10 mark religion questions
Outline and explain two functions that religion could be said to carry out.
- Cognitive function- forms a collective conscience and prevents anomie- Durkheim- Totemism. Only a small
monofaith society. Postmodernists- does not apply to modern Western multifaith society.
- Psychological function- Malinowski- support in times of crisis- Trobriand islanders & canoe magic. Ignores
conflict caused by religion e.g. war and conflict.
Outline and explain two feminist criticisms of religion.
- Reproduces patriarchy through male Gods, stories/ scriptures written by men, anti-female stereotypes e.g. Eve.
Saadawi- religion is only oppressive due to patriarchy.
- Patriarchy and oppression in religious laws and customs e.g. genital mutilations/ punishment for sexual activity,
bans on contraception and abortion, religious clothing e.g. hijab. Woodhead- hijab is liberating.
Outline and explain two ways in which religion can be a force for social change.
- Weber- Calvinism brought about capitalism through ascetism, predestination and divine transcendence. Marxists
argue religion also reproduces and legitimates capitalism through false class consciousness. Kautsky- capitalism
preceded Calvinism, and was brought about by technological advances.
- American Civil Rights movement- Bruce- through religion, black people fought to end racism e.g. using ‘love thy
neighbour’. Religion reproduces and legitimates inequality and prevents less powerless ethnic minorities from
making changes.
Outline and explain two ways in which globalisation may affect religious beliefs and practices.
- Globalisation can encourage fundamentalism- Giddens cosmopolitanism. Castells- resistant identity. (e.g. ISIS).
Huntingdon- clash of civilisations. Secular/ militant atheism combines fundamentalism and secularisation. Minority
of people turn to fundamentalism.
- Religion as a catalyst for global capitalism- Weber- Calvinism & protestant ethic. Redding- post Confucianism.
Can be argued Confucianism isn’t a belief system. Kautsky- capitalism preceded Calvinism. Tawney- capitalism
was brought about by technological advances.
Outline and explain two reasons why secularisation may be occurring in Britain today.
- Rationalisation- Weber- rational thoughts and science replacing religious ones. Postmodernists- this is a change in
religion, not a decline.
- Parsons- structural differentiation- church has lost its functions due to industrialisation- e.g. ‘community’ can be
formed through social media. Davie- believing without belonging- people still believe but just attend church less.
Outline and explain two reasons why figures on attendance at mainstream churches may overstate the degree of
secularisation in Britain today.
- Postmodernity- Davie- believing without belonging, Bibby- vicarious religion. People now practise religion
personally. Religion is changing not declining. Some argue you cannot truly believe without attending church, and
church attendance declined 35% from 1960-2015.
- Globalisation- Beyer- religion is now more privatised with focus on spirituality not deity. Research shows
significant decline in belief of a God. Belief overall is declining- less influence on laws etc.
Outline two ways in which postmodernity may be affecting religion.
- Bruce- pick and mix spiritual shopping reflecting consumerist ethos of capitalist society
- Hadden & Shupe- diversification of religion has led to ‘supply-led religion’ so more people are able to participate
Outline and explain two features of religious market theory.
- Stark and Bainbridge. People are naturally religious- religion thrives in America as there is competition rather that
religious monopoly- religion thrives in a market. Bruce- competition has led to a decline in religion in Europe .
- It is human nature to seek rewards- churches make their ‘product’ seem more attractive to ‘customers’ by offering
afterlife and sanctions for behaviour. Beckford- Religious market theory in ‘unsociological’- fails to explain why
people are religious.
Outline and explain two ways in which fundamentalism is a response to modern society.
- Globalisation can encourage fundamentalism- Giddens cosmopolitanism. Castells- resistant identity. (e.g. ISIS)
Huntingdon- clash of civilisations. Secular/ militant atheism combines fundamentalism and secularisation. Minority
of people turn to fundamentalism.
- Johal- empowerment through difference and the white mask e.g. in the face of Islamophobia of modern western
society. Increase in Islam extremist terrorist activity e.g. ISIS, 9/11 attacks. Modood- decline in importance of
religion.
Outline and explain two functions that religion could be said to carry out.
- Cognitive function- forms a collective conscience and prevents anomie- Durkheim- Totemism. Only a small
monofaith society. Postmodernists- does not apply to modern Western multifaith society.
- Psychological function- Malinowski- support in times of crisis- Trobriand islanders & canoe magic. Ignores
conflict caused by religion e.g. war and conflict.
Outline and explain two feminist criticisms of religion.
- Reproduces patriarchy through male Gods, stories/ scriptures written by men, anti-female stereotypes e.g. Eve.
Saadawi- religion is only oppressive due to patriarchy.
- Patriarchy and oppression in religious laws and customs e.g. genital mutilations/ punishment for sexual activity,
bans on contraception and abortion, religious clothing e.g. hijab. Woodhead- hijab is liberating.
Outline and explain two ways in which religion can be a force for social change.
- Weber- Calvinism brought about capitalism through ascetism, predestination and divine transcendence. Marxists
argue religion also reproduces and legitimates capitalism through false class consciousness. Kautsky- capitalism
preceded Calvinism, and was brought about by technological advances.
- American Civil Rights movement- Bruce- through religion, black people fought to end racism e.g. using ‘love thy
neighbour’. Religion reproduces and legitimates inequality and prevents less powerless ethnic minorities from
making changes.
Outline and explain two ways in which globalisation may affect religious beliefs and practices.
- Globalisation can encourage fundamentalism- Giddens cosmopolitanism. Castells- resistant identity. (e.g. ISIS).
Huntingdon- clash of civilisations. Secular/ militant atheism combines fundamentalism and secularisation. Minority
of people turn to fundamentalism.
- Religion as a catalyst for global capitalism- Weber- Calvinism & protestant ethic. Redding- post Confucianism.
Can be argued Confucianism isn’t a belief system. Kautsky- capitalism preceded Calvinism. Tawney- capitalism
was brought about by technological advances.
Outline and explain two reasons why secularisation may be occurring in Britain today.
- Rationalisation- Weber- rational thoughts and science replacing religious ones. Postmodernists- this is a change in
religion, not a decline.
- Parsons- structural differentiation- church has lost its functions due to industrialisation- e.g. ‘community’ can be
formed through social media. Davie- believing without belonging- people still believe but just attend church less.
Outline and explain two reasons why figures on attendance at mainstream churches may overstate the degree of
secularisation in Britain today.
- Postmodernity- Davie- believing without belonging, Bibby- vicarious religion. People now practise religion
personally. Religion is changing not declining. Some argue you cannot truly believe without attending church, and
church attendance declined 35% from 1960-2015.
- Globalisation- Beyer- religion is now more privatised with focus on spirituality not deity. Research shows
significant decline in belief of a God. Belief overall is declining- less influence on laws etc.
Outline two ways in which postmodernity may be affecting religion.
- Bruce- pick and mix spiritual shopping reflecting consumerist ethos of capitalist society
- Hadden & Shupe- diversification of religion has led to ‘supply-led religion’ so more people are able to participate
Outline and explain two features of religious market theory.
- Stark and Bainbridge. People are naturally religious- religion thrives in America as there is competition rather that
religious monopoly- religion thrives in a market. Bruce- competition has led to a decline in religion in Europe .
- It is human nature to seek rewards- churches make their ‘product’ seem more attractive to ‘customers’ by offering
afterlife and sanctions for behaviour. Beckford- Religious market theory in ‘unsociological’- fails to explain why
people are religious.
Outline and explain two ways in which fundamentalism is a response to modern society.
- Globalisation can encourage fundamentalism- Giddens cosmopolitanism. Castells- resistant identity. (e.g. ISIS)
Huntingdon- clash of civilisations. Secular/ militant atheism combines fundamentalism and secularisation. Minority
of people turn to fundamentalism.
- Johal- empowerment through difference and the white mask e.g. in the face of Islamophobia of modern western
society. Increase in Islam extremist terrorist activity e.g. ISIS, 9/11 attacks. Modood- decline in importance of
religion.
