Download Religion and Society

Religion
Religion and Society
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Religion – a unified system
of beliefs and practices
concerned with sacred
things.
Emile Durkheim, the first
sociologist to examine
religion scientifically,
concluded that every
religion separates the
sacred from the profane.
Religion and Society
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Sacred – things and ideas that are holy; they
are apart and given a special meaning that
transcends, immediate existence
Profane – concerns the non-sacred aspects of
life, things that are commonplace; aka secular.
Functionalism
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Sociologists focus on social aspects of religion that
can be measured and observed.
Durkheim believed that religion provides a mirror
for members of a society to see themselves through
sacred symbols.
Sociologists have identified the following social
functions of religion:
It gives formal approval to existing social arrangements.
It encourages a sense of unity.
It provides a sense of understanding.
It promotes a sense of belonging.
Conflict Theory
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Conflict theory focuses on
how religion works to
either inhibit or encourage
social change.
Karl Marx believed that
religion works against
social change, and called it
“the opiate of the masses.”
Marx wrote that religion is
used by the ruling class to
justify its economic,
political, and social
advantages over the
oppressed.
Conflict Theory
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Max Weber suggested
that religion sometimes
encourages social
change. He pointed to
the relationship
between Protestantism
and the rise of
capitalism.
Conflict Theory
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The spirit of capitalism views work as a moral
obligation and an investment in the future.
It stresses reinvesting money rather than
spending it.
The Protestant ethic is a set of values, norms,
beliefs, and attitudes stressing hard work,
thrift, and self-discipline.
Conflict Theory
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John Calvin – early Protestant theologian, who
believed that, God identifies his chosen by rewarding
them in this world; The Protestant ethic is often
associated with him.
Conflict Theory
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Consumption beyond necessity was
considered sinful; those who engaged in selfpleasure were agents of the devil.
Calvinists believed there was an underlying
purpose of life: glorification of God on earth
through one’s occupational calling.
Symbolic Interactionism
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In his book The Sacred Canopy sociologist Peter
Berger says that humans create a canopy, or cover,
of symbolic meanings from their religious traditions
to “lay” over the secular world and guide daily social
interactions.
Examples of symbolic interactionist religious
situations:
Kamikaze pilots or suicide bombers must believe in an
afterlife in order to complete their duties.
People trapped in troubled marriages feel compelled to
uphold their vows when in a place of worship.
Religious Organization
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Church – a life-encompassing religious organization
to which all members of a society belong.
Denomination – one of several religious
organizations that most members of a society accept
as legitimate; membership is voluntary.
Sect – a religious organization that arises out of a
desire to reform an existing religious organization.
Cult – a religious organization whose characteristics
are not drawn from existing religious traditions
within a society.
Cults
Religiosity
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Religiosity – the ways people express their religious
interest and convictions, in everyday life. It has five
dimensions:
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Belief: what a person considers to be true,
Ritual: a religious practice that members are expected to
perform
Intellectual: knowledge of scripture or interest in religious
aspects of human existence
Experience: feelings attached to religious expression
Consequences: decisions and commitments people make as a
result of religious beliefs, rituals, knowledge, or experience.
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Religion in the United States
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The United States was founded on the
principle of religious freedom.
Religion in the United States
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America still appears to be a more religious nation
than other industrialized countries.
Americans also tend to support traditional religious
beliefs.
Despite growing religious diversity, Americans are
still largely Protestant.
Secularization – process in which the sacred loses
influence over society; American society has
gradually moved in this direction.
Fundamentalism
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Fundamentalism – based on the desire to resist
secularization and to adhere closely to traditional
religious beliefs, rituals, and doctrines.
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It is especially prevalent among Protestant denominations, but
is found in all religions.
Most fundamentalists are politically conservative.
Fundamentalists believe in literal interpretations of the Bible
and other sacred texts.
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Fundamentalism
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There are several theories about the growth of
fundamentalism.
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Fundamental religion provides a strong anchor in a
confusing world.
Fundamentalist churches provide solace to people
witnessing the weakening of family and community
ties.
Fundamentalist churches offer a sacred, not secular,
environment.
The electronic church has been a contributing factor
in the growth of fundamentalism.
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Religion, Class, and Politics
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Religious affiliation is related to social class in the
United States.
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Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Jews tend to be at the top of
the social ladder, followed by Lutherans, Catholics,
Methodists, and Baptists.
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Social class also affects how people express their
religious beliefs.
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Members of the upper class display their religiosity through
church membership and church attendance.
People in the lower classes more often pray privately and
have emotional religious experiences.
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Religion, Class, and Politics
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Political affiliation is also related to religion.
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Protestants tend to be more conservative than
Catholics or Jews.
Jews are most likely to be members of the
Democratic Party, followed by Catholics and
Protestants.
Support for the Republican Party is highest among
Episcopalians and Presbyterians.
Contradictions: Episcopalians and Presbyterians are
less conservative than Southern Baptists, many of
whom are Democrats.
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Religion, Science, and Society
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Both science and religion examine humanity’s
relationship to the world, but they examine it in very
different ways.
Religion involves matters beyond human
observation, while science is all about observation.
Sometimes science and religion conflict depending
on the values and norms of a culture.
Scientific Revolution vs. Catholic Church
Evolution vs. Creationism/Intelligent Design