Religion

ReligionReligion

Profane and SacredProfane and SacredDifferentiating Between Ordinary & Differentiating Between Ordinary & ExtraordinaryExtraordinary

•Emile DurkheimEmile Durkheim– Religion focuses on things that surpass Religion focuses on things that surpass

the limits of our own knowledgethe limits of our own knowledge

Profane – “outside the temple”- Ordinary elements of everyday life

Sacred – That which is extraordinary, inspiring a sense of awe, reverence, and even fear

•Religion – The social institution involving beliefs and practices based upon a conception of the sacred

•Ritual – formal, ceremonial behavior

• FaithFaith– Belief anchored in conviction Belief anchored in conviction

rather than scientific evidencerather than scientific evidence• If not science, what?If not science, what?

– Scientific sociology is interested Scientific sociology is interested in the consequences of religious in the consequences of religious belief rather than a direct belief rather than a direct critique of the belief systemscritique of the belief systems

Structural Functional Analysis of Structural Functional Analysis of ReligionReligion• According to Durkheim religion has 3 major According to Durkheim religion has 3 major

functionsfunctions– Social cohesionSocial cohesion – – Unites people through shared symbols, Unites people through shared symbols,

values, and normsvalues, and norms• TotemTotem – an object in the natural world collectively – an object in the natural world collectively

defined as sacreddefined as sacred– Social controlSocial control – – The use of religious symbols and language The use of religious symbols and language

to control human behavior has always been with usto control human behavior has always been with us– Provides meaning and purposeProvides meaning and purpose – – Personal spirituality Personal spirituality

allows humans to pass through tough times without total allows humans to pass through tough times without total collapsecollapse

• Critical EvaluationCritical Evaluation– Downplays religion’s dysfunctions such as generating social Downplays religion’s dysfunctions such as generating social

conflict and violenceconflict and violence

Symbolic-interaction Analysis of Symbolic-interaction Analysis of ReligionReligion• Religion is socially constructed (although Religion is socially constructed (although

perhaps with divine inspiration). Through perhaps with divine inspiration). Through rituals like prayers, fasts, observances we rituals like prayers, fasts, observances we sharpen the distinction between sacred and sharpen the distinction between sacred and profaneprofane– According to Peter Burger placing our brief lives According to Peter Burger placing our brief lives

in some cosmic frame of reference gives us the in some cosmic frame of reference gives us the semblance of security and permanencesemblance of security and permanence

• Critical EvaluationCritical Evaluation– Socially constructed religion only works if we Socially constructed religion only works if we

ignore that it is a social constructignore that it is a social construct– Downplays religion’s link to social inequalityDownplays religion’s link to social inequality

Social-conflict Analysis of ReligionSocial-conflict Analysis of Religion• Religion serves the ruling elites by Religion serves the ruling elites by

legitimizing the status quo and diverting legitimizing the status quo and diverting people’s attention from social inequitiespeople’s attention from social inequities– Disrupts cultures with attempts to “convert Disrupts cultures with attempts to “convert

heathens”heathens”– Focuses on the “better world to come” Marx called it Focuses on the “better world to come” Marx called it

the “opium of the people”the “opium of the people”• Critical EvaluationCritical Evaluation

– Downplays religion’s efforts to promote social Downplays religion’s efforts to promote social equality as in the abolition of slavery and the civil equality as in the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movementrights movement

Religious OrganizationsReligious Organizations• ChurchChurch – organization that is well integrated into – organization that is well integrated into

societysociety• State churchState church – – formally allied with the stateformally allied with the state• DenominationDenomination – – independent of the state and independent of the state and

pluralisticpluralistic• SectSect – a type of religious organization that stands – a type of religious organization that stands

apart from the larger societyapart from the larger society– Leaders sometimes have Leaders sometimes have charismacharisma – extraordinary – extraordinary

personal qualities that can turn an audience into followerspersonal qualities that can turn an audience into followers• CultCult – religious organizations that are substantially – religious organizations that are substantially

outside a society’s cultural traditionsoutside a society’s cultural traditions

Religion in the U.S.Religion in the U.S.• RELIGIOSITYRELIGIOSITY

– REFERS TO IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION IN A REFERS TO IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION IN A PERSON’S LIFEPERSON’S LIFE

– TYPES:TYPES:•EXPERIENTIAL: EMOTIONAL TIESEXPERIENTIAL: EMOTIONAL TIES•RITUALISTIC: FREQUENCY OF ACTIVITIESRITUALISTIC: FREQUENCY OF ACTIVITIES•IDEOLOGICAL: DEGREE OF BELIEF IN IDEOLOGICAL: DEGREE OF BELIEF IN DOCTRINEDOCTRINE

•CONSEQUENTIAL: TIE INTO DAILY CONSEQUENTIAL: TIE INTO DAILY ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

•INTELLECTUAL: KNOWLEDGE OF INTELLECTUAL: KNOWLEDGE OF RELIGIONRELIGION

Religious Practices Are Found to Religious Practices Are Found to Be Tied to Various Other Social Be Tied to Various Other Social PatternsPatterns

• Social classSocial class– High achievement: Episcopalians, Presbyterians, High achievement: Episcopalians, Presbyterians,

and United Church of Christ congregationsand United Church of Christ congregations– Moderate achievement: Methodists and CatholicsModerate achievement: Methodists and Catholics– Lower achievement: Baptists, Lutherans, and Lower achievement: Baptists, Lutherans, and

members of sectsmembers of sects– Jewish people tend to be represented among the Jewish people tend to be represented among the

higher achievers due to stress on education and higher achievers due to stress on education and achievementachievement

• Race and ethnicityRace and ethnicity– Many religions are tied to specific regions and Many religions are tied to specific regions and

societies in Americasocieties in America• Irish Catholics, Anglo-Saxon protestants, Irish Catholics, Anglo-Saxon protestants,

Greek orthodox, Russian Jews, etcGreek orthodox, Russian Jews, etc

History of religionHistory of religion• IN PREINDUSTRIAL SOCIETIESIN PREINDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

– RITUALS PRACTICED 40,000 YEARS AGORITUALS PRACTICED 40,000 YEARS AGO– EMBRACED “ANIMISM”EMBRACED “ANIMISM”

• ELEMENTS OF THE NATURAL WORLD ARE CONSCIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE NATURAL WORLD ARE CONSCIOUS LIFE FORMS THAT AFFECT HUMANITYLIFE FORMS THAT AFFECT HUMANITY

– NO FULL-TIME RELIGIOUS LEADERSNO FULL-TIME RELIGIOUS LEADERS• IN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIESIN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

– SCIENCE HAS OFTEN REPLACED RELIGION AS A SOURCE SCIENCE HAS OFTEN REPLACED RELIGION AS A SOURCE OF COMFORT AND CERTAINTYOF COMFORT AND CERTAINTY

– SCIENCE IS SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO ANSWERING SCIENCE IS SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO ANSWERING “WHY” WE AND THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE EXISTS“WHY” WE AND THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE EXISTS

– OFTEN THESE TWO BELIEF SYSTEM ARE AT ODDS WITH OFTEN THESE TWO BELIEF SYSTEM ARE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHERONE ANOTHER

Religion’s Changing FaceReligion’s Changing Face• SecularizationSecularization – – historical decline in the importance historical decline in the importance

of the supernatural and the sacredof the supernatural and the sacred– Religion isn’t going away, but rather some features are in Religion isn’t going away, but rather some features are in

declinedecline• Civil religionCivil religion – A quasi-religious loyalty binding – A quasi-religious loyalty binding

people in a basically secular societypeople in a basically secular society– American way of life has its core rooted in a moral belief American way of life has its core rooted in a moral belief

systemsystem• Religious revivalReligious revival

– New age spirituality flourishesNew age spirituality flourishes– Membership in mainstream churches dwindlesMembership in mainstream churches dwindles– Interests increases in Interests increases in FundamentalismFundamentalism – a conservative – a conservative

religious dogma that opposes intellectualism and worldly religious dogma that opposes intellectualism and worldly accommodation in favor of traditional otherworldly religionaccommodation in favor of traditional otherworldly religion

FundamentalismFundamentalism

• Interpret sacred texts literallyInterpret sacred texts literally• Rejects religious pluralismRejects religious pluralism• Pursues the personal experience of Pursues the personal experience of

God’s presenceGod’s presence• Opposes “secular humanism”Opposes “secular humanism”• Endorse conservative political Endorse conservative political

goalsgoals

The Electronic ChurchThe Electronic Church• Some organizations especially fundamentalist Some organizations especially fundamentalist

are becoming electronic churchesare becoming electronic churches• Prime-time preachers include: Oral Roberts, Prime-time preachers include: Oral Roberts,

Pat Robertson, and Robert SchulerPat Robertson, and Robert Schuler• 10 million regular watchers; 40 million watch 10 million regular watchers; 40 million watch

some every weeksome every week• The internet is one of the most recent The internet is one of the most recent

modalities to spread religion to peoplemodalities to spread religion to people• Pope John Paul II called it the “new evangelism”Pope John Paul II called it the “new evangelism”

ChristianityChristianity• 2.0 BILLION FOLLOWERS2.0 BILLION FOLLOWERS• 85% OF AMERICANS AND CANADIANS85% OF AMERICANS AND CANADIANS• CHRISTIANITY BEGAN AS A CULTCHRISTIANITY BEGAN AS A CULT• IT IS MONOTHEISTIC (ONE GOD)IT IS MONOTHEISTIC (ONE GOD)• JESUS CHRIST IS CENTRAL FIGURE AS JESUS CHRIST IS CENTRAL FIGURE AS

BOTH MAN ON EARTH AND SON OF GODBOTH MAN ON EARTH AND SON OF GOD• PREACHES PERSONAL SALVATIONPREACHES PERSONAL SALVATION• MANY SPLITS FROM ORIGINAL FORM OF MANY SPLITS FROM ORIGINAL FORM OF

ROMAN CATHOLICISMROMAN CATHOLICISM

IslamIslam• 1.2 BILLION FOLLOWERS1.2 BILLION FOLLOWERS• NOT ALL MUSLIMS ARE ARABSNOT ALL MUSLIMS ARE ARABS• THE MIDDLE-EAST, ASIA, AND PARTS OF AFRICA ARE THE MIDDLE-EAST, ASIA, AND PARTS OF AFRICA ARE

ISLAMIC-CENTEREDISLAMIC-CENTERED• ISLAM IS THE WORD OF GOD AS REVEALED TO THE ISLAM IS THE WORD OF GOD AS REVEALED TO THE

PROPHET MUHAMMAD, BORN IN MECCA AROUND 570PROPHET MUHAMMAD, BORN IN MECCA AROUND 570• THE QUR’AN URGES SUBMISSION TO GOD (ALLAH) AS THE QUR’AN URGES SUBMISSION TO GOD (ALLAH) AS

THE PATH TO INNER PEACETHE PATH TO INNER PEACE• FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAMFIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

– RECOGNIZE ALLAH AS THE TRUE GODRECOGNIZE ALLAH AS THE TRUE GOD– RITUAL PRAYERRITUAL PRAYER– GIVING OF ALMS TO THE POORGIVING OF ALMS TO THE POOR– FASTING DURING RAMADANFASTING DURING RAMADAN– MAKING THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME PILGRIMAGE TO MECCAMAKING THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA

JudaismJudaism• 15 MILLION ADHERENTS WORLDWIDE15 MILLION ADHERENTS WORLDWIDE• NATIONAL MAJORITY ONLY IN ISRAELNATIONAL MAJORITY ONLY IN ISRAEL• JEWS BELIEVE THAT A COVENANT EXISTS BETWEEN JEWS BELIEVE THAT A COVENANT EXISTS BETWEEN

GOD AND GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLEGOD AND GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE• THE THE TORAHTORAH EMPHASIZES MORAL BEHAVIOR IN THE EMPHASIZES MORAL BEHAVIOR IN THE

WORLDWORLD• DENOMINATIONS:DENOMINATIONS:

– ORTHODOX JEWS ARE VERY TRADITIONALORTHODOX JEWS ARE VERY TRADITIONAL– REFORM JUDAISM IS MORE CHURCH-LIKEREFORM JUDAISM IS MORE CHURCH-LIKE– CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM ACTS TO BRIDGE THE FIRST TWO CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM ACTS TO BRIDGE THE FIRST TWO

BELIEF SYSTEMSBELIEF SYSTEMS• ANTI-SEMITISMANTI-SEMITISM

– PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLEPREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE

HinduismHinduism• THE OLDEST OF ALL WORLD RELIGIONSTHE OLDEST OF ALL WORLD RELIGIONS• MORE THAN 800 MILLION BELIEVERSMORE THAN 800 MILLION BELIEVERS• FOUND MOSTLY IN INDIA AND AFRICAFOUND MOSTLY IN INDIA AND AFRICA• NO SACRED WRITINGS LIKE THE BIBLENO SACRED WRITINGS LIKE THE BIBLE• PRINCIPLES:PRINCIPLES:

– DHARMADHARMA REFERS TO CORRECT LIVING REFERS TO CORRECT LIVING– KARMAKARMA REFERS TO BELIEF IN SPIRITUAL REFERS TO BELIEF IN SPIRITUAL

PROGRESS THROUGH REINCARNATIONPROGRESS THROUGH REINCARNATION• NIRVANANIRVANA REPRESENTS SPIRITUAL REPRESENTS SPIRITUAL

PERFECTION AND A RELEASE FROM THE PERFECTION AND A RELEASE FROM THE CYCLE OF REBIRTHCYCLE OF REBIRTH

BuddhismBuddhism

– 350 MILLION PERSONS 350 MILLION PERSONS • ALMOST ALL ASIANSALMOST ALL ASIANS

– RESEMBLES HINDUISM IN DOCTRINE AND RESEMBLES HINDUISM IN DOCTRINE AND CHRISTIANITY DUE TO ITS TIES TO THE CHRISTIANITY DUE TO ITS TIES TO THE LIFE OF ONE INDIVIDUALLIFE OF ONE INDIVIDUAL• SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMASIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA

– ACHIEVED “BODHI” OR ENLIGHTENMENTACHIEVED “BODHI” OR ENLIGHTENMENT– BECAME “BUDDHA”BECAME “BUDDHA”

– NO “GOD OF JUDGMENT,” BUT DAILY NO “GOD OF JUDGMENT,” BUT DAILY ACTION HAS ITS CONSEQUENCESACTION HAS ITS CONSEQUENCES

ConfucianismConfucianism

– 100,000 PERSONS IN NORTH AMERICA100,000 PERSONS IN NORTH AMERICA– PRIOR TO THE 1949 REVOLUTION, IT PRIOR TO THE 1949 REVOLUTION, IT

WAS AN ECCLESIA: THE OFFICIAL WAS AN ECCLESIA: THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF CHINARELIGION OF CHINA

– PERHAPS IT IS MORE A WAY OF PERHAPS IT IS MORE A WAY OF DISCIPLINED LIVING THAN A RELIGIONDISCIPLINED LIVING THAN A RELIGION