Religion What is Religion p 290 294 A

Religion

What is Religion? (p 290 -294) A set of beliefs that include a notion of ‘god’, or some kind of supernatural force beyond our direct experience. - Monotheistic, Polytheistic, non-theistic (supernatural forces, mother nature) A set of practices involving things such as collective worship or prayer. - personal worship, communal worship, exorcisms Organization for beliefs to be collectively expressed. - places (church/mosque), leaders (priests/imams)

Effects of Religion Socialization into moral beliefs and values (don’t kill) Social Solidarity – belief that in a society its members have things such as values, norms, beliefs and practices in common. Social Control – direct (commandments, sharia) and indirect rules (what would Jesus do? ) to live your life by

Inclusive Approach to Religion The inclusive approach is a functionalist approach. - religion helps people by answering questions for them. - religion is seen in the broadest sense Religion brings social solidarity – people feel like they belong to a group Religion provides social integration – the ways social solidarity is created through shared practices and experiences (fast, hajj)

Inclusive Approach Continued…. Inclusive approaches see religion as an ideology – system of related beliefs Totemism – religious belief that an object, plant or animal is both sacred and has some form of supernatural powers (Native Americans) Inclusive approach is criticized because with this perspective religion can be seen anywhere, from football games to churches

Exclusive Approach to Religion Exclusive approach considers religion in a narrower sense than the inclusive approach This excludes ‘quasi-religious’ behavior. Must be: - belief in a god or the supernatural - behavior such as prayer, collective worship and ceremonies Sacred and Profane – all societies make a distinction between the sacred, anything considered special or holy, and the profane, the everyday and ordinary. - this is used to identify the unique characteristics of a religion

Functionalist Approach to Religion Functionalism takes an inclusive approach - religion creates, promotes, and maintains the cultural values that provide the moral basis for social order. Cultural institutions (including education and media) create and maintain order and continuity by promoting a collective conscience. Collective Conscience – society’s ‘collective will’ that bears down on individuals, shaping their beliefs and behavioral choices. (Durkheim) Durkheim - Religion’s message is not as important as its effect of ‘bringing people together’ – similar to sports (Go Giants!)

Alpert’s 4 Major Functions of Religion 1. Discipline – a sense of shared beliefs and values is created by following a set of moral rules and codes. 2. Cohesion – religious ceremonies bring people together. Symbols are used such as wedding rings that have shared meanings. - wedding represents marriage + commitment to partner - symbols help distinguish between the sacred and profane

Alpert’s 4 Functions of Religion 3. Vitalization – shared beliefs and values bind people together - identity – people understand who they are through religion - revitalization – common culture transmitted from generation to generation, developing continuity through tradition and custom. 4. Euphony (harmony) - in times of pain and crisis, religion brings harmony - tension management - rituals for death help manage this traumatic situation - meaning – religion offers explanations for events that nothing else can (it’s all part of God’s plan)

Rituals Ritual – constantly repeated aspects of religious belief and practice, usually involving some form of ceremony. What are some rituals that are a part of your religion?

Neo-functionalism (p 295 -298) Neo-functionalists notes that in USA/Europe people are not particularly ‘religious. They don’t participate in collective ceremonies and services. Religion is not a function of ‘whole societies’ but some individuals Neo-functionalism also talks about dysfunction - religion creates conflict (ie-violent Christian fundamentalists opposing abortion) Religion can bring social change - Christian churches and civil rights in the 1960 s - Protestants and abolitionism in the 1800 s

Marxism and Religion Marxists – promoting a consensus that will ultimately benefit the ruling class - Religion has features that make it distinctly different than other types of belief and practice - Religion explains ‘everything about everything’ Religion makes the people in poverty accept their situation. Religion is a system of social control. Everyone should accept the world as it is Marx called religion the ‘opiate of the masses’. It dulls the pain of life with promises of eternal life and happiness (heaven, nirvana, etc. ) Liberation Theology – belief that the church should use its power and resources to liberate the poor from their poverty.

Neo-Marxism embraces the concept of hegemony (leadership through consensus) Lower classes accept the ideas of the ruling classes and their leadership because they are ‘ideologically indoctrinated’ Religion is less of a coercive force and more of a cohesive force for the ruling class to reproduce itself (through inheritance and marriage)

Weberian Approaches Weberian approaches focus less on what religion does and more on what religion means for: - Individuals – studying the motivations, behaviors and beliefs of the religious - Society – developing cultural identities, legal systems, economic sytems Weber believes that religion can bring social change Calvinist ideals - successful, hard work, moral, thrifty, modest Protestant Ethic – serving god through hard work, thrift, moral uprightness. Weber says that this is the foundation of capitalism

Interactionism (neo-Weberian) Interactionists focus on how collective religious beliefs provide a framework for how people understand the world. - prior to modern science, people usually resorted to religion to ‘explain the unexplainable’ Religion guides understanding by: - explaining experiences, interprets meaning and significance, creates common cultural meanings. When explanations are no longer plausible, they are discarded and new explanations are formed. (the world is flat, god live on Mt. Olympus)

Religion and Social Change (p 299 -302) Traditional Functionalism – by worshiping God, people ‘are worshiping society’ - people are naturally selfish which is bad for society, so religion encourages people to give up their selfishness The collective conscience of ‘will of society’ controls individual behavior. - religion is an important source of values and norms Religion maintains the collective conscience by: - moral codes are given by God - participation in collective ceremonies - participation in religious rituals makes one feel a part of something bigger than themselves

Secularization involves religious institutions losing their power and control over secular (non-religious) affairs. It is argued that secular societies develop civil religions Civil Religions – ideas and practices that while not overtly religious in content, perform the same function as religious organizations in a society. - this is a result of secularization - other institutions provide the ‘collective conscience’ in the absence of religion

Traditional Marxism – religion provides the ideological justification for things like social inequality in capitalist societies. Social Change is the result of conflict between social classes, religion manages this change. The wealthy and powerful use religion as a way to manage social change. - Iranian Revolution in 1979 is an example of this

Neo-Functionalism argues that religion can initiate social change. Millenarian Movements – religious movements characterized by their belief that God will intervene to create some sort of collective salvation, on Earth and/or in heaven for chosen believers. Change can be: - Transformative – Jehovah’s Witnesses aim to change the world, Muslims create societies based on Sharia Law. - Transitional – changing religious attitudes to homosexuality or having female priests. According to neo-Functionalists, societies are constantly adjusting to maintain equilibrium.

Neo-Marxism Look at religion in terms of cultural transitions. Cultural Transitions – neo-Marxist concept to express the idea of relatively small changes in the lives and positions of people and groups within a society. In capitalist societies economic crises threaten stability. Religion is a tool to bring about social change - Civil rights in 1950 s and 1960 s organized through Baptist church. Roots were in political and economic deprivation of blacks. - Rosa Parks / Dr. Martin Luther King Jr – religion helped bring the change

“I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=I 47 Y 6 VHc 3 Ms

Modernity, Post-Modernity, Fundamentalism (p 303 -308) Privatized forms of Worship – religion that is practiced in the private rather than the public sphere. Asceticism – practice of a strict self-discipline that uses abstinence and austerity (simple life) for spiritual belief. Religious Consumerism – claim that in postmodern society religions behave more like business organizations, where customers are encouraged to buy into a range of different beliefs, practices, and organizations. Spiritual Shopping – idea that postmodern religious consumers are more likely to ‘shop around’ for a faith or religion that suits their individual needs.

More Vocabulary!!!!!!! Fundamentalism – forms of belief and organization that advocate a strict observance of the ‘fundamental beliefs’ of a religion. (focus on the core or roots, traditional) Atheism – belief that there is no supreme being or deity. Agnosticism – not being sure if there is a supreme being or deity.

Activity Pairs – explain and give examples - Modernity – disappearance, decline, retreat and reinvention - Post-Modernity – metanarrative, contradictions, new age movements - Fundamentalism – (also globalization on 308)

Modernity 3 types of developmental change in modern societies - economic and industrial forms of production - political and various forms of democracy - cultural and new, powerful, belief systems centered around science Challenges to religion - questioning secular rulers and their divine rule - cultural developments, like scientific explanations of nature and evolution ***Modernity brings about a loss, disappearance, decline, retreat, reinvention

Different Religious Movements (p 309 -314) Church-Type Organizations Social Capital Ideology Denomination Pluralism Sect Typologies

Church-Type Organizations Church – a type of religious organization characterized by its size, power and influence over religious and secular matters. (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism) Historically - churches would control knowledge (middle ages) - economically powerful (own land) - politically powerful (align interests with people or groups) - cross-culturally (Iran – Ayatollah is political, economic, religious leader) Powerful, Control Lives, Large Bureaucracies, Inclusive (easy to join) Don’t proselytize (actively try to convert people)

Social Capital Two types of social capital that churches use 1. Inclusiveness and Cooperation (unlike cults and sects) - outward looking - viewing matters outside religion - heterogeneous –tolerate a range of different beliefs and religious groups - reciprocal – willing to cooperate with and learn from other organizations - ecumenical – pursue varying levels of cross-church cooperation (representing several Christian churches) Bonding Capital is more exclusive - bonds members together but is set apart from other organizations - ie – cult members have strong bonds, that set them apart from society

Ideology – since churches are large-scale cultural institutions, they contribute to society’s collective conscience. - churches align themselves with the ruling powers by offering political, economic and ideological support. - churches are more integrated with the secular world than sects and cults

Denomination – organized sub-divisions of a major religion - Roman Catholic and Protestantism are denominations of Christianity - Sunni and Shia are denominations of Islam Denominations develop from schisms (splits) - develop from ideological differences, political differences, geographic isolation - denominations are inclusive like churches

Pluralism Religious Pluralism – idea that in modern societies have a wide range of religious beliefs and organizations to choose, and no religious organization can claim a monopoly of belief and practice. - supports diversity - tolerance for atheists Sectarian Cycles – cycles of religious conflict that lead a discriminated group to split from the main religion to form their own denomination or sect.

***Sects Sect – type of religious organization characterized by a membership held together by collective feelings of deprivation. - charismatic leaders frequently offer innovative solutions to the religious and secular problems experienced by individual members Sects develop around 2 forms of dissent: 1. Religious (disenchantment) – being let down by a religion, a weakening of faith 2. Social – individual deprivation - ie – economic (monetary benefits), ethical (not compatible), psychic (searching for meaning or direction)

Sects ** Its argued that deprivation is necessary for a sect to develop - entry into a sect requires a test - there is no paid clergy - people are seeking something (ie- Scientology) Also, involve promises/benefits - feeling of superiority through access to ‘hidden knowledge’ - feeling of belonging to a strong, supportive community Some groups share benefits with society - Jehovah’s Witnesses give everyone the opportunity to be saved from damnation (sometimes aggressively)

Cult – loose-knit, individualistic, type of religious/spiritual organization that collects around a set of common themes, beliefs, or interests. - highly individualistic - diversity is a characteristic, 1000 s of cults around the world - Survivalist cults, using magic to find the perfect partner, etc. Cult Characteristics: - authoritarian, centralized power, communal (isolation), totalizing (all aspects of members life can be regulated) Typically attract people who are seeking short-term solutions to complex problems Recruiting, indoctrinating, and influencing members is a similar socialization process to any group or organization

(p 315 -322) New Religious Movements – an alternative way of classifying sects and cults that attempts to remove the stigma from these terms. NRM describe movements that developed in the mid-20 th century and resolve the confusion between sects and cults. - Answer fundamental questions about life and death - Rites of passage that mark ‘key events’ - life-coping strategies addressing problems of existence, ie – how to be successful in business - ethical codes to live by Rationalization – ideas used by powerful groups to justify and explain their domination in society.

Types of NRM’s World Rejecting – type of sect whose members reject the secular world by collectively withdrawing from contact with that world. World Accommodating – type of sect that neither rejects nor promotes the secular world; the two simply co-exist. World Affirming – type of sect that offers to unlock the individuals ‘hidden potential’ in ways that will make them more successful in the secular world.

Secularization – making changes to something so that it is not influenced by religion Religiosity – being religious, especially in terms of levels of belief, behavior and commitment. – used in comparison of times - further back we go the more religious typically societies were Religious Beliefs – belief in a deity or supernatural power that may have some control over people’s destinies. - orthodox – believing in a single all-powerful deity - unorthodox – believing in witchcraft, or a vague ‘spirituality’

Belief (knowing) Believe without belonging: - people can hold religious beliefs while showing little or no commitment to religious organizations or practices. - they can believe in God without aligning that belief to any organization. Belong without believing: - this involves those who attend religious services without having any strongly developed sense of religious belief. - religious practice may have secular functions such as: friendship, social status, custom, tradition

Participation and Commitment These are ways in which we try to measure religiosity and secularization: Participation (doing) - the extent to which people participate can be hard to define/count Commitment - the extent to which people belong

Pro-Secularization arguments are based on the claim that religion has declined in significance in the developed world. - ideas and organizations that once held much control over peoples lives have weakened - scientific knowledge challenges religious ideas and weaken their power Disengagement – process by which people withdraw from religious involvement, in terms of beliefs and practices. Religious Diversity – existence of different forms of religious belief, practice and organization in a society Religious Revival – a contemporary growth in the popularity of different religions. - NRMs have shown some signs of growth, compensating for decline in traditional religious beliefs.

Anti-Secularization Anti-secularization theorists say that it is impossible to distinguish between religious and secular in a way that can be studies academically. - see secularization as an intellectual tool to attack religion Religion in modern societies is still strong - it provides moral codes Religion has evolved or changed over time because new institutions have taken over the functions (loss of functions) - ie – festivals for leisure or fun

Religion and Social Class (p 323 -330) Social Class - middle and upper classes tend to be regular attendees of church - working class people tend to only attend church for weddings and funerals Historically attending church was a source of social status Self-identity through religion has declined in modern societies - much of this is due to religious pluralism, especially with NRMs (new religious movements). Middle class makes up most of the people joining NRMs

Gender and Religion In western societies, women are more religious than men by nearly every measure. UK Stats - 83% of women claim affiliation to a religious organization - 74% of men claim affiliation to a religious organization, church or denomination. USA Stats - 86% of women claim affiliation to a religious organization - 79% of men claim affiliation to a religious organization 36% more British women then men believe in the certainty of a God’s existence. 15% difference between women and men in USA.

Women in Religion More women believe in life after death More women attend church events, clubs, activities, etc. Women are more likely to attend church Women are more likely to pray independently *** Despite this, men typically dominate positions of authority in religious organizations. Feminists explain this is due to differing of gender roles. Patriarchy – male-dominated society Religion makes sense of this male-dominated world and justifies it, according to feminists