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Functionalist Theory of Religion
- Durkheim
- Religion is a distinction between
sacred and profane
- Sacred = Set apart, forbidden,
inspires awe and wonder
- Profane = No significance
- Sacred = Set apart, forbidden,
inspires awe and wonder
- When people worship, they are
worshipping society itself.
- All Symbols unite believers into a
'single moral community'
- All Symbols unite believers into a
'single moral community'
- Totemism
- Arunta clan = Kin coming together
worship a sacred totem
- They worship society, totem
represents the power of the group
- Arunta clan = Kin coming together
worship a sacred totem
- Collective Conscience
- Shared norms and values that make
co-operation possible.
- Shared religious rituals remind individuals of
the single moral community that they should be
loyal to
- Gives individuals motivation to overcome
obstacles
- Shared norms and values that make
co-operation possible.
- Source of conceptual thinking, origin of human
thought, reason and science
- Criticisms
- Durkheim theories can be applied to smaller
societies, but doesn't explain the conflict between
views in larger ones
- Mestrovic (PostMod): Increased diversity has
fragmented collective conscience. No longer single
shared values
- Durkheim theories can be applied to smaller
societies, but doesn't explain the conflict between
views in larger ones
- Religion is a distinction between
sacred and profane
- Psychological Functions
- Malinowski (1954): Helps individuals cope
with emotional stress:
- Where the outcome of a situation is uncertain
- Minimises disruption in a life crisis: Death is the main
reason for religious belief
- Where the outcome of a situation is uncertain
- Malinowski (1954): Helps individuals cope
with emotional stress:
- Parsons (1967)
- Religion creates and legitimises society's
central values
- Legitimises norms and values by making them sacred. E.g. In US,
protestantism involves values of individualism, meritocracy and
self-discipline.
- Legitimises norms and values by making them sacred. E.g. In US,
protestantism involves values of individualism, meritocracy and
self-discipline.
- It is the primary source of meaning
- Answers questions such as why good people suffer or
why people die young. Helps people adjust and
maintains stability
- Answers questions such as why good people suffer or
why people die young. Helps people adjust and
maintains stability
- Religion creates and legitimises society's
central values
- Civil Religion
- Bellah (1970)
- Civil Religion = attaching sacred qualities to society
itself. E.g, Americanism
- Loyalty to nation state and flag.
- Loyalty to nation state and flag.
- Civil Religion = attaching sacred qualities to society
itself. E.g, Americanism
- Bellah (1970)
- Evaluation
- Neglects the view that religion is a source
of oppression on women and the poor
- Ignores religion as a source of conflict, especially in
places with many religions such as Northern Ireland
- Civil religion is not actually religion if
there is no supernatural belief
- Neglects the view that religion is a source
of oppression on women and the poor
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