Theories of religion

Created by: Kami G
Created on: 11-06-17 14:29

Functionalist theory of religion

Durkheim - religion helps to maintain value consensus, order and solidarity.

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The sacred and the profane

Durkheim - sacred are forbidden and the profane are ordinary things. All religion performs sacred rituals collectively which create a powerful feeling. When believers worship their symbol (totems) they are actually worshipping society.

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The collective conscience

Sacred symbols represent collective conscience and maintain social integration. Religion makes us feel a part of something and strengthens us to face life's problems.

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Cognitive function of religion

A source for our ability to think reason and think. It provides categories such as time and space to help us understand the world.

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Psychological function of religion

Malinowski - religion promotes social solidarity by helping them cope with emotional stress. Lagoon fishing with the Trobriand Islanders who performed 'canoe magic' in order to give them a sense of control. Life crises such as death, birth and pubert

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Values and meaning

Parsons - Religion creates and legitimates society's norms and values by criminalising them. It also provides a source of meaning, answering ultimate questions about life.

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Civil religion

Bellah - Religion unifies society, especially a multi-faith society like America. Civil religion is a faith in the 'America way of life' which integrates society and sacralises American way of life and binds many Americans from different ethnicity.

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Marxist theory on religion

Ideology is a belief system that distorts people's perception of reality in the interest of the ruling class.

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Religion as ideology

Religion provides ideological weapon to legitimate the working class' suffering by promising reward in afterlife.

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Religion and alienation

Marx - Religion is the opium of people by dulling the pain of exploitation. Althusser reject this view by arguing that it is unscientific.

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Feminists theories of religion

Religion is a patriarchal institution which performs patriarchal ideologies to legitimate women's subordination.

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Examples of patriarchy in religion:

Religious organisations - Male dominated. The Catholic church forbid women from becoming priests. Places of worship segregate the sexes and marginalise women. Sacred texts - mainly feature male Gods. Religious laws - give women less right e.g divorce

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Religious feminism

Woodhead - patriarchy is not true for all religion. There are ways women use religion to gain freedom. E.g. Muslim women use the hijab to enter public sphere without losing her culture.

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The sacred and the profane

Card 3

Front

Sacred symbols represent collective conscience and maintain social integration. Religion makes us feel a part of something and strengthens us to face life's problems.

Back

Card 4

Front

A source for our ability to think reason and think. It provides categories such as time and space to help us understand the world.

Back

Card 5

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Theories of religion