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Theories of Religion - Functionalist (Durkheim (1915) - religious…
Theories of Religion - Functionalist
Durkheim (1915) - religious institutions play central part in creating & maintaining value consensus, order & solidarity.
Key feature of all religions is a fundamental distinction between the sacred & profane.
The profane - ordinary things that have no special significance.
The sacred - set apart & forbidden.
Create powerful feelings in believers because they are symbols = something of great power, this thing can only be society. People worship sacred symbols, worshipping society itself. Sacred symbols perform essential function of uniting believers into single moral community. For example, Arunta, bands of kin come together perform ritual worship of sacred totem. Totemic rituals venerating it reinforce group's solidarity & sense of belonging. Clan members worship their totem, reality worshipping society.
Rituals - religion is more than a set of beliefs: it has sacred rituals or practices & these rituals are collective.
The collective conscience - shared norms, values & beliefs make cooperation between individuals possible. Without society would disintegrate.
Regular shared religious rituals reinforce collective conscience & maintain social integration. Rituals remind individuals of the power of society.
Cognitive functions of religion - religion source of our cognitive capacities. Religion provides concepts & categories we need for understanding world & communicating with others.
Durkheim & Mauss (1903) - religion provides basic categories e.g. time, space & causation.
Religion is the origin of human thought, reason & science.
Malinowski (1954) - Psychological functions
Religion promotes solidarity = psychological functions for individuals, helping them cope with emotional stress = would undermine social solidarity.
At times of life crises - events like birth, puberty, marriage & death (main reason for existence of religious belief).
Where the outcome is important but uncontrollable & uncertain e.g. Trobriand Islanders - lagoon fishing is safe & ocean fishing dangerous & uncertain always accompanied by 'canoe magic'
Parsons (1967) - value & meaning, 2 other essential functions of religion .
It creates & legitimates society's basic norms & values - sacralising them = value consensus & social stability.
It provides a source of meaning, answering 'ultimate q's' - about life e.g. why good people suffer. Religion helps people to adjust to adverse events & maintains stability.
Bellah (1970) - Civil religion
Religion unifies society, especially a multi -faith society like America. Unifies American society = civil religion (belief system attaches sacred qualities to society itself.
Integrates society in a way individuals cannot.
Sacralises American way of life & binds together Americans from many different ethnic & religious backgrounds.
Civil religion is a faith in 'the American way of life'.