Religious Institutions
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Religion and Society
• What is religion?
– A system of beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies
– Promotes community among followers
– Provides a personal spiritual experience for its
members
2
The Great Transformation of
Societies
• In preindustrial societies, religion dominates all
aspects of society.
• In industrial societies, the institution of religion
has become separated from many social and
economic activities
– Why do you think this is the case?
3
Function of Religion
• What does religion do for people?
– Gives them hope of something better than what
they have now.
– Gives answers to unknowing questions.
• What happens when I die?
• Why am I here?
• What is the point to life?
– Serves to bind people together in times of crisis
and confusion
4
Social Change
• How can religion contribute to social
change?
• Protestant work ethic:
• Disciplined commitment to worldly labor driven
by a desire to bring glory to God
• Shared by followers of Martin Luther and
John Calvin
• Do you think Religion teaches ‘work ethic’?
• How?
5
Social Control
• Can religion control society?
– Yes?
– Inhibits social change
– Forces masses into submission by offering a
consolation for their harsh lives on earth
– Promotes social instability by perpetuating
patterns of social inequality
– Believers vs. Nonbelievers
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Examples of Social Control by
Religion
7
Examples of Social Control by
Religion
8
Gender and Religion
– Women have played fundamental role in
religious socialization
• However, they take subordinate role in religious
leadership
• Most religions are patriarchal
– Leader is a male
– Reinforce men’s dominance in secular and spiritual
matters
• Women compose 12.8 percent of U.S. clergy
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Characteristics of Religion
• Beliefs
– Ideas, based upon faith, that people consider true
• The sacred
– Sacred: that which has supernatural qualities
• Rituals
– Routines that reinforce the faith
• Moral communities
– People who share a religious belief
• Personal experience
– Grants meaning to life
10
Americans Believe
11
3 Components of Religion
• Denominations
• Sects
• Cults
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Components of Religion
– Denomination:
– Large, organized religion with strong
support in the world
– Christianity
– Muslim
– Judaism
– Hinduism
13
Components of Religion
– Sect:
– Relatively small religious group that has
broken away from some other religious
organization to renew what it considers the
original vision of the faith
• Protestants
• Episcopalians
• Church of Christ
14
American’s Religious Preferences
15
Components of Religion
– Cult
– Small, alternative faith community that
represents either a new religion or a major
innovation in an existing faith
• Similar to sects
• Tend to be small
• Are often viewed as less respectable
than more established faiths
16
Sects and Cults
• Cults
– Non-conventional religious
group
– Social conditions demand
separation
– Members required to
withdraw from normal life
– Full-time communal
obligation for members
17
Christianity
• World’s largest religion
• 2 largest branches
– Roman Catholic
• Pope is head of Church in Vatican City.
– Protestant
• Luther breaks away from Roman Catholic Church
in 16th century
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Goal of Christianity
Judaism
• Numerically smallest of world religions
• Important beliefs:
– God’s chosen people
– Torah: first 5 books of the Bible; oldest truths from
God
• Major divisions
– Orthodox: strictly traditional
– Reform: liberal and worldly
– Conservative: middle ground between Orthodox and Reform
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Goals of Judaism
Hinduism
• Largest of the Eastern religions
– Concentrated largely in India
• Important beliefs
– Dharma: special force that makes daily demands and
sacred obligations
• Comes from main God = Shiva
– Karma: spirit remains through life, death, rebirth
• Organization
– Caste membership
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Symbols of Hinduism
Buddhism
• Large religion throughout Asia
– Includes southeast Asian countries and China
• Based upon teachings of Buddha (the
enlightened one)
– Only monks can spread his teachings
• Important beliefs
– To relieve human suffering one must follow a path that ultimately
leads to enlightenment
– “Right” thoughts and actions must be daily performed and
evaluated through meditation
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Buddhist Monks
Confucianism
• Confucius
– attempted to solve practical
problems of daily living
• Jen: human sympathy that binds
people in 5 basic relationships
– Sovereign and subject
– Parent and child
– Older brother and younger
brother
– Husband and wife
– Friend and friend
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Is religion bad?
• Stunts intellectual growth
– Spanish Inquisition
• Arrested or killed any philosophers against Church.
– Galileo
– Enlightenment Movement in Europe.
• Causes social inequality
– Believers vs. nonbelievers
– Denomination vs. Denomination
Is religion good?
• Gives hope of something better!
• Answers questions science fails to.
• Gives us community spirit!
– Not to mention cool holidays!