Chapter 15Chapter 15ReligionReligion

Chapter QuestionsChapter Questions What is religion?What is religion? What does religion do in a society?What does religion do in a society? How are religious beliefs and rituals How are religious beliefs and rituals

different in various cultures? different in various cultures? What roles do sacred stories and symbols What roles do sacred stories and symbols

play in relation? play in relation? What are some common key elements in What are some common key elements in

religious rituals?religious rituals? What are the differences between prayer, What are the differences between prayer,

sacrifice and magic? sacrifice and magic? How do priests differ from shamans? How do priests differ from shamans? Under what conditions do religions Under what conditions do religions

change, and when do new religions form? change, and when do new religions form?

A Human UniversalA Human Universal

Defining ReligionDefining Religion Belief in the Belief in the

supernatural.supernatural. Religion origins.Religion origins. No religion is No religion is

more evolved.more evolved.

Origins of Origins of ReligionReligion

Neanderthal graves Neanderthal graves Paleolithic art- 200,000 Paleolithic art- 200,000

to 300,000 years ago.to 300,000 years ago.

Functions of Religion in Functions of Religion in SocietySociety

1.1. Explains aspects of the Explains aspects of the physical and social physical and social environment.environment.

2.2. Helps people Helps people understand the world.understand the world.

3.3. Preserves the social Preserves the social order.order.

4.4. Includes practices aimed Includes practices aimed at ensuring success. at ensuring success.

Religion Preserves Social Religion Preserves Social OrderOrder

Sacred stories and rituals.Sacred stories and rituals. Function of rituals.Function of rituals. Important educational institution.Important educational institution.

Sacred NarrativesSacred Narratives

Stories of historical events, Stories of historical events, heroes, gods, spirits, and heroes, gods, spirits, and the origin of all things.the origin of all things.

Have a sacred power that is Have a sacred power that is evoked by telling them or evoked by telling them or acting them out ritually.acting them out ritually.

Validate or legitimize Validate or legitimize beliefs, values, and beliefs, values, and customs.customs.

RitualRitual

Act involving the manipulation of Act involving the manipulation of religious symbols.religious symbols.

Certain patterns of religious Certain patterns of religious behavior.behavior.

Rite of PassageRite of Passage

Three phases:Three phases: Separation Separation Liminal Liminal Reincorporation Reincorporation

Addressing the Addressing the SupernaturalSupernatural

PrayerPrayer SacrificeSacrifice MagicMagic DivinationDivination

PrayerPrayer

Communication between people and Communication between people and spirits or gods.spirits or gods.

Results- spirit world rather than Results- spirit world rather than human actions. human actions.

A request, a pleading, or a praise.A request, a pleading, or a praise. Healing power?Healing power?

Image of the WitchImage of the Witch

Two Universal constantsTwo Universal constants1.1. Witches represent people’s deepest Witches represent people’s deepest

fears of selves & societyfears of selves & society

2.2. Witches represent a reversal of all Witches represent a reversal of all normal behaviornormal behavior

Witch Craze of EuropeWitch Craze of Europe

Plague swept through Plague swept through Europe, and the medieval Europe, and the medieval social and religious order social and religious order collapsed in war and collapsed in war and chaos.chaos.

People believed witches People believed witches were the cause of their were the cause of their misery.misery.

Thousands of suspected Thousands of suspected witches were put to death.witches were put to death.

Priest & ShamanPriest & Shaman

ShamanShaman Part Time Part Time

PractitionerPractitioner Personal Personal

communication communication with supernatural with supernatural beingbeing

Get powers by Get powers by “divine stroke”“divine stroke”

Present in food-Present in food-gathering culturesgathering cultures

PriestsPriests Full Time Full Time

PractitionerPractitioner Trained specialistTrained specialist Power from Power from

codified ritualscodified rituals Agricultural/Agricultural/

industrial societiesindustrial societies

Religions and ChangeReligions and Change Revitalization movements.Revitalization movements. Result from oppression, cultural loss Result from oppression, cultural loss

and loss of identity.and loss of identity. Examples: Native American Ghost Examples: Native American Ghost

Dance and Native American ChurchDance and Native American Church CultsCults

Religion in the U.S.Religion in the U.S. Roman CatholicismRoman Catholicism is the is the

largest with 24% of the adult largest with 24% of the adult population. population.

Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant and Protestant comprising 220 comprising 220 denominations, represent 36% of denominations, represent 36% of the adult population.the adult population.

Approximately 1.5% of the Approximately 1.5% of the population is population is JewishJewish..

IslamIslam is the fastest-growing is the fastest-growing religion in the U.S. with 1% of the religion in the U.S. with 1% of the adult population.adult population.