Chapter Preview
Section 1: Religion and Sociology
Section 2: Theoretical Perspectives
Section 3: Religious Organization and
Religiosity
Section 4: Religion in the United States
Chapter Preview · Section 1
Religion and Sociology (pages 464–466)
Religion is concerned with sacred things.
Durkheim concluded that every religion separates
the sacred from the profane. Sociologists face
some unique problems studying religion. They do
not evaluate the validity of various religions but
look at these aspects of religion that can be
measured and observed in society.
Chapter Preview · Section 2
Theoretical Perspectives (pages 467–474)
Religion has several functions. It legitimates the
structure of society, promotes social unity, and
provides a sense of meaning and belonging. Marx
argued that religion is used to justify and maintain the
group in power. Weber believed that religion could
promote social change. He connected the Protestant
ethic and the rise of capitalism.
Chapter Preview · Section 3
Religious Organization and Religiosity
(pages 475–480)
The major forms of religious organization are
churches, denominations, sects, and cults.
Religiosity—the ways people express their religious
interests and convictions—can be analyzed in terms
of five dimensions: belief, ritual, intellect, experience,
and consequences.
Chapter Preview · Section 4
Religion in the United States (pages 481–488)
Through the process of secularization, the sacred and
the profane are intermixed. There has been revival of
religious fundamentalism in the United States. The
major religious faiths can be analyzed by major social
characteristics.
Religion is concerned with sacred things.
Durkheim concluded that every religion
separates the sacred from the profane.
Sociologists studying religion face some unique
problems. They do not judge the validity of
various religions but rather look at those
aspects of religion that can be measured and
observed in society.
• religion
• sacred
• profane
Which of the following do you find
sacred?
A. The Bible
B. The Buddha
C. The Torah
D. A dreamcatcher
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Functionalism and Religion
• A religion is a unified system of beliefs
and practices concerned with sacred
things.
Functionalism and Religion (cont.)
• Every society distinguishes between these
two definitions:
– Sacred—things and ideas that are set
apart and given a special meaning that
goes beyond, or transcends, immediate
existence.
– Profane (secular)—commonplace and
not involving the supernatural.
What is another word for profane?
A. Filthy
B. Clean
C. Secular
D. Sacred
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Sociological Study of Religion
• Sociologists approach religion as a human
creation and focus on social aspects of
religion that can be measured and observed.
• They do not judge the validity of any
religion.
Sociologists focus on social aspects
of religion that can be ______.
A. Measured
B. Observed
C. Measured and observed
D. None of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Religion has several functions. It legitimates the
structure of society, promotes social unity, and
provides a sense of meaning and belonging.
Marx argues that religion is used to justify and
maintain the group in power. Weber believed
that religion could promote social change. He
connected the protestant ethic and the rise of
capitalism.
• legitimate
• spirit of capitalism
• Protestant ethic
Which of the following serves as a
function of religion?
A. Legitimizes the
structure of society
B. Promotes social unity
C. Provides a sense of
meaning and belonging
D. All of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Functionalism and Religion
• Emile Durkheim believed that the essential
function of religion was to provide, through
sacred symbols, a mirror for members of
society to see themselves.
Functionalism and Religion (cont.)
• Social functions of religion:
– Religion gives formal approval to existing
social arrangements.
– Religious doctrine and scripture legitimate
the status quo.
Division of World
Population by Religions
Functionalism and Religion (cont.)
– Religion encourages a sense of unity but
can also cause fragmentation within a
society.
– Religion provides a sense of
understanding.
– Religion promotes a sense of belonging.
Religions of the
World
Major World Religions
Which animal did early Hebrews
believe was unclean?
A. Horse
B. Cow
C. Pig
D. Sheep
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Conflict Theory and Religion
• Conflict theory focuses on how religion
works to either inhibit or encourage social
change.
Gender Inequality
in Religion
Conflict Theory and Religion (cont.)
• Marx’s view:
– He believed that once people have
created a unified system of sacred
beliefs and practices, they act as if it
were something beyond their control.
– Religion gives people a sense that all is
the way it should be.
Conflict Theory and Religion (cont.)
• Weber’s view:
– Unlike Marx, he believed that religion
could encourage social change.
– He saw a link between capitalism and
Protestantism.
Conflict Theory and Religion (cont.)
• The spirit of capitalism—work is a moral
obligation; investment for the future is
more important than immediate
consumption.
• Protestant ethic—a cluster of values,
norms, beliefs, and attitudes that stressed
virtue of hard work, thrift and self discipline.
Conflict Theory and Religion (cont.)
• Protestant/Calvinistic beliefs:
– God identifies his chosen people by
rewarding them in this world.
– Consumption beyond necessity is
considered sinful.
– There is an underlying purpose to life:
glorification of God on earth through
one’s occupation.
Do you think the dominant religion of
a country influences the economy of
that country?
A. Yes
B. No
0%
C
A
0%
B
C. Not sure
A. A
B. B
C.0%C
Symbolic Interactionism and Religion
• Peter Berger believes that humans create
from their religious traditions a canopy of
symbolic meanings to “lay” over the
secular world.
• These meanings provide stability and
security in a changing and uncertain
existence.
Religion
What is the name of the book
sociologist Peter Berger wrote?
A. Religious Ideas
B. The Sacred Canopy
C. Insecurity and Uncertainty
D. None of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The major forms of religious organizations are
churches, denominations, sects, and cults.
Religiosity—the ways people express their
religious beliefs and convictions—can be
analyzed in terms of five dimensions: belief,
ritual, intellect, experience, and consequences.
• church
• denomination
• sect
• cult
• religiosity
Which is NOT a major form of
religious organization?
A. Denomination
B. Church
C. Cult
D. Sunday
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C.0% C
B
0%
C
Religious Organization
• Church—a life-encompassing religious
organization to which all members of a
society belong.
• This exists when religion and the state are
intertwined.
Religious Organization (cont.)
• Denomination—one of several religious
organizations that most members of a
society accept as legitimate.
• Membership is voluntary and competition
for members between them is acceptable.
Religious Organization (cont.)
• Sect—a religious organization formed
when members of an existing religious
organization break away in an attempt to
reform the “parent” group.
• Cult—a religious organization whose
characteristics are not drawn from existing
religious traditions within a society.
The Amish are a religious ______?
A. Sect
B. Cult
C. Denomination
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C.0% C
B
0%
C
Religiosity
• Religiosity refers to the types of religious
attitudes and behaviors people display in
their everyday lives.
Public Charities
Religiosity (cont.)
• The 5 dimensions:
– Belief—what a person considers to be
true
– Ritual—a religious practice that
members are expected to perform
Religiosity (cont.)
– Intellectual dimension—knowledge of
one’s faith
– Experience—feeling attached to
religious expression
– Consequences—decisions and
commitments made because of their
religion
Which is NOT a dimension of
religiosity?
A. Ritual
B. Experience
C. Academic
D. Belief
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
Through the process of secularization, the
sacred and the profane tend to become
intermixed. There has been a revival of
religious fundamentalism in the United States.
Religious faiths can be analyzed by the major
social characteristics such as class and political
tendencies.
• secularization
• fundamentalism
Do you agree that there should be a
separation of church and state?
A. Agree
B. Disagree
C. Not sure
0%
A
A. A
B. B
0%
C. C
B
0%
C
The Development of Religion in
America
• The idea of a separation between church
and state is a cornerstone of American life.
• However, religious persecution has still
occurred.
Which religious group came to
America to search for religious
freedom?
A. Puritans
B. Calvinists
C. Catholics
0%
A
A. A
B. B
0%
C. C
B
0%
C
Secularization in the United States
• Secularization is the process of the
sacred losing influence over society, or
aspects of the sacred entering into the
secular world of everyday life.
Percentage of Americans
Saying Religion is Very
Important in Their Lives:
1952–2005
Global Comparisons in
Religiousity
What percent of the United States is
without a religious preference?
A. 3
B. 9
C. 15
D. 20
0%
A
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
B
A
B
0%
C
D
C
0%
D
Religious Preferences
• Americans in the early 2000s were largely
Protestant (50%).
• Catholics constitute about 24% of the
population.
• Jews constitute about 2% of the
population.
Membership in Selected
Religious Organizations in
the United States
Which Protestant denomination is
that largest?
A. Methodists
B. Episcopalian
C. Lutheran
D. Baptist
0%
A
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
B
A
B
0%
C
D
C
0%
D
Fundamentalism in America
• Fundamentalism is based on the desire
to resist secularization and to adhere
closely to traditional religious beliefs,
rituals, and doctrines.
Fundamentalism in America (cont.)
• Two issues disturbed the early
fundamentalists:
– The spread of secularism.
– The movement away from emphasis on
the traditional message of Christianity
toward an emphasis on social service.
Fundamentalism in America (cont.)
• Christian fundamentalists believe in:
– the literal truth of the Scriptures.
– being “born again.”
Fundamentalism in America (cont.)
– the responsibility of believers to give
witness for God.
– the presence of Satan.
– the destruction of the world before the
Messiah’s return.
Fundamentalism in America (cont.)
• Fundamentalism is strong today because:
– many Americans feel their world is out of
control.
– the fundamentalist churches provide
solace to people who don’t feel
connected elsewhere.
Fundamentalism in America (cont.)
– they offer a more purely sacred
environment.
– they can use the mass media to reach
people.
American Church
Membership Trends:
1990–1999
Fundamentalism is found in which
religions?
A. Roman Catholic
B. Judaism
C. Protestant denominations
D. All of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
B
A
B
0%
C
D
C
0%
D
Religion, Class and Politics
• Religious affiliation is related to:
– social class
– upper versus lower class
– political beliefs
Upperclasses display their religiosity by
A. Church membership
B. Church attendance
C. Observance of ritual
D. All of the above
0%
A
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
B
A
B
0%
C
D
C
0%
D
Religion, Science, and Society
• Religion involves matters beyond human
observation, while science is all about
observation.
• Depending on the values and norms of the
culture, society may favor religious or
scientific explanations.
Religion, Science, and Society (cont.)
• Many debates have involved the school
system.
• Today, some topics in science are closely
tied to ethics, so the interface between
science and religion is increasing.
What state removed any questions about
evolution from the state high school exit
examination in 1999?
A. Vermont
B. Oklahoma
C. Oregon
D. Kansas
0%
A
A.
B.
0%
C.
D.
B
A
B
0%
C
D
C
0%
D
Division of World Population by Religions*
* Figures shown are estimates and do not total to
100 due to rounding errors.
Major World Religions
Source: World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2005.
Percentage of Americans Saying Religion is Very Important in
Their Lives: 1952–2005
Source: The Gallup Organization, Gallup polls on
religion.
Membership in Selected Religious Organizations in the
United States
Source: World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2005.
American Church Membership Trends: 1990–1999
Source: Yearbook of American and Canadian
Churches, 1999.
Public Charities
Source: National Center for Charitable
Statistics, 2004.
Religions of the World
Adapted from The State of Religion Atlas, New
York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
Gender Inequality in Religion
Adapted from The State of Religion Atlas, New
York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
religion
a unified system of beliefs and practices
concerned with sacred things
sacred
holy; set apart and given a special
meaning that goes beyond, or transcends,
immediate existence
profane
nonsacred
legitimate
to justify or give official approval to
spirit of capitalism
the obligation to reinvest money in business
rather than to spend it
Protestant ethic
a set of values, norms, beliefs, and attitudes
stressing hard work, thrift, and self-discipline
church
a life-encompassing religious organization
to which all members of a society belong
denomination
one of several religious organizations that most
members of a society accept as legitimate
sect
a religious organization that arises out of
a desire to reform an existing religious
organization
cult
a religious organization whose
characteristics are not drawn from existing
religious traditions within a society
religiosity
ways in which people express their
religious interests and convictions
secularization
process through which the sacred loses
influence over society
fundamentalism
the resistance of secularization and the
rigid adherence to traditional religious
beliefs, rituals, and doctrines
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