Religion

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Religion
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What is Religion?

• A set of symbols, feelings of reverence, and
  rituals practiced by a community of believers
• Comprised of beliefs, symbols and rituals.
• Seeks to answer questions such as why we exist,
  why people suffer and die, and what happens when
  we die.
• All known societies over the past 100,000 years
  have had some form of religion.
• Religious beliefs and practices vary from culture
  to culture.

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What is Religion?

• Emile Durkheim The Elementary Forms of Religious
  Life (1912)
• Religion is a unified system of beliefs and
  practices relative to sacred things
• Religions component parts
• A theology
• Organized set of beliefs and practice--doctrine
• A set of rituals
• Beliefs are translated into behaviors--faith must
  be observable
• Classification of sacred and profane objects
• Sacred (Elements that are set apart from the
  everyday world and treated with reverence)
• Profane (Elements of the everyday world)

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Religion as a Social Construction

• Religious truths are always subject to change
• Although religious truths are socially
  constructed they have a symbolic realism
• The symbols constructed have a real effect on
  life and how we interpret it--Thomas Theorem
• Examples of the fluid nature of religion
• Secularization (Peter Berger)
• Process in which religion is challenged by the
  notions of science and the products of
  modernization
• Fundamentalism
• The revitalization of faith based on the literal
  interpretation of religious doctrine

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Civil Religion/Civic Religion

• A system of values associated with sacred symbols
  that is integrated into the broader society and
  shared by the society's members, regardless of
  their individual religious affiliations (e.g.,
  patriotism, nationalism)

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Four Categories of Religion

• Simple supernaturalism - the belief that
  supernatural forces affect people's lives
  positively or negatively.
• Animism - the belief that plants, animals, and
  elements of the natural world are endowed with
  spirits that impact events in society.
• Theism - belief in a God or Gods.
• Transcendent idealism - belief in sacred
  principles of thought and conduct, such as truth,
  justice, life and tolerance for others.

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Functionalism Functions of Religion

• Provides meaning and purpose to life
• Promotes emotional well-being by addressing
  important individual questions (Why am I here?)
• A source of social cohesion
• Assists in the building of social ties, further
  integrating people, gives a sense of belonging
• Provides a support system
• Provides strength and comfortespecially in times
  of crisis

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Functionalism Functions of Religion (contd.)

• Social services
• Provides much in the way of voluntary services to
  those less fortunate
• A source of social control
• Often legitimizes the efforts of government to
  engage in social sanctioning and the placement of
  boundaries on behavior
• A source of social change
• Many social movements have had religion as their
  source of support and inspiration
• Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi

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Conflict Theory

• Karl Marx
• Religion is the opiate of the people
• Argued that religion is an ideology which creates
  false consciousness amongst the working classes
• Religion makes people apathetic to their plight
• Leads people to falsely believe that those with
  more are more deserving
• Gives people the belief that their suffering here
  on earth is purposefulfor ultimate reward on the
  other side

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Conflict Theory

• Max Weber The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of
  Capitalism (1904)
• Religious shift is significant to the course of
  social change, religion could be a catalyst to
  produce social change
• Explored the interconnectedness of Protestantism
  and the growth of Capitalism
• The Protestant ethic is derived from the concept
  of predestination
• Since predestination could not be known it was
  assumed that outward symbols could give some
  indication - collection of wealth reflects Gods
  elect
• Encouraged people to acquire wealth through
  self-discipline and hard work - acquisition of
  wealth deemed a moral good

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Symbolic Interactionism

• What meaning does religion hold for people?
• Gives sense of purpose to life
• Religion serves as a reference group to help
  people define themselves.
• Womens versions of a certain religion usually
  differ from mens versions.

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Types of Religious Organization

• A church
• Inclusive religious body (moral community)
  engaged in formalized worship
• A denomination
• A socially and legally recognized religious body
• Exist within a religion through shared theology
  but contain differences in interpretation of such
  theology
• A sect
• Smaller but formalized
• Focus on salvation and otherworldly
  concerns--hostile to society
• A cult
• Smallest but not formalized--lacking well defined
  structure
• Typically organized around charismatic leaders

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Churches and Sects
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Gender and Religion

• Religious organizations are dominated by men.
• Barbara Harris 1st female Episcopal bishop
• In both Buddhism Christianity, women were
  allowed to express strong religious convictions
  by choosing to become nuns.
• In 1993, women were finally accepted as priests
  in Great Britain.
• In the U.S., women have been ordained as
  ministers in about half of the Protestant
  denominations.
• In Orthodox Judaism, women in the U.S. can become
  rabbis.

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Major World Religions
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World ReligionsChristianity

• The largest of the world religions
• Dates back 2,000 years
• Roots in Judaism
• Begins as a cult led by a Jew in the Middle-East
  (Israel/Palestine)
• Contains many denominations
• History recorded in the New Testament of the
  BibleShares the first five books of the Hebrew
  Bible with Jews
• Engaged in missionary work and military conquest
  to bolster expansion

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World ReligionsIslam

• Worlds 2nd largest religion
• Like Christianity, faith spread through
  missionary and military work
• Fastest-growing religion
• Founded in the 7th century by the teachings of
  Muhammad
• History recorded in the Qur an
• Includes references to Jesus, Abraham, and Moses
• Two major division
• Shiite (Fundamentalist)
• Sunni (More Secular and larger in representation)

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World ReligionsHinduism

• The oldest and third largest religion
• Mostly practiced in India
• Expansion of followers tied to natural growth
• A polytheistic faith lacking a specific sacred
  text
• No one supreme being sitting in judgment
• Followers undergo reincarnation in death
• On a journey toward nirvana (place of spiritual
  perfection)

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World ReligionsBuddhism

• Does not accept notion of a divine being
• Grew out of Hinduism
• Focus is on living in proper manner so as to
  achieve enlightenment
• All humans thought to possess Godliness just
  unable to tap into it

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World ReligionsJudaism

• Provides the theological roots for Christianity
  and Islam
• Small in numbers
• 18 million worldwide
• History is recorded in the first five books of
  the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Torah
• Believe a covenant with God and Abraham makes
  them the chosen people destined to live out their
  lives in Israel
• Driven out by the Romans over 2,000 years ago and
  witnessed a return in 1948
• Now fighting with Muslim Palestinians over who is
  the rightful settlers of Israel

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World ReligionsConfucianism

• Quite secular in form
• Founded by the Chinese philosopher, followers
  mostly in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
• Based on a code of self-discipline
• Work toward the achievement of earthly reward
  rather than supernatural reward

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Global Distribution of World Religions
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Trends in Religion in the U.S.

• Approximately 80-85 of Americans say they
  believe in God.
• Although 50 of Americans say they attend church
  weekly, research suggests only 20-25 attend
  weekly.
• Half of Catholics in the U.S. reject the notion
  that the Pope is the voice of God.
• The rise of a new fundamentalism has occurred at
  the same time as mainline denominations have been
  losing membership.
• Some members of the political elite in Washington
  have vowed to bring religion "back" into schools
  and public life.
• During the 1990s the Christian Coalition proved
  to be a potent force in U.S. politics.

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Who is Religious in the U.S.?
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U.S. Religious Bodies Membership
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Major U.S. denominations that self-identify as
Christian
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Major U.S. denominations that self-identify as
Christian (contd.)