Religion

1. Religion

2. Religion as a Social Institution • Religion: • Set of institutionalized beliefs and practices that deal with the meaning of life • Beliefs and actions related to the supernatural • Relieves anxiety when the world doesn’t make sense

3. Elements of Religion • Religious Beliefs: • Define the supernatural/divine order, clarify humans’ role • Organize perceptions of the world • Create a guide for behavior

4. Elements of Religion • Religious Beliefs: • Myth: Narrative stories about supernatural forces or beings • Serve to express core beliefs and teach morality • Transmit information about survival and conservation • Doctrine: Direct statements about religious beliefs • Written, formal

5. Elements of Religion • Religious Rituals: • Formal enactments of religious beliefs • Activities have symbolic meanings

6. Elements of Religion • Religious Rituals: • Periodic rituals

7. Elements of Religion • Religious Rituals: • Periodic rituals • Life-cycle rituals • Separation • Transition • Reintegration

8. Elements of Religion • Religious Rituals: • Periodic rituals • Life-cycle rituals • Separation • Transition • Reintegration • Pilgrimage

9. Elements of Religion • Religious Rituals: • Periodic rituals • Life-cycle rituals • Separation • Transition • Reintegration • Pilgrimage • Rituals of inversion

10. Elements of Religion • Religious Rituals: • Periodic rituals • Life-cycle rituals • Separation • Transition • Reintegration • Pilgrimage • Rituals of inversion • Sacrifice

11. Elements of Religion • Subjective Experiences: • Arise out of rituals and beliefs • Religion provides framework to interpret inner states

12. Elements of Religion • Community: • Shared beliefs, rituals, experiences create a community of believers

13. An Evolutionary Model of Religion • Magic  Religion  Science • Magic: People’s attempt to compel supernatural forces/beings to act in certain ways • Imitative magic: • Contagious magic: • Arose out of need for explanation; esp. difference between living and dead • Animism:

14. A Functionalist Theory of Religion • Durkheim: Societies distinguish between • Sacred: That which is holy, inspires awe, must be treated with respect • Profane: Ordinary, everyday things that may be treated casually

15. A Functionalist Theory of Religion • Totem: Sacred emblem that members of a group treat with reverence • To Durkheim, totems were symbols of deity and symbols of society • Experiences we categorize as religious are responses to social forces • Role of science vs. role of religion

16. A Conflict Theory of Religion • Marx: • Religion serves the interests of the ruling elite • Masks the exploitation of the workers and the class inequality of capitalism • Alienation

17. Religion as an Agent of Social Change • Weber: • Calvinism: • Doctrine of Predestination • Worldly Asceticism

18. Types of Religious Organizations • Established church • Organization that claims unique legitimacy • Has positive relationship with society

19. Types of Religious Organizations • Sect • Organization that claims unique legitimacy • Stands apart from society

20. Types of Religious Organizations • Denomination • Organization that accepts legitimacy of other religions • Has positive relationship with society

21. Types of Religious Organizations • Cult • Organization that accepts legitimacy of other religions • Has negative relationship with society

22. Dilemmas of Institutionalization • Mixed motivations • Symbol systems • Organization • Letter vs. spirit of religious law • Conversion vs. coercion