Chapter 12: Religion
The Meaning of Sacred Meaning
Soc 100
Dr. Santos
What does religion do for us?
► Meets
basic spiritual needs
 Explains the meaning of life and suffering
► The
sacred realm- the dimension of life
separate from the mundane; elicits awe
► Provides guidelines, beliefs, and values that
separate right from wrong
► Sacrilizes our culture - makes some things in
our culture sacred and unquestionable
Components of religion
►
►
►
Meaning system- a faith or world-view
that provides a sense of meaning and
purpose in life
Belonging system- a set of
interpersonal relationships and friendship
networks
Structural system- a stable pattern of
roles, statuses, and organizational
practices
Meaning system
► Micro-level
► Includes
the ideas and symbols of religion
► Provides a “big picture” explanation for
chaotic or otherwise incomprehensible
events
► The meaning system of religions vary with
the needs of each culture
Belonging system
► Micro-
and meso-level
► Many people join religions because they feel
a sense of belonging there, not just because
they believe in the tenants
► Religions in the U.S. that encourage
endogamy and foster belongingness have
been the most successful in recent years
Structural system
► Macro-
and global-level
► Religious authorities must interpret certain tenants
of faith - otherwise there would be little common
meaning, just individual interpretations
► Religions must find a way of raising funds,
ensuring group coordination, etc.
► Religions must become institutionalized in order to
survive
 Routinization of charisma
How do individuals become
religious? Micro-level analysis
► Religion
is mostly learned through family
socialization
 Formal means- within a temple, church, or
mosque
 Informal means- by observing others practice
their religions, “do what they preach”
► Individuals
usually change religions first on
the belonging level - meaning and structural
levels follow
Symbolic interactionist perspective
Concerned with how people make sense of
things and construct their worlds
►


Myths - stories embodying ideas about the world
Rituals - group activities in which myths are
reinforced
►
►

►
Orthopraxy- conformity of behavior
Orthodoxy- conformity of beliefs
Symbols - anything that can stand for something else
Symbols are used extensively in rituals to
represent myths
Rational choice perspective
► Individuals
who have freedom of religion
decide whether to belong to a religious
group by weighing the costs and benefits of
membership
► Churchgoers viewed as consumers
► Churches seen as entrepreneurial
establishments
► Religious groups produce commodities to
meet consumer demand
Religion and modern life:
Meso-level analysis
►
►
In more complex societies, religion is
distinct from other institutions, but
influences and is influenced by them
The dominant religion generally supports
the political system and ideology of the
dominant group and can be pressured by
other institutions
Religion and family
►
►
Parents provide our first contact with
religion
Religiosity- a persons degree of religious
involvement

►
Associated with positive moral beliefs and
behaviors
Religion can sometimes increase family
tensions
Religion and politics
Theocracy - rule by God (or religious leaders who
act in accordance with God’s presumed wishes)
► State religion - a religion that has some
autonomy but receives state tax money
►

Some states prohibit religion
Civil religion - a movement that develops in
complex societies which is based on a set of
beliefs, symbols, and rituals that pervade many
aspects of secular life and institutions; they
endorse what the nation stands for.
►

E.g., the American Creed
Religion and the economy
► Max




Weber- Protestantism and capitalism
Predestination
“The calling”
Self denial and delayed gratification
Individualism
► Religion
is a big business in the United
States
► When the economy is bad, religions arise
that predict a swift end to the world
Types of religious associations
►
►
►

The ecclesia - claim everybody within the boundaries of
a certain society as members
Denominations - generally supports the basic values of
the larger society, has a clear hierarchy, trained
leadership, and accommodates the state
Sects - form in protest against its parent religion;
separated from other religions and social groups, claim a
monopoly over religious truth, and often demand total
allegiance of their members
New religious movements - unlike sects, if these
groups survive for several generations, become
established, and gain some legitimacy, they become new
religions in the society rather than new denominations of
the existing faith
Religion in society:
Macro-level analysis
► Functionalist
perspective - religion has
positive consequences in society through:
 Promoting social cohesion
 “Blessing” (legitimizing) social values and norms
 Promoting social change (e.g., nation-building,
social justice, conquest, etc.)
Religion in society:
Macro-level analysis
►
Conflict perspective - religion can serve
different purposes for people based on
their position in society and can reinforce
socially-defined differences in a way that
legitimizes inequality


Marx - religion perpetuates the current social
structure and acts as “the opiate of the
masses”
Religion is class-based in most societies
►
Elective affinity
Racial bias, gender prejudice,
and religion
► Part
of conflict theory
► Ministers used to interpret sacred texts to
justify, explain and sustain racial hierarchies
► Women have traditionally been more active
in religion than men, but are often denied
the highest positions within the church
Religion in North America
► Religion
as a whole has been more stable
than unstable over time
► Mainline Protestant & Catholic religions are
losing members while fundamentalist
(Evangelical) and Pentecostal groups are
gaining members
Secularization
► Secularization
- a movement away from the
supernatural and sacred in favor of logic
and empirical evidence
 Acts differently on different levels of analysis
 There is a general trend toward secularization,
but religion is still very important at the microlevel and has numerous macro-level
consequences, including fundamentalist
backlashes
 The global level is almost totally secular
Social policy:
The homosexual debates
► Opposition
to homosexuality is very high
among fundamentalists
► Liberals see the rejection of homosexuals
within churches as discriminatory
► Policy issues for the future include:
 Whether homosexuals can become clergy
 Whether gay marriage should be permitted
 Whether churches should become involved in
governmental policies: e.g., constitutional
amendment banning gay marriage
Religion in the modern world
►
►
Fundamentalist groups - those that
believe in a literal interpretation of their
holy books and a personal experience with
their deity; generally believe they are the
one true religion; often reject modernity
Liberal theologians - believe there can
be more than one path to truth (though
they may feel that their personal beliefs
are the fullest and most complete path);
some emphasize social justice, peace
► Most
religious groups advocate peace and
harmony, but some try to spread what they
see as the “true word” through force
► Conflict between religious groups is more
intense if ethnic, larger religious, and
economic differences exist
► Religion can also reduce hatred between
groups if there are some commonalities
between groups
► New technology has allowed for greater
spread of religions