RELIGIOUS BELIEFS & SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

GROUP3

RELIGION THEORY1. Introduction

1. Origin2. World Religious

2. Religion as a Function of Society1. Theory of Durkheim2. Karl Marx3. Weber

Origin

World Religious

Religion has existed in all human societies from early times. Although belief systems and traditions of worship differ from culture to culture, they also have many common elements. In all cultures, human beings make a practice of interacting with what are taken to be spiritual powers. These powers may be in the form of gods, spirits, ancestors, or any kind of sacred reality with which humans believe themselves to be connected.Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009

Religion as a Function of Society• Durkheim’s theory:

Social religion’s society ( In community)

Collective conscience (share common feeling)

Religious

Profane : everyday word

Sacred : god’s world >< profane

Totem

Ritual

Function of Religion : cohesion: keep social close

Functionalist Perspective

Karl Max

• Religion:– From: people chose to change the nature of

reality than change their unfair conditions.– Provide: religious status (instead of social status)– Change people attention from suffering reality

Wealthy capitalists religious beliefencourage

Weber