1. Chapter 11:
Religion

2. What to Expect in This Chapter...
Defining Religion
Elements of Religion
Religion vs. Magic
Major Types of Religions
Functionalist and Conflict Perspectives
Types of Religious Organization
Aspects of American Religion
Major Religions in the United States
Social Correlates of Religious Affiliation

3. Journal
Given Morocco’s Islamic cultural heritage and unique relationship with the West, which elements of its culture will adapt and which will remain constant?

4. Defining Religion
Religion is “...the system of beliefs, practices and ...values shared by a group of people...”
Durkheim claimed that all religions divide the universe into two categories:
Sacred—those things that are set apart, holy; and knowable only through extraordinary experience
Profane—that which is ordinary; knowable through normal empirical observation
For information about the science
of studying religion, visit the website of the
Society for Scientific Study of Religion

5. Elements of Religion
Ritual
Prayer
Emotion
Belief
Organization

6. Religion vs. Magic Religion Magic Worships the supernatural
Attempts to control supernatural forces
Object of worship is a god or gods
Does not worship a god or gods
Religious experience an end in itself
Ritual is a means to an end
Group oriented; experience designed to unify group
Individually oriented; experience designed to help individual user

7. Major Types of Religion: Supernaturalism and Animism
Supernaturalism postulates the existence of non-personalized supernatural forces that influence human events
These non-personalized forces are called mana, which exist in certain objects
Other objects have a religious taboo against touching or even looking upon
Animism postulates personalized spirits which inhabit people, animals or things

8. Major Types of Religion: Theism
Theism is a system of beliefs that establish divine beings that shape human affairs
Polytheism is the belief in a number of gods, each with their own sphere of influence
Monotheism is the belief in a single supreme God.
Only 3 religions are monotheistic: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

9. Journal- Social Change
After reading pages
How will modernization affect Moroccan society
Family (1 parent or 2 working, moving away from extended family)
Growing and declining economic sectors
Growing and declining occupations

10. Functionalist Perspective on Religion
Functionalists argue that because religion is universal, there are functions that it fulfills for society.
Sociologists identify 4 broad functions of religion:
Satisfying Individual Needs
Social Cohesion
Establishing Worldviews
Social Adaptation

11. Group Work
5 Groups- Discuss the concept you are assigned. Give definition of concept, general examples & Moroccan examples
Satisfying individual needs
Providing social cohesion
Establishing worldviews
Adaptation and stabilization of society
Conflict theory perspectives

12. Conflict Perspective on Religion
Marx understood religion as a tool that the ruling class manipulated to control and dominate the working class
By focusing on religion and the afterlife, working classes are distracted from their oppression by the ruling class
Marx said,
“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the soul of soulless conditions; it is the opiate of the people”

13. Religious Organizations: Relationship to Society
Millenarian Movements
The Sect
The Denomination
The Ecclesia
The Universal Church

14. Group Work
5 Groups- Give definition of concept, examples of where the type of relationship between religious organizations and society can be seen in general and in Islam.
The Universal Church
The Ecclesia
The Denomination
The Sect
Millenarian movements

15. The Universal Church
The universal church is a type of religious organization that is almost indistinguishable from society
An individual belongs to the universal church by virgue of being a member of society
The universal church typically reinforces existing social arrangements.
An example of the universal church is the Hindu religion in India

16. The Ecclesia
The ecclesia (like the universal church) shares the same ethical system as the larger society
The ecclesia represents the interests of the ruling class, and hence loses its influence over the lower classes
Consequently, there may be sectarian groups that emerge
Examples of the ecclesia include the Catholic church in medieval Europe, the Anglican church in England and Islam in several Near East societies

17. The Denomination
The denomination is one of many religious groups in a particular society
Tends to attract a particular social class and/or ethnic group
Membership is typically voluntary and based upon common beliefs and values
Examples include the various Protestant denominations and Catholicism
Participate actively in society and cooperate with other religious groups

18. The Sect
The sect is usually a smaller religious body that adheres to unconventional beliefs or forms of worship that differ from mainstream religious practice
Sects generally reject some values of secular society (materialism, entertainment, fashion)
Sects are less likely to be tolerant of other religious groups

19. Millenarian Movements
Are like sects in that they are usually in tension with the larger society
Defined by their tendency to prophecy the end of the world
Millenarian movements tend to emerge during times of stress
Examples include the People’s Temple and Heaven’s Gate—both groups which committed mass suicide in response to their beliefs about the end of the world

20. Aspects of American Religion
Widespread Belief
Almost all Americans believe in God and 90% express a religious preference
Secularism
People and society are
less influenced by
religion than ever before
Ecumenism
Mainline religious groups
work together to project
unity and common direction

21. Causes of the Trends: Some Opinions
Widespread belief- need for traditional worldview even in the midst of social and technological change.
Secularism- the inability to integrate religious values with economic and social values resulting in compartmentalizing.
Ecumenism- Declining religious influence in public sphere causing groups to unify rather than compete.

22. Trends in Morocco
Which of the following can be seen in Morocco in the present or near future?
Widespread belief
Secularism (relationship between religion and economic or political issues)
Ecuminism (focus on unity or uniqueness with other Islamic countries or groups)
Other trends

23. Major Religions in the United States
Catholicism
Protestantism
Judaism
Islam

24. Protestantism About 56% of Americans identify as Protestants
Protestantism is an extremely fragmented category, made up of dozens of specific denominations
Protestant denominations generally fall into categories of liberal, moderate and conservative
Conservative Protestants tend to identify as either evangelical or fundamentalist

25. Catholicism About 28% of Americans identify as Catholics
Catholics tend to be younger, on average, than Protestants
Catholicism is strongly embraced by immigrant populations
20% of Catholics are ethnic minorities
Catholics have traditionally been poorer and less educated than Protestants. Since the 1960’s they have been the equal of Protestants
About 75% of Catholics live in urban areas

26. Judaism
Jews comprise about 2% of the American population, and getting smaller
Judaism is comprised of three broad groups:
Orthodox Jews—observe Jewish tradition very closely
Reform Jews—most liberal of Jewish groups; allow for major reinterpretation of religious practice and custom
Conservative Jews—less traditional than Orthodox Jews, but not willing to make major modification in religious observance
Jews are generally highly educated, though Reform Jews are most inclined toward secular education

27. Islam
Estimates of the number of Muslims in the U.S. is between 700,000 and 4 million—probably about 1% of the population.
About 25% of these are African American
There are an estimated 1 billion Muslims throughout the world and growing rapidly

28. Source: Gallup Poll Monthly, March, 1997

29. Social Correlates of Religious Affiliation
Religious affiliation seems to be closely linked with many important facets of people’s lives, including:
Economic Standing
Social Values
Education
Political Affiliation