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

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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?

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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

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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?

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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

Examples of Social Control by Religion

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Examples of Social Control by Religion

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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

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Americans Believe

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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

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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

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American’s Religious Preferences

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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

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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

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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

Goal of Christianity

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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

Goals of Judaism

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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

Symbols of Hinduism

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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

Buddhist Monks

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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!