1. Ch. 19 Religion and Society

2. Religion: Basic Concepts
Religion is a social institution involving beliefs and practices based on recognizing the sacred.
Sacred: what people set apart as extraordinary, inspiring awe and reverence
Profane: ordinary elements of life
Ritual: formal ceremonial behaviour
Faith: belief anchored in conviction rather than scientific evidence
Estimated10,000 distinct religions worldwide

3. The Global Religious Landscape (Pew Research 2012 http://www. pewforum
more than 8 in 10 people (80%) identify with a religious group
1 in 6 people around the globe (1.1 billion, or 16%) have no religious affiliation
unaffiliated the third-largest religious group worldwide, behind Christians and Muslims
Christians most evenly dispersed globally
Median age varies by religious group:
Muslim (23); Hindus (26); Christians (30); unaffiliated (34); Buddhists (34); Jews (36)

7. Is Religion Important?
A Leger Marketing poll in 2012 found that less than half of Canadians say religion in important in their lives, two-thirds of the population say they believe in God
Regional, gender and age differences
Prairies highest, Quebec lowest
Women more than men, and older more than younger say religion is a “force in their lives”
(Source:

8. Functions of Religion: Structural-Functional Analysis
Social cohesion
Social control
Political leaders ask for blessing
Providing meaning and purpose
Marks life course transitions, e.g., weddings and funerals
Critique: Religion generates social conflict and provokes violence

9. Constructing the Sacred: Symbolic-Interaction Analysis
Religion is socially constructed
Difference between sacred and profane is sharpened with rituals
Defining oneself within the “cosmic frame of reference” gives sense of security and permanence
Critique: Ignores link to inequality and conflict

10. Inequality and Religion: Social-Conflict Analysis
Religion serves hierarchy by…
Legitimizing the status quo and diverting people from inequalities to better world to come
Marx: “opium of the people”
Critique: religion can promote change:
Helped abolish slavery and promoted civil rights
Supports progressive causes

11. Religion and Social Change
Max Weber: Protestantism and Capitalism
Calvinists sought signs of salvation
Worked hard and gained assets, but
Reinvested instead of spending them
Thought economic success showed God’s favour
This became the foundation of capitalism

12. Religious Organizations
Church: a type of religious organization well integrated into the larger community
State church: is formally allied with the state
Denomination: independent of the state
Sect: stands apart from the larger society
Charisma: extraordinary personal qualities
New religious movement: movement to renew an existing church
Cult: largely outside the cultural traditions

13. Religion in History
Animism: belief that elements of the natural world are conscious life forms that affect humanity is found among hunter gatherers
Concept of single divine power responsible for creation emerged with pastoral and horticultural societies
Industrial revolution and science led to differentiation: science for how the world works and religion for why we and it exists
Current debate: creationism vs. Darwinism
Should both be taught in schools?

14. Christianity More than 2 billion followers globally (31.5%)
85% of Canadians and Americans
Christianity originated as a cult
Monotheism: belief in a single divine power
Polytheism: belief in many gods
Jesus is considered divine and was crucified making the cross a central symbol
Takes many forms: Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox, and others

15. Islam 1.3 billion followers worldwide (23.2%)
Muslims are found predominantly in the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa ((in Canada, 2% of population)
Islam is the word of God as revealed to the prophet Muhammad, born in Mecca about 570.
The Qur’an: submission to Allah as path to inner peace
Five Pillars of Islam:
Recognize Allah as the one true God
Ritual prayer
Giving alms to the poor
Fasting during Ramadan
Making a pilgrimage to Mecca

16. Judaism
15 million followers and a national majority in Israel but only .2% globally
Belief: covenant exists between God and the Jewish people
emphasizes moral behaviour in world not salvation
Three main denominations
Orthodox: very traditional
Reform Judaism: more churchlike
Conservative Judaism: the middle ground
Anti-Semitism: prejudice and discrimination against Jews a global issue.

17. Hinduism Oldest of all religions with 800 Million followers
Found mostly in South Asia and Africa
Not linked to one person and no sacred writings
Principles:
DHARMA moral responsibilities
KARMA refers to belief in spiritual progress through REINCARNATION, cycle of birth and rebirth
MOKSHA: state of spiritual perfection

18. Buddhism
325 million followers, almost all Asians (5% of global population)
Resembles Hinduism in doctrine
Inspired by Siddhartha Gautama, who achieved enlightenment, NIRVANA, and became a Buddha
Life involves suffering
Use meditation to move beyond selfish concerns and desires

19. Confucianism 100s of millions of Chinese are influenced by it
Confucius instructed his followers to engage in the world according to a strict code of moral conduct
JEN: subordination of self to moral principle
No sense of sacred, rather a sense of disciplined living

20. Religion in Canada Roman Catholic: 43.6% Protestant: 29.2%
“No Religion”: 17%
Muslim: 2%,
Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh: 1% each
Religiosity: the importance of religion in life
84% believe in God;
20% attend services weekly

21. Religion in a Changing Society
Secularization: historical decline in importance of the supernatural and sacred
Civil religion: quasi-religious loyalty to a secular society, or one’s way of life
Spirituality without formal religion: “New Age” believe in higher power and spirits
Religious revival: membership and church going has plummeted over the last decades, but conservative religious organizations have benefited

22. Religion in a Changing Society (cont.)
Fundamentalism: conservative doctrine that opposes intellectualism and worldly accommodation in favour of restoring traditional otherworldly religion
Interprets texts literally
Rejects religious pluralism
Pursues the personal experience of God’s presence
Opposes “secular humanism”
Endorses conservative political goals
Is not as strong in Canada as the U.S. and elsewhere
Question: Will religion remain a major institution in society of the future?

23. Religion in 2050 (Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Report