Post on 04-Jan-2016
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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!