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Religious Institutions

Religion shapes beliefs and practices, fostering community among its followers. It provides personal spiritual experiences and answers existential questions about life and death. While preindustrial societies were dominated by religious influence, industrialization has led to a separation of religion from social and economic activities. Religion also serves as a force for social control, binding communities during crises but potentially inhibiting social change. Throughout history, various religions like Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism have played significant roles in shaping moral and social structures.

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Religious Institutions

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  1. Religious Institutions

  2. Religion and Society • What is religion? • A system of beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies • Promotes community among followers • Provides a personal spiritual experience for its members

  3. The Great Transformation of Societies • In preindustrial societies, religion dominates all aspects of society. • In industrial societies, the institution of religion has become separated from many social and economic activities • Why do you think this is the case?

  4. Function of Religion • What does religion do for people? • Gives them hope of something better than what they have now. • Gives answers to unknowing questions. • What happens when I die? • Why am I here? • What is the point to life? • Serves to bind people together in times of crisis and confusion

  5. Social Change • How can religion contribute to social change? • Protestant work ethic: • Disciplined commitment to worldly labor driven by a desire to bring glory to God • Shared by followers of Martin Luther and John Calvin • Do you think Religion teaches ‘work ethic’? • How?

  6. Social Control • Can religion control society? • Yes? • Inhibits social change • Forces masses into submission by offering a consolation for their harsh lives on earth • Promotes social instability by perpetuating patterns of social inequality • Believers vs. Nonbelievers

  7. Examples of Social Control by Religion

  8. Examples of Social Control by Religion

  9. Gender and Religion • Women have played fundamental role in religious socialization • However, they take subordinate role in religious leadership • Most religions are patriarchal • Leader is a male • Reinforce men’s dominance in secular and spiritual matters • Women compose 12.8 percent of U.S. clergy

  10. Characteristics of Religion • Beliefs • Ideas, based upon faith, that people consider true • The sacred • Sacred: that which has supernatural qualities • Rituals • Routines that reinforce the faith • Moral communities • People who share a religious belief • Personal experience • Grants meaning to life

  11. Americans Believe

  12. 3 Components of Religion • Denominations • Sects • Cults

  13. Components of Religion • Denomination: • Large, organized religion with strong support in the world • Christianity • Muslim • Judaism • Hinduism

  14. Components of Religion • Sect: • Relatively small religious group that has broken away from some other religious organization to renew what it considers the original vision of the faith • Protestants • Episcopalians • Church of Christ

  15. American’s Religious Preferences

  16. Components of Religion • Cult • Small, alternative faith community that represents either a new religion or a major innovation in an existing faith • Similar to sects • Tend to be small • Are often viewed as less respectable than more established faiths

  17. Cults Non-conventional religious group Social conditions demand separation Members required to withdraw from normal life Full-time communal obligation for members Sects and Cults

  18. Christianity • World’s largest religion • 2 largest branches • Roman Catholic • Pope is head of Church in Vatican City. • Protestant • Luther breaks away from Roman Catholic Church in 16th century

  19. Goal of Christianity

  20. Judaism • Numerically smallest of world religions • Important beliefs: • God’s chosen people • Torah: first 5 books of the Bible; oldest truths from God • Major divisions • Orthodox: strictly traditional • Reform: liberal and worldly • Conservative: middle ground between Orthodox and Reform

  21. Goals of Judaism

  22. Hinduism • Largest of the Eastern religions • Concentrated largely in India • Important beliefs • Dharma: special force that makes daily demands and sacred obligations • Comes from main God = Shiva • Karma: spirit remains through life, death, rebirth • Organization • Caste membership

  23. Symbols of Hinduism

  24. Buddhism • Large religion throughout Asia • Includes southeast Asian countries and China • Based upon teachings of Buddha (the enlightened one) • Only monks can spread his teachings • Important beliefs • To relieve human suffering one must follow a path that ultimately leads to enlightenment • “Right” thoughts and actions must be daily performed and evaluated through meditation

  25. Buddhist Monks

  26. Confucius attempted to solve practical problems of daily living Jen: human sympathy that binds people in 5 basic relationships Sovereign and subject Parent and child Older brother and younger brother Husband and wife Friend and friend Confucianism

  27. Is religion bad? • Stunts intellectual growth • Spanish Inquisition • Arrested or killed any philosophers against Church. • Galileo • Enlightenment Movement in Europe. • Causes social inequality • Believers vs. nonbelievers • Denomination vs. Denomination

  28. Is religion good? • Gives hope of something better! • Answers questions science fails to. • Gives us community spirit! • Not to mention cool holidays!

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