Functionalist view of religion

Question 1

What are the 6 sociological theories on religion?

Answer 1

1. Functionalist
2. Social Action / Interpretivist
3. Radical Feminist
4. Traditional Marxist
5. Neo-Marxist
6. Weberian

Question 2

What do the first 4 theories argue?

Answer 2

Religion is a conservative force that prevents change.

Question 3

What do the last 2 theories argue?

Answer 3

Religion can be dynamic at certain times and places.

Question 4

What do Functionalists and Social Action say about being conservative?

Answer 4

Being conservative is a good thing.

Question 5

What do Radical Feminists and Traditional Marxists say about being conservative?

Answer 5

Being conservative is a bad thing.

Question 6

What do functionalists say about religious institutions?

Answer 6

They play a central part in creating and maintaining value consensus, order and solidarity.

Question 7

Which functionalists talk about religion?

Answer 7

Durkheim
Malinowski
Talcott Parsons
Bellah

Question 8

What are the 3 key functionalist concepts which show the positive side of religion?

Answer 8

1. It provides integration - it brings people together through shared worship and beliefs.
2. It reinforces the collective conscience - it gives people shared norms and values.
3. Religion reinforces social solidarity - it makes society more stable.

Question 9

What 4 things does Durkheim talk about?

Answer 9

• The sacred and the profane
• Totemism
• The collective conscience
• Cognitive functions of religion

Question 10

What are the ‘sacred’?

Answer 10

Things set apart and forbidden, that inspire feelings of awe, fear and wonder, and are surrounded by taboos and prohibitions. They evoke powerful feelings as the symbols represent things of a greater power, which Durkheim thinks is society. So, when people worship the symbols, they are worshipping society. By doing so, they perform the essential function of uniting believers into a single moral community.

Question 11

What are the ‘profane’?

Answer 11

Things that have no special significance - things that are ordinary and mundane. It involves definite rituals or practices in the relation to the sacred, and these rituals are collective - performed by social groups.

Question 12

What did Durkheim do? (Totemism)

Answer 12

He believed that the essence of all religion could be found by studying its simplest form, in the simplest type of society - clan society. So he used studies of the Arunta (an Aboriginal Australian tribe with a clan system.)

Question 13

Describe what the Arunta clans do

Answer 13

Come together periodically to perform rituals which involve worshipping a sacred totem.

Question 14

What does the totem symbolise?

Answer 14

The clans identity, origin, solidarity and a sense of belonging. When they worship the totem, they are therefore worshipping society. It represents the power of a group which an individual is ‘utterly dependent’.

Question 15

Summarise what Durkheim says about Totemism.

Answer 15

Worship of the totem is really worship of their society indirectly.

Question 16

What type of research did Durkheim do?

Answer 16

Secondary Research

Question 17

What is the collective conscience?

Answer 17

The shared norms, and values that make social life and cooperation possible. Collective conscience is represented by the sacred symbols.

Question 18

Explain what Durkheim says about the collective conscience

Answer 18

Regular shared religious rituals reinforce the collective conscious and maintain social integration. This binds individuals together, reminding us of our part in a single moral community to which we owe loyalty. Without society’s power, we would be nothing and so by feeling as if we’re part of something great, we feel strong enough to face life’s trials and obstacles.

Question 19

How does collective conscience lead to strength from religion?

Answer 19

In this sense, religion performs an important function for the individual. By making us feel part of something stronger than ourselves, religion strengthens us to overcome obstacles that would otherwise defeat is.

Question 20

Explain cognitive functions of religion

Answer 20

Durkheim sees religion as the source of our intellectual or cognitive capacities. Firstly in order to think at all we need categories such as time, space, cause etc and secondly in order to share our thoughts, we need to use the same categories as others. Religion is the origin of categories we need for communication and reasoning.

Question 21

What does it say in Durkheim + Mauss’ book?

Answer 21

Religion provides basic categories. Also, the division of tribes into clans gives us the first notion of classification. Thus for Durkheim, religion is the origin of human thought, reason and science.

Question 22

Give a criticism of Durkheim’s research

Answer 22

Secondary research - problems with validity, reliability and representativeness.

Question 23

How does Worsley criticise Durkheim?

Answer 23

Worsley says there is no sharp division between the sacred and the profane and different clans actually share the totem.

Question 24

Give some problems of Durkheim

Answer 24

• His ideas only work in a religious society and ignores secularisation
• His ideas work best in a single faith society but most countries are multi-faith.
• It is hard to apply to large scale societies. Durkheim doesn’t explain conflict between religious communities.
• Far too conservative : religion can be a source of social change.
• Ignores the way religious differences can be a source of conflict and can be used to justify oppression.
• His definition of religion is too broad. It makes it almost impossible to differentiate between religious, moral or political convictions.

Question 25

How does Postmodernist Mestrovic criticise Durkheim?

Answer 25

Argues that Durkheim’s ideas can’t be applied to contemporary society because increasing diversity has fragmented the collective conscience, so there is no longer a single shared value system for religion to reinforce.

Question 26

What does Malinowski say about religion?

Answer 26

Religion promotes solidarity by performing psychological functions for individuals, helping them cope with emotional stress that would undermine social solidarity.

Question 27

What two types of situation does Malinowski identify that religion performs psychological functions?

Answer 27

1. Where the outcome is important but uncontrollable and thus uncertain
2. At times of life crises

Question 28

Explain what Malinowski means by “Where the outcome is important but uncontrollable and thus uncertain”

Answer 28

In his study of the Trobiand island he contrasts fishing in the lagoon and fishing in the ocean.

• lagoon fishing is safe and predictable. Whereas ocean fishing is dangerous and uncertain. Ocean fishing is always accompanied by rituals to ensure a safe and successful expedition (lagoon is not) which gives people sense of control and confidence to undertake hazardous tasks which reinforces group solidarity.

He sees ritual serving as a ‘God of the gaps’ it fills the gaps in humans’ control over the world.

Question 29

Explain what Malinowski means by “at times of life crises”

Answer 29

Events such as birth, puberty, marriage, death mark disruptive changes which religion minimises.
For example, funerals reinforce social solidarity amongst survivors and immortality provides comfort by denying death.
Malinowski argues that death is the main reason for the existence of religious belief.

Question 30

What does Parsons say about religion?

Answer 30

It helps individuals to cope with unforeseen events and uncontrollable outcomes. In addition, he identifies two other essential functions that religion performs in modern society.

Question 31

What 2 functions does Parsons say religion performs in modern society?

Answer 31

1. It creates and legitimates society’s central values
2. It is the primary source of meaning

Question 32

How does religion create and legitimate society’s central values?

Answer 32

By sacralising them (making them sacred). Thus in the USA, Protestantism has sacralised the core American values of individualism, meritocracy and self-discipline. This serves to promote value consensus and therefore social stability.

Question 33

How is religion the primary source of meaning?

Answer 33

It answers ultimate questions about the human condition, such as why the good suffer and why some die young. Such events make life seem meaningless and may undermine our commitment to society’s values. However religion provides answers to these questions e.g. explaining suffering as as a test of faith that will be rewarded in heaven. By doing so, religion enables people to adjust to adverse events or circumstances and helps maintain stability.

Question 34

What does Bellah say?

Answer 34

Civil religion unifies American society. It integrates society in a way that churches and denominations can’t, because it claims the loyalty of all Americans.

Question 35

What is civil religion?

Answer 35

A belief system that attaches sacred qualities to society itself. E.g. Americanism

Question 36

What does Bellah argue?

Answer 36

American civil religion involves loyalty to the nation-state and a belief in God. It is expressed in various rituals, symbols and beliefs:
- American saints (George Washington)
- American holy places/shrines (White House)
- American holy festivals (4th July)
- American sacred symbols (flag)

Question 37

Explain functional alternatives to religion

Answer 37

Bellah notes functional alternatives are non-religious beliefs and practices which perform similar functions to those of organised religions.

Question 38

What does Bellah argue about functional alternatives to religion?

Answer 38

Bellah argues that although civil religion involves a belief in God, this doesn’t have to be the case. Groups such as the Nazis had a secular, non-religious, political beliefs and rituals around which they sought to unite society.

Question 39

What is the problem with functional alternatives?

Answer 39

The problem is that it ignores what makes religion distinctive and different - its belief in the supernatural.