Chapter 17 Religion

Chapter Outline The Sociological Study of Religion World Religions Sociological Perspectives on Religion Types of Religious Organization Trends in Religion in the United States Religion in the Future

The Sociological Study of Religion Religion is a social institution composed of a unified system of beliefs, symbols, and rituals— based on some sacred or supernatural realm— that guides human behavior, gives meaning to life, and unites believers into a community. Spirituality is the relationship between the individual and something larger than oneself, such as a broader sense of connection with the surrounding world. Faith refers to a confident belief that cannot be proven or disproven but is accepted as true.

Sacred refers to those aspects of life that exist beyond the everyday, natural world that we cannot experience with our senses. Profane refers to the everyday, secular, or “worldly” aspects of life that we know through our senses. Rituals refers to regularly repeated and carefully prescribed forms of behaviors that symbolize a cherished value or belief.

Theism is a belief in a god or gods who shape human affairs. Simple supernaturalism refers to the belief that supernatural forces affect people’s lives either positively or negatively. Animism is the belief that plants, animals, or other elements of the natural world are endowed with spirits or life forces that have an impact on events in society. Theism is a belief in a god or gods who shape human affairs. Monotheism is a belief in a single, supreme being or god who is responsible for significant events such as the creation of the world. Polytheism is a belief in more than one god. Transcendent idealism is a belief in sacred principles of thought and conduct.

World Religions Major Religion: Hinduism Current Followers: 1 billion Founder/Date: No specific founder/ 1500 BCE Beliefs: Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer) are divine. Union with ultimate reality and escape from eternal reincarnation are achieved through yoga, adherence to scripture, and devotion.

World Religions Major Religion: Buddhism Current Followers: 488 million Founder/Date: Siddhartha Gautama/500-600 BCE Beliefs: Through meditation and adherence to the Eightfold Path (correct thought and behavior), people can free themselves from desire and suffering, escape the cycle of eternal rebirth, and achieve nirvana (enlightenment).

World Religions Major Religion: Confucianism Current Followers: 6.3 million Founder/Date: K’ung Fu-Tzu/500 BCE Beliefs: The sayings of Confucius (collected in the Analects) stress the role of virtue and order in the relationships among individuals, their families, and society.

World Religions Major Religion: Judaism Current Followers: 14 million Founder/Date: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/2000 BCE Beliefs: God’s nature and will are revealed in the Torah (Hebrew scripture) and in His intervention in history. God has established a covenant with the people of Israel, who are called to a life of holiness, justice, mercy, and fidelity to God’s law.

World Religions Major Religion: Islam/Muslim Current Followers: 1.6 billion Founder/Date: Muhammad/600 CE Beliefs: Muhammad received the Qur’an (scriptures) from God. On Judgment Day, believers who have submitted to God’s will, as revealed in the Qur’an, will go to an eternal Garden of Eden.

World Religions Major Religion: Christianity Current Followers: 2.2 billion Founder/Date: Jesus/first century CE Beliefs: Jesus is the Son of God. Through good moral and religious behavior (and/or God’s grace), people achieve eternal life with God.

Sociological Perspectives on Religion Functionalist Perspectives Religion is a cultural universal found in all societies because it meets basic human needs and serves important societal functions. Meaning and purpose Social cohesion and a sense of belonging Social control and support for the government Civil religion is the set of beliefs, rituals, and symbols that makes sacred the values of the society and places the nation in the context of the ultimate system of meaning.

Discussion Does the United States have a civil religion?

Conflict Perspectives on Religion Religion tends to promote conflict between groups and societies. Karl Marx: religion is the “opiate of the masses” Max Weber: religion could be a catalyst to produce social change Feminist perspectives

Discussion Do you agree that religion is an opiate for the people?

Symbolic Interactionist Perspectives Religion serves as a reference group. Religion provides a social meaning. Rational Choice Perspectives Religion is essentially a rational response to human needs. Religion is a competitive marketplace in which religious organizations (suppliers) offer a variety of religions and religious products to potential followers (consumers), who shop around for the religious theologies, practices, and communities that best suit them.

Types of Religious Organization An ecclesia is a religious organization that is so integrated into the dominant culture that it claims as its membership all members of a society. A church is a large, bureaucratically organized religious organization that tends to seek accommodation with the larger society in order to maintain some degree of control over it. A sect is a relatively small religious group that has broken away from another religious organization to renew what it views as the original version of the faith.

The denomination is a large organized religion characterized by accommodation to society but frequently lacking in ability or intention to dominate society. A cult (or NRM) is a loosely organized religious group with practices and teachings outside the dominant cultural and religious traditions of a society.

Trends in Religion in the United States Secularization is the process by which religious beliefs, practices, and institutions lose their significance in society and nonreligious values, principles, and institutions take their place. a decline in religious values and institutions in everyday life a corresponding increase in nonreligious values or principles and greater significance given to secular institutions The secularization thesis is a belief that as nations progress through various stages, such as modernization and rationalization, religion increasingly loses its authority in all aspects of social life and governance.

Discussion Why do you think secularization is occurring?

U.S. Religious Traditions’ Membership Figure 17.2

Fundamentalism is a traditional religious doctrine that is conservative, is typically opposed to modernity, and rejects “worldly pleasures” in favor of otherworldly spirituality. Trends in Race, Class, Gender, and Religion

Religion in the Future Secularization Global politics Fundamentalism Violence

Quick Quiz

From a conflict perspective, religion tends to: end strife and bring people together promote strife between groups and societies save souls, but marginalize groups separate contributing members of society from nonfunctional members Answer: b From a conflict perspective, religion tends to promote strife between groups and societies.

A relatively small religious group that has broken away from another religious organization to renew what it views as the original version of the faith is referred to as: an ecclesia Catholicism a sect a denomination Answer: c A relatively small religious group that has broken away from another religious organization to renew what it views as the original version of the faith is referred to as a sect.

_____ is the belief that supernatural forces affect people’s lives either positively or negatively. Monotheism Polytheism Simple supernaturalism Nontheistic religion Answer: c Simple supernaturalism is the belief that supernatural forces affect people’s lives either positively or negatively.

_____ is a belief in a single supreme being who is responsible for significant events. Monotheism Polytheism Simple supernaturalism Nontheistic religion Answer: a Monotheism is a belief in a single supreme being who is responsible for significant events.

In regard to religion, Max Weber asserted that: church and state should be separated religion could be a catalyst to produce social change religion retards social change the religious teachings of the Catholic Church were directly related to the rise of capitalism Answers: b In regard to religion, Max Weber asserted that religion could be a catalyst to produce social change.