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Religious Institutions

Religious Institutions. 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. The Great Transformation of Societies.

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Religious Institutions

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  1. Religious Institutions

  2. 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

  3. 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?

  4. 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

  5. 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?

  6. 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

  7. Examples of Social Control by Religion

  8. Examples of Social Control by Religion

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Americans Believe

  12. 3 Components of Religion • Denominations • Sects • Cults

  13. Components of Religion • Denomination: • Large, organized religion with strong support in the world • Christianity • Muslim • Judaism • Hinduism

  14. 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

  15. American’s Religious Preferences

  16. 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

  17. Cults Non-conventional religious group Social conditions demand separation Members required to withdraw from normal life Full-time communal obligation for members Sects and Cults

  18. 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

  19. Goal of Christianity

  20. 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

  21. Goals of Judaism

  22. 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

  23. Symbols of Hinduism

  24. 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

  25. Buddhist Monks

  26. 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 Confucianism

  27. 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

  28. Is religion good? • Gives hope of something better! • Answers questions science fails to. • Gives us community spirit! • Not to mention cool holidays!

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