Sociology 2.1.1 - Theories of Religion

What is religion?

Weber: belief in a superior/supernatural power that is above nature and can't be explained

Substantive definitions conform to a widespread view of religion as belief in God - however defining religion in this way leaves no room for beliefs and practices that perform similar functions to religion but do not involve belief in God

Functional definitions define it in terms of the social or psychological functions it performs for individuals or society

Durkheim - the contribution it makes to social integration rather than any specific belief in God/supernatural

an advantage of functional definitions is that they are inclusive

Social constructionists take an interpretivist approach that focuses on how members of society themselves define religion

Aldridge - scientology is a religion, whereas several governments have defined legal status as a religion and sought to ban it

Social constructionists don't assume that religion always involves a belief in God, or that it performs similar functions for everyone in all societies

Functionalist theories of crime

Durkheim: key feature of religion is the distinction between the sacred and the profane - religious rituals are performed collectively

Totemism: essence of religion can be understood by looking at its simplest form - Aboriginal Australian tribe with a clan system:

  • come together and perform rituals around a totem which symbolised the tribes origins
  • fed into his idea that religion reinforces a sense of belonging

Cognitive function of religion: we need to understand concepts such as time, space, substance - religion serve as the origin of these concepts (seen as the beginning of human thought)

The collective conscience: shared norms, values, beliefs

  • regular shared rituals binds individuals together and remind them that they are a part of one community, this reminds them of the power of society

Malinowski - religion does promote solidarity but it does so by performing psychological functions for the individuals (helps with stress)

He identifies 2 types of situation in which religion performs this role:

  • the outcome is important but is controllable and thus uncertain
  • at times of life crisis

Parsons - religion helps individuals to cope with unforeseen event and uncontrollable outcomes

Identifies 2 essential functions that religion performs in modern society:

  • it creates and legitimates society's central values (sacralise them, in the USA Protestantism has sacralised the core American values of individualism)
  • primary source of meaning (answers ultimate questions about the human condition - such defy our sense of justice and make life appears meaningless, may undermine our commitment to society's values)

Civil religion: Bellah - how religion unifies society, American civil religion involves loyalty to the nation-state and a belief in God, is expressed in various rituals, symbols and beliefs (flags, national anthems etc)

Functional alternative: non-religious beliefs and practices that perform functions similar to those of organised religion

Marxism views on religion

Religion is a feature only of a class-divided society - an ideological weapon used by the ruling class to legitimate the suffering of the poor as something inevitable/God-given

Legitimates the power and privilege of the bourgeoisie by making their position appear to be chosen by God

Christianity: easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter heaven -- creates false consciousness

Marx argues that the class that controls economic production also controls the production/distribution of ideas in society

Capitalism - alienates the workers (don't own what they produce & no control over production). Dehumanising conditions = exploited turn to religion as consolation
Religion acts as a refuge

Evaluation

  • Highlights how religion may be a tool of oppression and how it creates a false consciousness 🔴
  • Althusser rejects the idea of alienation as it is unscientific 💚
  • Aberoombie, Hill and Turner argue that in the past when capitalism wasn't as important, Christianity was a bigger element in the ruling class 💚

Feminism views on religion

Evidence of patriarchy

Karen Armstrong: old religion places women at the center

  • religious organisations - Karen Armstrong sees exclusion from the priesthood as evidence of women's marginalisation
  • places of worship
  • sacred texts
    religious laws and customs

Nawal El Saadawi: men reinterpreted religious beliefs in ways that favoured patriarchy
Linda Woodhead: women use religion to gain greater freedom and respect (e.g. hijab)

Women use religion to gain status and respect within for their roles within the private sphere of home and family

Rachel Rinaldo: piety movement - conservative movements that support traditional teachings about women