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Sociology on Religion
• Not about studying God or Gods or the existence of God – that’s theology or philosophy
• It’s about studying people, patterns of belief, impact on groups
Perspectives: Karl Marx
• “The opiate of the people”
• Believed religion was negative and destructive
• Argued that religion was deterring people from fighting for equal treatment
Emile Durkheim
• The first sociologist to examine religion scientifically
• Wondered why all societies have some form of religion
• Adopted a functionalist view• Religion
– Gives formal approval to existing social arrangements– Encourages unity– Provides sense of understanding– Provides sense of belonging
• Organic & Mechanical Solidarity
Max Weber
• “Switchman on the tracks”
• Mostly agreed with Durkheim
• Argued that rather than society affecting religion, religion affected society
• Eg: Protestant values preached by Martin Luther and John Calvin directly impacted the advent of Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution – “The Protestant Work Ethic”
Secularism & Fundamentalism
• Secularism – separation of church and state. The Sacred loses influence over society.
• Fundamentalism – resistance of secularization and rigid adherence to traditional beliefs, rituals and doctrines.
Religious Organization
• Religion – a personal or institutionalized system of belief in a supernatural power
• Church (Ecclesia) – a type of religious organization to which all people in that society are members
• Denomination – a well-established religious organization in which a substantial portion of the population are members (pluralistic society)
• Sect – religious organization that arises out of a desire to reform an existing religious organization (usually a denomination). Relatively small.
• Cult – a relig. organization whose characteristics are not drawn from existing religious traditions within a society. Founded on the revelations of a person believed to have special knowledge.
Cults• Often lead by a central, charismatic figure• Make claims about special knowledge only revealed to
insiders• Tend to reject the rest of society• Followers are often disillusioned by religion/life in
general• Often urge severing of ties with non-cult members• Members often urged to give-up money, personal
possessions• Cults usually fit one of the following 3 typologies
– According to a mystically-oriented illumination type– an instrumental type, in which inner experience is sought
solely for its effects– a service-oriented type that is focused on aiding others.
Jonestown
• Jim Jones led the People’s Temple
• Settlement on Guyana
• On November 18 of 1978, over 900 people died in the settlement in a Mass Suicide
• Participants drank cyanide laced Kool-Aid
• Some were actually murdered