KENDALL: Chapter 17 - RELIGION:
CONSIDERED A CULTURAL UNIVERSAL
DEFINITION: A UNIFIED SYSTEM OF BELIEFS AND PRACTICES RELATED TO "SACRED AND
PROFANE" THINGS--DURKHEIM. It's based on some some belief in a supernatural
being that requires faith.
Sacred: Elements beyond everyday life that inspire awe, respect, and fear
Profane: The ordinary, common-place elements of life
Faith: Unquestioning belief that does not require evidence or science
SECULARIZATION: PROCESS THORUGH WHICH RELIGION BECOMES LESS IMPORTANT IN
SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, AND HAS ITS OWN SPECIAL SPHERE IN THE WORLD
What are the most common religions in the world?? IN ORDER:
1. CHRISTIANITY
(ABOUT 2.1 Billion/33 percent, but dropping. about 1/3 roman catholic)
2. ISLAM
(ABOUT 1.3 billion, or 21 percent; growing)
3. Non-religious, 1.1 billion, or 16 percent)
4. Hindus, 900 million, or 14 percent
In the U.S.:
Christians: 76 pct (Protestants: 53 percent; Catholics 26 percent)
Non-religions/Secular: 13 percent
Jews: 1.3 percent
Islam: 1 percent (growing)
Other: 10 percent
SOME TERMS:
COSMOLOGY= GENERAL THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE
BELIEFS--STATEMENTS/PRINCIPLES TO WHICH A
PARTICULAR RELIGION ADHERES
RELIGIOUS RITUALS--PRACTICES REQUIRED OR EXPECTD
BY MEMBERS OF A PARTICULAR FAITH
DENOMINATION--LARGE, ORGANIZED RELIGION NOT LINKED WITH
THE STAT OR GOV'T
ECCLESIAE--A RELIGIOUS ORG THAT CLAIMS TO INCLUDE
MOST OF ITS SOCIAL MEMBER AND "OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED"
SECT: A relatively small religious group that has broken away from
another group to renew the vision of what it thinks the original
group was for. Many of our protestant groups originated as a sect
CULTS: Loosely organized religious groups with practices outside the
dominant cultural and religions traditions of a society
THEORIES
--FUNCTIONALISTS:
1. INTEGRATION
2. EXPLANATION/THEORIES
3. CODES FOR LIVING
4. SOCIAL CONTROL
KNOW DIFF BETWEEN MARX/WEBER/DURKHEIM
--CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE:
1. creates as well as resolves conflict
2. Culture wars
3. Marx (opiate of the people)
Weber (Protestant Ethic)
4. Patriarchal
--INTERACTIONISTS
Religion as provide symbols to live by (reference groups);
reinforcing social norms (of gender)
ISSUES:
1. Is religion dying? Nope--it'sAlive and well
2. Controversies
a) "faith-based initiatives")
b) Separation of Church/State and the Constitution
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