5759121
Description
Mind Map by Joanna Griffith, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Joanna Griffith
almost 8 years ago
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Theories of Religion
- defining religion
- functional definitions
- inclusive
- may be overly so
- eg. collective chanting provides a social integration function, but is not a religious belief
- eg. collective chanting provides a social integration function, but is not a religious belief
- may be overly so
- social and psychological functions religion provides for society/the individual
- Durkheim (1915)
- defines religion by its contribution to social integration
- defines religion by its contribution to social integration
- Yinger (1970)
- functions that religion provides for individuals
- eg. answers 'ultimate' questions
- eg. answers 'ultimate' questions
- functions that religion provides for individuals
- inclusive
- substantive definitions
- content/substance of religion
- eg. belief in God or the supernatural
- eg. belief in God or the supernatural
- exclusive
- Western bias (excludes religions without a God)
- Western bias (excludes religions without a God)
- Weber (1905)
- defines religion as belief in a supernatural or superior power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically
- defines religion as belief in a supernatural or superior power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically
- content/substance of religion
- social constructionist definitions
- interpretivist
- how members of society define religion
- no universal definition
- inclusive, but hard to generalise
- inclusive, but hard to generalise
- no universal definition
- Aldridge (2007)
- Scientology
- Scientology
- interpretivist
- functional definitions
- functionalist theories of religion
- general functionalism
- society is made up of interrelated institutions
- social cooperation/solidarity is produced by a value consensus
- society is made up of interrelated institutions
- claim that religion plays a part in maintaining a value consensus
- Durkheim (1915)
- the sacred and the profane
- sacred: objects associated with the religion, set apart and forbidden, surrounded by taboos
- profane: objects with no special significance
- a religion is a set of beliefs accompanied by rituals and practices, associated with sacred objects
- sacred objects evoke such powerful feelings in followers, they may be symbols representing something of great power
- Durkheim believes that they may be symbols of the society itself
- Durkheim believes that they may be symbols of the society itself
- although sacred symbols vary between religions, they all provide the same function of uniting society into a single moral community
- sacred objects evoke such powerful feelings in followers, they may be symbols representing something of great power
- sacred: objects associated with the religion, set apart and forbidden, surrounded by taboos
- totemism
- Arunta, aboriginal tribe
- clan system, clans come together to perform collective rituals involving the worship of a sacred totem representative of their clan histories
- Durkheim claims that they are worshipping their own society
- Durkheim claims that they are worshipping their own society
- clan system, clans come together to perform collective rituals involving the worship of a sacred totem representative of their clan histories
- Arunta, aboriginal tribe
- the collective conscience
- sacred symbols represent a society's collective conscience
- Durkheim claims that regular shared religious rituals helps to reinforce the collective conscience
- may also make individuals feel part of something bigger and worthwhile
- may also make individuals feel part of something bigger and worthwhile
- Durkheim claims that regular shared religious rituals helps to reinforce the collective conscience
- sacred symbols represent a society's collective conscience
- cognitive functions of religion
- in order to think, we need categories such as time, space, cause, number, etc. and we need to be able to share these categories with others
- Durkheim and Mauss (1903)
- argue that religion provides categories, so is the basis of reasoning and intelligent thought
- argue that religion provides categories, so is the basis of reasoning and intelligent thought
- Durkheim and Mauss (1903)
- in order to think, we need categories such as time, space, cause, number, etc. and we need to be able to share these categories with others
- the sacred and the profane
- general functionalism
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