Religion - Theoretical Perspectives on Religion (SOCI 1306 Sociology)

Religion SOCI 1306 Theoretical Perspectives on Religion Modern-day sociologists frequently adopt one of three basic theoretical viewpoints. These ideas give diverse lenses through which to investigate and interpret society: functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and conflict theory. Let’s study how researchers employing these frameworks view religion. Functionalists claim that religion fulfils numerous purposes in society. Religion, in reality, depends on society for its existence, value, and relevance, and vice versa. From this perspective, religion serves numerous goals, such providing solutions to spiritual questions, bringing emotional solace, and establishing a venue for social interaction and societal control. In offering solutions, religion identifies the spiritual realm and spiritual energies, including divine creatures. For example, it helps answer questions such, “How was the world created?” “Why do we suffer?” “Is there a plan for our lives?” and “Is there an afterlife?” As another purpose, religion brings emotional solace in times of difficulty. Religious rituals create order, comfort, and structure through shared familiar symbols and patterns of conduct. One of the most essential roles of religion, from a functionalist perspective, is the chances it gives for social contact and the creation of communities. It provides social support and social networking and gives a place to meet people who have similar ideals and a place to seek aid (spiritual and material) in times of need. Moreover, it helps encourage group cohesiveness and integration. Because religion can be essential to many people’s image of themselves, occasionally there is a “in-group” vs “out-group” sentiment toward different religions in our society or within a specific practice. On an extreme level, the Inquisition, the Salem witch trials, and anti-Semitism are all examples of this dynamic. Finally, religion supports social control: It maintains societal standards such as suitable forms of dress, observing the law, and controlling sexual activity. Conflict theorists consider religion as an institution that helps preserve patterns of social inequality. For example, the Vatican possesses a vast amount of riches, yet the average salary of Catholic parishioners is minimal. According to this perspective, religion has been used to promote the “divine right” of repressive kings and to legitimise unequal social institutions, like India’s caste system. Conflict theorists are critical of the way many religions propagate the concept that believers should be pleased with present conditions because they are divinely designed. This power dynamic has been employed by Christian organisations for ages to keep impoverished people destitute and to convince them that they shouldn’t be bothered with what they lack since their “true” reward (from a religious perspective) would come after death. Conflict theorists also remind out that individuals in authority in a religion are frequently able to dictate behaviours, rituals, and beliefs through their interpretation of religious scriptures or by stated direct communication from the divine. The feminist viewpoint is a conflict theory paradigm that focuses primarily on gender inequality. In terms of religion, feminist theorists say that, although women are often the ones to socialize infants into a religion, they have traditionally had very few positions of authority inside religions. A few faiths and religious denominations are more gender equal, although male domination remains the norm of most. Rising from the premise that our reality is socially produced, symbolic interactionism investigates the symbols and relationships of everyday life. To interactionists, beliefs and experiences are not sacred unless members in a community view them as sacred. The Star of David in Judaism, the cross in Christianity, and the crescent and star in Islam are examples of sacred symbols. Interactionists are interested in what these symbols communicate. Because interactionists investigate one-on-one, everyday encounters between individuals, a scholar utilising this method could raise questions focusing on this dynamic. The connection between religious leaders and practitioners, the role of religion in the ordinary components of everyday life, and the ways people exhibit religious ideals in social interactions—all may be topics of study to an interactionist.