ReligionReligion

Chapter18Chapter18

Henslin’s Sociology: A Down Henslin’s Sociology: A Down To Earth ApproachTo Earth Approach

What Is Religion?What Is Religion?

Durkheim identified three essential Durkheim identified three essential characteristics of religion: characteristics of religion:

Beliefs that set the sacred apart from Beliefs that set the sacred apart from the profanethe profane

RitualsRituals

A moral community (a church)A moral community (a church)

What are the functions and What are the functions and dysfunctions of religion?dysfunctions of religion?

Among the functions of religion are;Among the functions of religion are;• Answering questions about ultimate meaningAnswering questions about ultimate meaning• Providing emotional comfortProviding emotional comfort• Social solidaritySocial solidarity• Guidelines for everyday lifeGuidelines for everyday life• Social controlSocial control• AdaptationAdaptation• Support for the governmentSupport for the government• Fostering social change. Fostering social change.

Groups or activities that provide these same Groups or activities that provide these same functions are called functions are called functional equivalentsfunctional equivalents of religion. of religion.

Among the Among the dysfunctionsdysfunctions of religion are of religion are war, war, terrorism, and religious persecution. terrorism, and religious persecution.

What aspects of religion do What aspects of religion do symbolic Interactionists symbolic Interactionists study?study?

A Symbolic Interactionalists focuses A Symbolic Interactionalists focuses on the meanings of religion for its on the meanings of religion for its followers. followers.

They examine religious symbols, They examine religious symbols, rituals, beliefs, religious experiences, rituals, beliefs, religious experiences, and the sense of community and the sense of community provided by religion. provided by religion.

What aspects of religion do What aspects of religion do conflict theorists study?conflict theorists study?

Conflict theorists examine the Conflict theorists examine the relationship of religion to social relationship of religion to social inequalities, inequalities, especially how especially how religion reinforces a society’s religion reinforces a society’s stratification systemstratification system

What does the spirit of What does the spirit of capitalism have to do with capitalism have to do with religion?religion?   Max Weber disagreed with Marx’s Max Weber disagreed with Marx’s

conclusion that religion impedes conclusion that religion impedes social change. social change.

In contrast, In contrast, Weber saw religion as a Weber saw religion as a primary source of social changeprimary source of social change. He . He analyzed how Protestantism gave rise analyzed how Protestantism gave rise to the Protestant ethic, which to the Protestant ethic, which stimulated what he called the spirit of stimulated what he called the spirit of capitalism. The result was capitalism, capitalism. The result was capitalism, which transformed society. which transformed society.

What are the world’s major What are the world’s major religions?religions?

JudaismJudaismChristianityChristianityIslamIslamBuddhismBuddhismHinduismHinduismConfucianismConfucianism

Old Testament Roots…Old Testament Roots…

All monotheistic religions, can be traced to the All monotheistic religions, can be traced to the same Old Testament roots. same Old Testament roots.

Hinduism, the chief religion of India, has no Hinduism, the chief religion of India, has no specific founder, as do Judaism (Abraham), specific founder, as do Judaism (Abraham), Christianity (Jesus), Islam (Muhammad), Christianity (Jesus), Islam (Muhammad), Buddhism (Gautama), and Confucianism (K’ung Buddhism (Gautama), and Confucianism (K’ung Fu-tsu). Fu-tsu).

Specific teachings and history of these six Specific teachings and history of these six religions are given in the text.religions are given in the text.

    What types of religious What types of religious groups are there?groups are there?

Sociologists divide religious groups into cults, Sociologists divide religious groups into cults, sects, churches, and ecclesias. sects, churches, and ecclesias.

All religions began as All religions began as cultscults. Those that survive tend . Those that survive tend to develop into sects and eventually into churches. to develop into sects and eventually into churches.

SectsSects, often led by charismatic leaders, are , often led by charismatic leaders, are unstable. unstable.

Some are perceived as threats and are persecuted Some are perceived as threats and are persecuted by the state. by the state.

EcclesiasEcclesias, or state religions, are rare , or state religions, are rare

What are the main characteristics What are the main characteristics of religion in the United States?of religion in the United States?

Membership varies by region, social Membership varies by region, social class, age, and race-ethnicity. class, age, and race-ethnicity.

The major characteristics are The major characteristics are diversity, pluralism and freedom, diversity, pluralism and freedom, competition, commitment, toleration, competition, commitment, toleration, a fundamentalist revival, and the a fundamentalist revival, and the electronic church. electronic church.

What is the connection between What is the connection between secularization of religion and the secularization of religion and the

splintering of churches?splintering of churches?

SecularizationSecularization of religion, of religion, a change in a religion’s a change in a religion’s focus from spiritual matters to concerns of "this focus from spiritual matters to concerns of "this worldworld," is the key to understanding why churches ," is the key to understanding why churches divide. divide.

Basically, as a cult or sect changes to accommodate Basically, as a cult or sect changes to accommodate its members’ upward social class mobility, it changes its members’ upward social class mobility, it changes into a church. into a church.

Left dissatisfied are members who are not upwardly Left dissatisfied are members who are not upwardly mobile. They tend to splinter off and form a new cult mobile. They tend to splinter off and form a new cult or sect, and the cycle repeats itself. or sect, and the cycle repeats itself.

Cultures permeated by religion also secularize. This, Cultures permeated by religion also secularize. This, too, leaves many members dissatisfied and promotes too, leaves many members dissatisfied and promotes social changesocial change

Religion in the Future…Religion in the Future…

Although industrialization led to the secularization of Although industrialization led to the secularization of culture, this did not spell the end of religion, as culture, this did not spell the end of religion, as many social analysts assumed it would. many social analysts assumed it would.

Because science cannot answer questions about Because science cannot answer questions about ultimate meaning, the existence of God or an ultimate meaning, the existence of God or an afterlife, or provide guidelines for morality, the need afterlife, or provide guidelines for morality, the need for religion will remain. for religion will remain.

In any foreseeable future, religion—or its functional In any foreseeable future, religion—or its functional equivalents—will prosper. The Internet is likely to equivalents—will prosper. The Internet is likely to have far-reaching consequences on religion. have far-reaching consequences on religion.