Religion and Sociological Perspective

Sociological Perspective

Why are we here, what is life all about? Is God really real, or is there some doubt? Well tonight we’re going to sort it all out, For tonight it’s the Meaning of Life.
What’s the point of all these hoax? Is it the chicken and egg time, are we all just yolks? Or perhaps, we’re just one of God’s little jokes, Well ca c’est the Meaning of Life.
Is life just a game where we make up the rules While we’re searching for something to say Or are we just simple spiralling coils Of self-replicating DNA?
What is life? What is our fate? Is there Heaven and Hell? Do we reincarnate? Is mankind evolving or is it too late? Well tonight here’s the Meaning of Life.

Consider these questions below:

1. What is religion? How would you define the term?
2. What is religion’s function?
3. What are the elements of religion?
4. The Ultimate Questions

Scientific Method

Theories are explanations that describe the relationships between groups of concepts and how and why they are related. Concepts are mental constructs of some aspect of reality. They can be measured empirically by a number of indicators. Theories help shape some testable statements, or hypotheses, we can make about reality. Theories must be able to predict observable outcomes in social life.

Sociology and Religion

One of the major tasks of sociology understands the dynamics of group life. Another is making sense of the interaction between the group and individuals.

Some key assumptions in sociology regarding human nature are that we are biological organisms, we can symbolize, and that “People become human only in groups…” Furthermore, we argue that human action is directed toward problem solving. Finally, we accept the notion that all social phenomena are interrelated.

The sociological analysis of religion requires us to rely on the scientific method. We go about this process by obtaining empirical data and using that data to verify theories. We must be able to document and replicate findings.

When reflecting on the idea of objectivity, consider this quote from J. Milton Yinger, “How is it possible to see a stained-glass window from the outside?” or another quote from an unknown source, “A fish does not see the water it swims in.” Is it possible to be objective? I think the best we can do is to recognize our biases and attempt to control for them in our research.

Definitions

One type of definition of religion of religion defines religion by what is does or by its functions. For example how does religion help people cope with life? Religious activities do increase during times of suffering and great uncertainty (ex. New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-12). Religion gives many people meaning and purpose and it often provides a framework for their identity. According to Clifford Geertz (1966:4), “Religion tunes human actions to an envisaged cosmic order and projects images of cosmic order onto the plane of human experience.”

There is another type of definition based on what religion is, or substantive definition. These definitions describe the nature and character of the religious experience.

Examples of functional definitions of religion

• “Religion is that set of symbolic forms and acts which relates man to the ultimate conditions of his existence” Robert Bellah.
• “Religion is a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with the ultimate problems of life”J. Milton Yinger
• “Religion” is “a system of beliefs and practices by which a group of people interpets and responds to what they feel is sacred and , usually supernatural as well (Johnstone, 2004:13).”Ronald Johnstone

Examples of substantive definitions of religion

• Religion as a mystical experience.*  William James wrote that religion involves “the feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine.”  In Breakfast at Victory, author James Carse (1994:24) wrote that “For Taoist as for Buddhists and Suffis, everything is underway, in motion, passing, impermanent, samsaric.”
• Rudolf Otto argued that religion is an encounter with the “numinous” (the mysterium tremendum, the holy(see Nihian Smart)). The word numinous means awe inspiring. More will be said about this in Ch.3.

Normantive/Phenomological Perspectives

The focus of the normative/personal faith perspective  is on whether religion is true, right, produces good results. The phenomenological approach describes religion in terms of someone’s experience of it; what it means to them; how they believe it is affecting their life.

Yet another way to analyze…

To complicate matters further, Joachim Wach argued that religion can be expressed in three ways: 1) Theoretical (beliefs, teachings, creeds, sacred scriptures, etc.) 2) Practical (worship, ritual, pilgrimage, ceremonies), and 3) Sociological (organizational structure, people (their various characteristics), cultural context, etc.)

Where does Religion Come From?

There are many possible sources of religion such as personal crises associated with death, identity, suffering, etc. Perhaps it originates through encounters of a deep mystical sort such as in nature, visions, dreams, voices. For many, you are born or socialized into into a faith (acculturation).

The Characteristics of Religion

Religions share a number of characteristics such as some concept of sacredness, that religion is a group activity that perform certain functions, is based on beliefs, and possesses ritualized activities.

Sacredness

One common characteristic shared by most religions is a division between the supernatural/deity/sacred and the natural/mortal/mundane. The concepts of the “sacred” interested early sociologists such as Emile Durkheim. To Rudolph Otto, the “holy” important and to Mircea Eliade, it was “sacred space.”

Group Phenomena

Another characteristic of religion is that it is a group phenomena that usually involves two or more people who interact and share common goals and norms.

Functions

Religions perform a set of functions within society.  It provides a normative framework that guides members to act accordingly within status system. It provides a cohesion by fostering a sense of identification with the group.

Myths

Religions are based on a body of beliefs (myths).  These beliefs shape a number of things such as values, what members deem as real (criteria for validity), logic, perspective, prescriptions and proscriptions and means to reach goals.  In my old undergraduate anthropology notes I found this interesting quote about what myths are. “Myths are narratives that symbolically encode culturally meaningful messages.” These myths are recounted as fact about Supernatural beings or events that happened in some unspecified time known as mythic time. Myths sometimes function as charters (validations to engage in a particular activities). They set forth the basic beliefs or values that underlie the social system in a particular society such as G. Washington felling a cherry tree.  There are also origin myths (ex. fire) and creation myths.

Rituals

All religions possess a set of Practices (rituals) or what Geertz (1966) termed as consecrated behavior. Or to Glock and Stark (1964) it was the “Fusion of ethos and worldview.” Singer (1955) saw rituals as cultural performances.

Several guidelines for your research

You are there to learn and to understand rather than proselytizing or set people right. Are you able to recognize the difference between facts and opinions? Be reflexive about your perspectives and bias. Attempt gain an understanding of the worldview and experiences of others. In your research, make a clear separation between your description and interpretation

As concluding historical note, consider that religion is pervasive and diverse. Furthermore, the sociological study of religion has a long history. Durkheim, Marx, Weber, Simmel, and Stark are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

*See The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902): Ineffability, Noetic Quality, Transiency, and Passivity.

WEBSITES

Belief-O-Matic

The Study of Religion

Miller, Timothy.2003. “Religious Movements in the United States:An Informal Introduction”

SOURCES

Alighieri, Dante. 1954. The Divine Comedy. New York: Rinehart & Co., Inc.

Carse, James P. 1994. Breakfast at the Victory: The Mysticism of Ordinary Experience. 1st ed. San Francisco, Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco.

Geertz, Clifford. 1966. Person, Time, and Conduct in Bali: An Essay in Cultural Analysis. New Haven: Southeast Asia Studies, Yale University.

Gilliam, Terry, and Terry Jones. 2005. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Henig, Robin Marantz. 2007. “Darwin’s God.” The New York Times Magazine, March, 36-43, 58, 62, 77-78, 85.

James, William. 1990. The Varieties of Religious Experience. 1st ed. New York: Vintage Books/Library of America.

Johnstone, Ronald L. 2007. Religion in Society: A Sociology of Religion. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Kurtz, Lester R. 2007. Gods in the Global Village: The World’s Religions in Sociological Perspective. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Pine Forge Press.

Lienhardt, R. G. 1961. Divinity and Experience; the Religion of the Dinka. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Staff. 1891. “Sociology and the Church.” The Nation, August, 114-115.