Functional & Substantive Definitions of Religion INCLUSIVE & EXCLUSIVE DEFINITIONS

One way of defining religion is to see it in terms of the functions it performs for society or individuals.

Yinger, Religion is 'a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with the ultimate problems of human life'

What are the ULTIMATE PROBLEMS OF HUMAN LIFE?

Problems with YINGER Ao2 EVALUATION: HAMILTON: It allows the inclusion of a wide variety of belief systems in the category 'religion' … Is this Dugam Duni of New Jersey really a religion???

Is COMMUNISM really a religion?

Yinger’s definition ASSUMES certain roles, functions & purposes of religion. These purposes etc are not the same in every society! Sociology should research them – we shouldn’t assume them

SUBSTANTIVE definitions of Religion Substantive definitions can take a number of forms. DURKHEIM: 1961, first published 1912 … “RELIGION Is about the SACRED & the PROFANE”

SACRED OBJECTS SACRED objects produce a sense of awe, veneration and respect. List some sacred objects that we commonly know from these faiths: ISLAM CHRISTIANITY

PROFANE Objects Opposite to the sacred. These are the ordinary and everyday objects…

More on Substantive Definitions These focus on the content or substance of religious belief, such as the belief in God or the supernatural.

Max Weber (1905)(Substantive) Defines religion as a belief in a superior or supernatural power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically.

Substantive Definitions Substantive definitions are EXCLUSIVE – this means that they draw a clear line between religious and non-religious beliefs. To be a religion, a set of beliefs MUST INCLUDE a belief in God or the supernatural.

RONALD ROBERTSON 1970 Religion 'refers to the existence of SUPERNATURAL beings that have a governing effect on life'

So is RELIGION about the SUPERNATURAL?

MELFORD SPIRO 1965 Religion as 'an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated SUPERHUMAN beings'.

HAMILTON Such definitions (that rely on the presence of the ‘supernatural’ to define religion) run into problems because certain belief systems which are commonly regarded as religions, such as Buddhism, do not contain a belief in supernatural beings.

Alan Aldridge (2007) distinguishes between more inclusive definitions and exclusive definitions.

EXCLUSIVE DEFINITIONS An exclusive definition of religion is where the criteria that define religion, are more restrictive. To define a group or ‘way of life’ as a religion is much more tricky than if it is an inclusive definition.

Functional definitions tend to be more inclusive. Substantive definitions tend to be more exclusive.

Inclusive Definitions: Within an inclusive definition of religion one can easily qualify a ‘way of life’ as a religion.

Exclusive Definitions: An exclusive definition of religion is where the criteria that define religion are more restrictive. To define a group or ‘way of life’ as a religion is much more tricky than if it is an inclusive definition.