Social Action/ Interpretivist Approaches To Understanding Role Of Religion

Question 1

webers view on religion

Answer 1

Weber focused less on the role and function of religion for societies as a whole, and emphasised the meanings that individuals attach to religious beliefs and practices. Weber is best known for his ‘Protestant ethic thesis’ on the rise of Protestantism and its effect on economic behaviour and social change. Weber wanted to understand the origins of the ‘ethics’ (values) of capitalism and suggested that these lay in the beliefs of the Calvinist branch of Protestantism.

Question 2

weber

calvinism different to catholicism. pre destination

Answer 2

God has already decided who is to be ‘saved’ in the afterlife and that these decisions cannot be changed and will remain unknown. In order to cope with this uncertainty, Calvinists would look for signs of God’s favour in their day-to-day lives including economic success as an indicator that they are one of the chosen few.

Question 3

weber

calvinism different to catholicism. hard work as a god given duty

Answer 3

Hard work as a God-given duty and a way of honouring God

Question 4

weber

calvinism different to catholicism. ascetic lifestyle

Answer 4

Living an ascetic lifestyle with a focus on accumulating wealth through minimal spending, living frugally. If they could work hard and be successful, this could indicate their position among the chosen few to be ‘saved’.

Question 5

berger, universe of meaning

Answer 5

Religion provides a universe of meaning in that individuals use religion as a source of meaning to help them make sense of the world. This includes giving answers to questions about life, death, and the existence of things like poverty, evil and injustice.

Question 6

berger, sacred canopy

Answer 6

Religion acts as a sacred canopy stretching over society and protecting individuals from the uncertainties, meaninglessness and pointlessness of life by helping them to interpret and make sense of the world and their position within it.

Berger argues therefore that without religion, life would be meaningless for many individuals – he refers to this as ‘homeless minds. However, Berger recognises that these functions of religion may have been lost in contemporary society