Religion is often seen as conservative in the sense of being ‘traditional’, defending traditional customs, institutions, moral views and roles. Religion upholds traditional beliefs about how society should be organised. Religion is also seen as conservative because it functions to conserve or preserve things as they are. It stabilises society and maintains the status quo. The view of religion is held by functionalists, Marxists, and feminists. Although each of these perspectives see the role
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Religion is generally described as either a conservative force or a force for change within society. If religion is a conservative force, it means that it leaves society unchanged and functions to maintain the status quo. This is seen as a good thing by many theorists but undesirable by others. In contrast, religion as a force for change within society means that it is an active force that changes society. Functionalist, Marxists and Feminists would view religion as a conservative force, whereas
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Beliefs in society: • Different theories of ideology, science and religion, including both Christian and non-Christian religious traditions. • The relationship between religious beliefs and social change and stability. • Religious organisations, including cults, sects, denominations, churches and New Age movements, and their relationship to religious and spiritual belief and practice. • The relationship between different social groups and religious/spiritual organisations and movements, beliefs
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has been a great differ in the views of society and how people see religion and how important and influential it is to our moral values in contemporary societies today. This essay will look at why various different theory ideologies and their ideas about religion, and how it influences us day to day in our lives. The definition of a religion can vary depending on who you ask. The simplest definition of a religion is that for a religion to become a religion, there must be a belief of the supernatural
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of functionalist theories in understanding religion today Functionalists see society as a system that works together as a whole. Functionalism is based on a consensus; this is where each institution functions to help society by working together. Functionalists argue that religion is one of the institutions that promote social integration and social solidarity through value consensus. It is need to maintain social control Durkheim argues that religion brings people together creating social solidarity
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Assess the view that religion was once mainly a conservative influence but today is more a force for social change (30 marks) In the past religions role as a conservative force was portrayed by the monarchy, ruling the divine rights in medieval Europe, and the Egyptian pharaohs were considered as almost God-like figures and so no one questioned their authority. Feminists and Marxists both agree that religion is a conditioning device that oppresses people, diluting the demand for social change
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SCLY 3: Beliefs in Society Revision Guide 2009-10 Name: Remember: You have to revise everything, because essay questions will focus on more than one area of the specification. The specification: The relationship between religious beliefs and social change and stability * Functionalism: conservative force, inhibition of change, collective conscience, Durkheim and totemism, anomie; civil religions * Marxism: religion as ideology, legitimating social inequality, disguising exploitation
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consensus theories such as functionalism, to our understanding of contemporary society”. Functionalism is a structural consensus theory; it explains society in its totality, and assumes that the social world exists in a state of harmony. For functionalists such as Durkheim, society is a living, external organism, and its existence precedes its members; “society makes man (or woman)” in other words. Such a view of society has been massively useful for understanding the world we live in on a macro
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As an immigrant, I spent most of my life in the Middle East, specifically the Islamic Republic of Iran. As known by many and popularised by the media, Iran is a very religious country. In fact, religion has found its way into the education system and most households. During my study back there, religion was a mandatory subject for all students who were past grade five, and Quran was taught to students starting from the second grade. Subsequently, most students grow up with the religious beliefs taught
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Assess the of Functionalist theories in understanding religion today Functionalists have put forward their perspective on religion and how it benefits both society and the individual starting with how religion brings people together harmoniously, creating social cohesion and a sense of belonging as people believe in the same thing and all abide by the same rules. Religion creates and maintains a value consensus whilst giving society social order. By confirming to religious beliefs this allows us
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