Topic 2 - Theories Of Religion

Question 0

DURKHEIM

Answer 0

-Everything is divided into sacred and profane
-Totemism- basic religion, worship of society. Shared worship creates collective conscience. Applicable to minority ethnic groups
- Civil religions- supernatural will decline, non religious rituals replace.
BUT - is that religion?

Question 1

MALINOWSKI

Answer 1

• Religion reinforces norms and values to create social solidarity.
  -gives comfort and explanations in face of uncertainty to create emotional security and prevent disillusionment that may threaten society.
  Ie funeral services

Question 2

PARSONS

Answer 2

Powerful socialising and controlling agent
Religious values embedded in society, even if not religious feel guilt if break religious norms (ie thieve)

Religion is a mechanism of adjustment- enables emotional adjustment and return to normalcy.

Explains unexplainable, stabilises society.

Question 3

Criticisms of functionalism

Answer 3

Ignores the fact religion can act for social change.

Secularisation means religion can now only fulfil some functional prerequisites.

Religious pluralism prevents social cohesion. A lot of religious conflict.

Question 4

BERGER - Interpretivists

Answer 4

• religion provides universe of meaning, giving life order
• helps make sense of fundamental questions are provides theodicy.
• provides sacred canopy shielding society from meaninglessness.

                             BUT

Cannot provide in postmodern society, belief too fragmented and secular. Religion lost validity and so turn to science.

Question 5

Interpretivists

Answer 5

Interested in how religion is used to create meaning, and the meaning sacred objects have for individuals.

Question 6

SADAAWI

Answer 6

Men distort religion, become patriarchal through misinterpretation of belief.
Religion justifies and continues oppression.

Question 7

Aldridge

Answer 7

Veiling is a symbol of patriachy

Question 8

Aunt et al

Answer 8

Three factors disillusion women with religion

1) feminism
2) working women
3) family diversity

Question 9

BEAUVOIR

Answer 9

religion creates divine right of male dominance
deceives women to accept their unequal position by making them believe they are equal.
BUT - women are vital for religion.

Question 10

HOLM

Answer 10

There are signs of hope within religion - female bishops now allowed within the Church of England.

Question 11

BADAWI

Answer 11

signs of hope:
Islamic women can choose strand of religion.
They can often choose to keep their name if desired.

Question 12

Criticisms of feminist theory

Answer 12

WATSON- very ethnocentric. Veiling seen in some cultures to be liberating, allows women to leave the home and gain an education or a job whilst maintaining their culture.

Question 13

STARK AND BAINBRIDGE

Answer 13

compensation ideology controls behaviour, religion acts as a conservative force. There will always be demand for religion as the afterlife fulfils a need and meaning that humans desire.

Question 14

NEO MARXISM

Answer 14

SOCIAL CHANGE. Religon has relative autonomy from ruling class.

Question 15

Engels

Answer 15

Christian sects revolt against Roman rule.

Question 16

GRAMSCI

Answer 16

Religion can be focus for counter hegemony. outlet of resistance against the ruling class.

Question 17

MADURO

Answer 17

Liberation Theology - mix of marxism and christianity. Used by catholic priests in the 60s and 70s in South America to fight corruption in government.
christ portrayed as reforming revolutionary not passive peacemaker.

Question 18

examples of religion acting as a force for social change.

Answer 18

1980s Poland
Civil rights (Luther king and N.Ireland)
Islam fight against Americanisation.

Question 19

MARX

Answer 19

religion is key to the dominant ideology, reinforce false consciousness.
enables control. across history convert to religion to control, ie slaves and workers in 18thC controlled by christianity.
inequalities justified as Gods Will (i,e divine right of kings) cannot challenge inequality without challenging God.

Question 20

OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE

Answer 20

MARX-
pain relieving - promises of the afterlife
creates illusions so accept position.
gives sense of purpose to prevent their alienation of the individual within capitalist society.

3 ways to appease pain:

1) Reward in afterlife - ‘The meek shall inherit the earth.’
2) supernatural intervention will solve earths problems. No need to address them now. - ‘Battle of Armedeggon’
3) inequality justified as God’s will. - India caste system- if hindu believe that you will be reincarnated into a lower caste if you challenge the system.

Question 21

MARX - Future of religion

Answer 21

If truly liberated, then there is no need for religion.

Question 22

ALTHUSSER

Answer 22

religion is an ideological state apparatus.
Reinforce false consciousness and ruling class dominance.

Question 23

SHIFFERS

Answer 23

Religion supports dominate groups within society.

2/3rds of Christian New Right vote George Bush

Question 24

HOOK

Answer 24

Catholic Church anti-contraception policy cause mass problems in poorer countries.

Question 25

LEACH

Answer 25

80% of bishops are oxbridge

Question 26

CRITICISMS OF MARXISM

Answer 26

• No evidence for false consciousness.
  -Doesn’t always support dominant groups i.e nazism in Germany, Poland 1980s etc.
• It is a MODERNIST theory, secularisation means religion can no longer act as the opium of the people.
  The existence of religion is not explained.

Question 27

MARXISM AND RUSSIA

Answer 27

Russia disproves Marx’s theory. Religion was banned but it didn’t die.
GREELEY 1991 47% of Russians believe in God.
HOSKINS - Soviet Union more religious than Northern Europe.

Question 28

Which theories believe religion is a conservative force?

Answer 28

Feminism
Marxism
Stark and Bainbridge
interpretivist
Functionalist.

Question 29

WEBER - social action theorist

Answer 29

Religion is a force for social change.
religion shapes world view of an individual, if beliefs develop, then will affect individuals actions and create social change.
THE PROTESTANT WORK ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM’
Britain had the material conditions and normative conditions for industrialisation from Calvinism. This preached hard work, thrift and no self indulgence. created social change.

Question 30

BRUCE

Answer 30

Fundamentalism is both a conservative force - as it opposes modernisation and has strong traditional values - but also a force for social change, as they seek to change the modern social order.

Question 31

MCGUIRE AND ROBINSON

Answer 31

2001
4 factors determine whether religion conservative or force of change.
1) Nature and extent of religion. If most hold religious beliefs, and these beliefs are in conflict with society, then religion will criticise society and so there will be social change.

2) Level of central control. If there is strong central control, then religion has the power to promote or restrict. Ie Islam in Iran.
3) Degree of social involvement with religion. If religion is important politically and economically then religion will have a high degree of influence and can create social change. This is especially applicable to societies that do not have democracy. ie Liberation Theology.

4) Significance within society.
If religion is significant then it can justify and change behaviour. If it is not, then religion can have little role in social change.