When it comes to the study of religion, there are certain methods and protocols that must be followed in order to analyze a tradition or practice from an objective standpoint. This is why most scholars who study religion utilize the functionalist approach in order to look for a particular function that religion plays in society. One of the key components of this approach is Methodological atheism, or remaining suspicious of supernatural claims. In addition, the functionalist approach breaks down religious claims into social functions and focuses on what purpose a religion serves for the insiders who practice it. This approach involves asking questions such as who is making a claim, about what, and what purpose it may serve to the society that implements this claim.
In this first chapter of Jesus and the Disinherited , the author Howard Thurman describes
It is incredibly uncommon in this day and age for an individual to hold their own personal religion and line of beliefs. In most cases it wouldn 't even be categorized as a religion. Religion requires multiple persons. It is the breeding of individuals who see community as a defining factor in advancing their religious beliefs and immersing such beliefs into their lives. The aspect of community works differently amongst various religions, but one thing that seems to hold true across the board is that religion functions as a “social glue”. It can serve to hold individuals together, as well as an entire group of people. The counter-argument to this would certainly be that religion instead serves to rip communities apart. The latter to this is prominent in religious communities whose sole function is to impound intense religiosity into individuals in an atmosphere where the extensive nature and uniform of their beliefs are the highest priority. Jesus Camp, is a documentary that makes light of how religious communities function
I chose to watch the movie Jesus camp. The other movies didn’t sound as interesting as Jesus Camp. When I read the summery, I thought it would be a good fit since I like watching movies that have kids. I also went to a church camp when I was younger, so I thought it would be interesting to see what “Kids on Fire Church Camp” was compared to my church camp. I will be giving a brief explanation of the movie and talking about the theme of religion and politics.
Erich Fromm in his psychoanalytical approach to religion is distinct from the earlier works of Sigmund Freud. Fromm defines religion as “any system of thought and action shared by a group which gives the individual a frame of orientation and an object of devotion.” Fromm argues that irreligious systems including all the different kinds of idealism and “private” religions deserve being defined as a “religion.” Based on Fromm’s theory, it is explained that there is no human being who does not have a “religious need,” almost every part of human life reflects religious need and its fulfillment, in fact he states it to be “inherent” in man.
When we look at society from a social functionalist perspective we gain insight into how all of its parts work together to preserve a state of balance for all. Functionalism is utilized in sociology as a method of creating a framework to characterize social order, how all parts are connected and how they add value to the constancy of the society. This viewpoint stresses how each part is linked and how they affect one another. It emphasizes that the practice and beliefs of a religious group cannot be examined without reviewing in the context of the society as a whole which encompasses it’s politics, education system and economy. This is a more holistic view that helps us to understand the full function of religion within a society. In contrast
Religions across the globe have conceptualized a belief, generally surrounding the implementations and implications of th...
Being a Christian and a student of Communications, I felt compelled to reading The Case for Christ. I decided to use this book for this review especially due to the large amount of criticisms and backlash it had received. Lee Strobel is known for being a hard-nosed skeptical journalist and ex-investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune. He also described himself as a "former spiritual skeptic" before his personal mission for the proof of God. Skeptics around the world claim that Jesus either never said He was God or He never exemplified the activities and mindset of God. Either way they rather triumphantly proclaim that Jesus was just a man. Some will go so far as to suggest that He was a very moral and special man, but a man nonetheless. For Strobel, there was far too much evidence against the idea of God, let alone the possibility that God became a man. God was just mythology, superstition, or wishful thinking.
"EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 & 2." EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.
In a story that has broken many misconceptions about Christianity and religion, The Shack ushers us through a journey of loss of faith, irrevocable transparency, wonder, and profound teaching, one can not help but pose a very important question that eventually leads to the conclusion of the novel. How, exactly does Macks pain, feelings of abandonment, judgement, and unwillingness to forgive himself and God barricade him from letting go to allow him to have a true Relationship with God? The Shack is a novel written by William Paul Young that follows Mackenzie Allen Philips , a young, middle-class, father on his journey to coming to terms with tragedy, and opening his heart to the love God has waiting for him. In the beginning of this heart-wrenching story, we meet Mackenzie Phillips as a young boy.
At least philosophically speaking, religion has acquired a bad press in modernity. It may be explicitly rejected, simply not be talked about, or perhaps be discussed as an area of investigation. But religious adherents who explicitly involve their religion in doing philosophy are both rare and seldom respected. Much of this goes back to a history o...
Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods, a particular system of faith and worship or a pursuit or interest followed with great devotion (Oxford Dictionary, 2014). From religion, many new groups, communities and further derived religions have formed. Closely related to religion and with endless controversies surrounding it’s classification as a religion is the concept of Atheism- which is defined as the disbelief or rejection of a deity. Descending from this is a social and political movement in favour of secularism known as New Atheism. Understanding the historical content concerning the emergence of atheism, this essay will then address how various aspects within the field inclusive the goals, structures and approaches have emerged and developed over time in comparison to the original atheist ideals.
Eastman, Roger. The Ways of Religion: An Introduction to the Major Traditions. Third Edition. Oxford University Press. N.Y. 1999
Smart, Ninian. "Blackboard, Religion 100." 6 March 2014. Seven Dimensions of Religion. Electronic Document. 6 March 2014.
Parsons claims that religion is our primary source of meaning; it answers the eternal questions and help to understand things like suffering and pain. It also produces, sacralises and legitimises the core values of society e.g. Protestantism in the USA encouraged individualism, democracy and equality of opportunity. Bellah claims that there is a civil religion and gives the example of America and its faith in Americanism, he says that civil religion unites society. However the functionalist view can be criticised: It focuses on the positive aspects of religion and ignores that it is the cause of conflict in much of the world e.g. Northern Ireland and conflict between protestants and Catholics, It does not explain the origins of religion, explaining what functions religion performs does not help us to know where it came from. Durkheim did his studies I small scale non-literate societies, it is difficult to see how religion performs its functions in out large complex religiously plural society.
Functionalists believe religion is a conservative force that performs positive functions of promoting social integration and social solidarity through the reinforcement of value consensus. In this essay I will draw on ideas from Durkheim, Malinowski, Parsons and Bellah. I will then evaluate these theorists with Marxist, feminist and postmodernist perspectives in order to assess the extent functionalism helps us to understand religion today.