Download Religion and Sociology - Freeman Public Schools

Religion is concerned with sacred things.
Durkheim concluded that every religion
separates the sacred from the profane.
Sociologists studying religion face some unique
problems. They do not judge the validity of
various religions but rather look at those
aspects of religion that can be measured and
observed in society.
“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I
needn’t argue with that; I’m right and I will be
proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus
now; I don’t know which will go first- rock ‘n roll
or Christianity.
Which of the following do you find
sacred?
A. The Bible
B. The Buddha
C. The Torah
D. A dreamcatcher
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Functionalism and Religion
• A religion is a unified system of beliefs
and practices concerned with sacred
things.
Functionalism and Religion (cont.)
• Every society distinguishes between these
two definitions:
– Sacred—things and ideas that are set
apart and given a special meaning that
goes beyond, or transcends, immediate
existence.
– Profane (secular)—commonplace and
not involving the supernatural.
• The particular things considered sacred
vary from culture to culture.
• By focusing on the cultural and social
aspects of religion, sociologists avoid
questions about the ultimate validity of
any religion and are able to study it and
not get involved in theological issues.
• Because the nonphysical world of
religion cannot be directly observed,
sociologists limit their study to what can
be observed: the beliefs and practices
related to sacred things.
• It is essential that sociologists remain
objective in their study of religion.
What is another word for profane?
A. Filthy
B. Clean
C. Secular
D. Sacred
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Sociological Study of Religion
• Sociologists approach religion as a human
creation and focus on social aspects of
religion that can be measured and observed.
• They do not judge the validity of any
religion.
Sociologists focus on social aspects
of religion that can be ______.
A. Measured
B. Observed
C. Measured and observed
D. None of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
• religion
• sacred
• profane
religion
a unified system of beliefs and practices
concerned with sacred things
sacred
holy; set apart and given a special
meaning that goes beyond, or transcends,
immediate existence
profane
nonsacred