance definition of religion?

a religion must contain a set of beliefs about God or supernatural,is an exclusive definition which focuses on the content or substance of something

What is Weber definition of religion?

belief in a superior or supernatural power which cannot be explained by science

What is the criticism of the substance definition of religion?

biased towards the western view of religion as it excludes major non western religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism

What is the functional definition of religion?

defines it through it’s social or psychological role it performs for society or individuals and is inclusive of a wide range of beliefs

What is Durkheim’s definition of religion?

religions is something which contributes to social integration

What is the criticism of the functional definition of religion?

can the include things which are not religions such as chanting at a football match

What is the constructionist definition of religion?

focus on how members of society define religion and that it is not possible to produce a single universal definition and it may not always involve God or the supernatural

What is the purpose of religion according to functionalists?

contributes to stability and cohesion of society through maintaining social order and promoting shared values

What is the purpose of religion according to Durkheim?

create social solidarity and maintain value consensus

Who distinguished between sacred and profane objects?

Durkheim

What is a sacred object?

something which is special and above other things

What is a profane object?

something which is normal and mundane

What are sacred objects involved in according to Durkheim?

ritual or practices

What do the sacred objects or totems represent according to Durkheim?

society

Why do these objects represent society?

they inspire awe and only the thing that we rely on the most (society) can create that

What is totemism?

when people worship a totem that represents identity or group origin reinforcing solidarity and belonging

What is the cognitive function of religion?

created certain concepts and categories which are the same for everyone and are required for reasoning, understanding and communicating

What are the criticisms of Durkheim’s view of religion?

religion often creates conflict, Marxist criticisms, Feminist criticisms

What does Malinowski view as the purpose of religion?

helps people cope with psychological stress through offering comfort in uncontrolled but important situations

When is religion important according to Malinowski?

time of life crisis eg death or a natural disaster

What case study did Malinowski base his theory on?

Trobriand people who would perform ‘canoe magic’ (rituals) before fishing in the ocean to help them be safe and bring comfort or a sense of control

What are the criticisms of Malinowski’s theory of religion?

from the 1950’s , case study on atypical society

What are the two roles of religion according to Parsons?

legitimises basic norms and values by making them sacred, provides meaning and answers

What is Bellah’s theory of how society stays united even with different religions?

civil religion

What is civil religion?

rituals and symbols which still pull people together without a belief in God eg Americanism

What is the criticism of Bellah’s theory?

anything which performs these function can be argued to be a civil religion which could be used to justify things such as Nazism

What did Karl Marx say about religion in a capitalist society?

it is the ‘opium of the people’