Sociology of Religion
Jan 02, 2016
Sociology of Religion
Religion as a Conservative ForceFunctionalism
• Durkheim studied Totemism among Australian aborigines.
• Religion is a distinction between the sacred and the profane.
• In worshipping the totem, individuals are worshipping society.
• Belief in God is an acknowledgement that society is more important than the individual.
• Religion forges group identity, creates cohesion and reaffirms social solidarity.
Functions of Religion in Modern Society
• Socialization – religion socializes members into a value consensus by attaching a sacred quality to values.
• Integration – collective worship strengthens group unity, restraining deviant behaviour.
• Civil Religion – ritual and ceremony are common aspects of national loyalties.
• Preventing Anomie – Integration and restrained behaviour prevents a state of confusion and normlessness.
• Life Changing Events – Malinowksi and Parsons believe religion relieves the stress of life crises.
Criticisms of Functionalism
• Religion cannot socialize us if we do not believe – church attendance figures are declining.
• Durkheim’s analysis is based on flawed evidence and he misunderstood totemism and the Australian aborigines.
• Religion is sometimes dysfunctional and often causes global conflicts, e.g. Northern Ireland.
• Modern societies are multicultural and multifaith – there is no one unifying force.
• Many people worship privately rather than collectively – this does not reaffirm group identity.
Religion as a Conservative Force Marxism
• Religion is an ideological apparatus; an instrument of social control and exploitation.
• Religion acts as an ‘opium of the people’ – a pacifying drug that numbs the pain.
• Marx and Engels’ Functions of Religion:• Legitimating social inequality• Disguising the true nature of exploitation• Keeps the working classes passive and resigned
to their fate.
Religion as a Force for Social Change
• Weber: the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
• Calvinists were a Protestant group who believed in predestination; their fate was fixed.
• Material success and hard work demonstrated God’s favour and a place in heaven.
• Calvinists believed in asceticism.• Their hard work and attitudes helped initiate
Western economic development and Capitalism.
Criticism of Weber
• Countries with a large Calvinist population such as Sweden did not industrialise like Britain.
• Slavery, colonialism and piracy were more important than Calvinist beliefs.
• Kautsky: capitalism predates Calvinism but Calvinism made their interests appear legitimate.
Why do some Religions Encourage Social Change?
• Belief – religions that emphasize strong moral codes are more likely to produce members who will be critical and challenge social injustice.
• Culture – change is easier through religion when religion is central to the culture of society, e.g. Ghandi.
• Social Location – wide scope for influence when religion plays a major role in political and economic life.
• Organization – religions with a strong centralized source of authority have more chance of affecting events.
Religion and Radical Change
• Liberation Theology is a fusion of Christianity and Marxism, popular from the 1960’s in Latin America.• It is a Christian duty to be involved in
any action leading to economic and political liberation.
Organized Religion• Churches are national, inclusive and have a large membership.
They are hierarchical, have a professional clergy and a lifespan of centuries. Churches accept society’s norms and values and require little formal commitment.
• Denominations are national, with professional clergy and have a lifespan of over a century. They are seen as a basis of non-conformist views and require stronger commitment.
• Sects are small in size and often have on charismatic leader. They are critical of mainstream society and are reclusive, with their own norms and values. Sects require exceptional commitment.
• Cults vary in size and have a loose structure. They are individualistic and often have an inspirational leader. Cults are often short-lived and die with the leadership. Membership is flexible.
Fundamentalism
• Fundamentalism is a counterresponse to internal secularization.
• ‘Back to basics’ approach in order to restore traditional moral values.
• Both Islamic and Christian fundamentalism have grown over the past 30 years in response to modernizing governments and globalization.
• Westernization may be seen as a threat to less developed countries.
• Holden – these movements offer hope, direction and certainty in an insecure, confusing and morally lost world.
Gender, Feminism and Religion
• Women see God as a God of love, comfort and forgiveness. Men see God as a God of power and control.
• Christianity is inherently patriarchal with men made ‘in the image and glory of God and women made ‘for the glory of man’.
• Primary roles in the Bible are reserved for males.• Prominent females in the Bible reinforce patriarchal
ideas.• The Qur’an states that ‘men are in charge of women’.
Sexuality and Religion
• Women’s bodies are seen as dangerous by many religions.
• Because they menstruate and give birth they are considered to have a greater capacity to ’pollute’ religious rituals.
• Also, their presence may distract men from worship. • Turner: widespread importance given to asceticism –
self disciplined existence in which pleasure is repressed.
• The presence of women makes this difficult.
Are Women more Religious?
• Women are more likely to express interest in religion, have personal religious commitment and attend church more often.
• Two explanations for such gender differences:• Differential Socialization – females taught to
be submissive, passive, obedient and nurturing.• Differential Roles – greater need for religious
as a source of identity and commitment.
Religion and Ethnicity
• Immigrants to Britain place higher importance on religion than the long-established population...
• Weber: this is because they are members of deprived groups. Religion provides explanations and salvation.
• Durkheim: this is because religion helps bond new communities, particularly when under threat.
Differences in Religion for Migrants
• African Caribbean – religion is used as a means of coping with the worries of life through the joyful nature of prayer. It is used to develop love, trust, morals and responsibilities. Children decide their commitment for themselves.
• Asian – see religion in terms of duty and routine. Asians adopt a collective, conformist approach. They’re brought up not to betray family. Their religion affects food, drink, dress, partner and attitudes.
Defining Secularization
• Wilson: the process whereby religious thinking, practises and institutions lose social significance.
• Glasner: 3 levels of secularization – Interpersonal, Organizational and Cultural.
• Substantive Religion – belief in God and the supernatural.
• Functional Religion – what functions religion performs.
Evidence for Secularization
• Attendance – 1851 Census = 40%, 2000 Census = 7.5%.
• Brierly: age bias – congregations may totally die out.
• Reduced moral influence – as seen in rising divorce rates.
• Bruce: lower status of clergy, for example, women being ordained reduces the status in itself.
Evidence for Secularization
• Wilson: Rationalization, disengagement and religious pluralism.
• Rationalization: rational thinking in the form of science has replaced religious influence in our lives.
• Disengagement: separation of the church from wider society; no longer involved in politics etc.
• Religious Pluralism: society has fragmented into a marketplace of religions and there is no longer one unifying religious force.
Evidence against Secularization
• Davie: vicarious religion or ‘believing without belonging’, where people practise privately.
• Belief – only 10% say that they don’t believe in God, according to the British Social Attitudes survey.
• People prefer religious explanations for life events. For example, the concept luck/fate shows how gambling has increased.
• Religious programming is still very popular – Songs of Praise attracts around 7-8 million viewers.
• Hamilton: decline in membership reflects a more general decline, not just in religion (politics etc).
Evidence against Secularization
• Stark and Bainbridge: religion can never disappear because people always want to be rewarded; religious compensators are needed.
• Greeley: religious pluralism is a religious revival.• Berger: the world is more religious than it ever
has been. • Heelas: ‘holistic milieu’ is a rejection of science
and modernity where people want spirituality, as shown by New Age Movements.