functionalism

• functions of religion for society

  -social harmony

  -guidelines

  -emotional support

  -gives security
• conservative force

  -maintains & restores traditional beliefs & customs

  -maintains the status quo
• force for social change

  -religious beliefs & organisations can change and help move society forward
• function of religion

  -religion has a positive function for society, it is a conservative force

  -maintains social harmony & cohesion

  -society survives if people share beliefs about right & wrong

  -keeps social order
• Durkheim

  -religions & institutions create and maintain the value consensus, order & solidarity

  -religion is social glue - it binds people together

  -2 types of objects: sacred objects; profane objects.

  -sacred objects: people & rituals that are significant.

  -profane objects: people & activities that are ordinary.

  -thought that there was nothing special about sacred objects, it is the people that make them special.

  -society decides what is sacred: studied religion in the Arunta tribe. Found that totems they worshiped represented society. In place of making totems they bonded because of shared beliefs.

  -example: Maradona church made a profane object sacred and bonded based on their beliefs.
• totenism

  -shared kingship or relationship with a spirited being
• Malinowski

  -religion helps people deal with emotional stress, relieves tension and creates stability.

  -ppts observation, function of religion is to help people & society deal with emotional stresses during life crises, do this via beliefs.

  -religion also helps deal with uncontrollable situations: found that when people were fishing in the deep-ocean they did religious rituals for comfort - helps them relax.
• similarities & differences: Durkheim & Malinowski

  -both think that religion legitimises core values

  -Malinowski did not think that religion reflects society as a whole, unlike Durkheim.
• Parsons

  -religion legitimises core values & provides meaning

  -social solidarity is promoted

  -value consensus is promoted

  -answers to ultimate questions are given

  -promotes social order
• AO3

  -functionalist theory ignores the negative aspects of religion

  -there is less religion so these functions do not have as much impact

  -there is no value consensus as there is too many religions
• neo-functionalism

  -Bellah (1967): in a modern multi-faith society bonding happens via a civil religion (values of a nation are expressed via public symbols on sacred days)

  -example: Americanism: use a lot of religious talk e.g., 'God bless America'. Promotes national identity & includes all religions - the God worshiped embraces all Americans.