Outline and Evaluate Functionalist Views on the Role and Functions of Religion Today - 33 Marks

Outline and evaluate functionalist views on the role and functions of religion today

33 marks

The functionalist view on the role and functions of religion today are debatable. On the one hand, functionalists argue that the role of religion is to create social solidarity; this view is supported by Durkheim, Malinowski and Parsons. On the other hand, Marxist and feminist theorists argue that the function of religion is to create class and gender inequality.

The functionalist Durkheim argued that the role and function of religion is to provide individuals with a sense of social solidarity, a sense of togetherness. This is illustrated through Durkheim’s study on totemism. The study was a small scale study carried out on an aboriginal tribe where he distinguished between the sacred and the profane. Durkheim defined sacred as something which is special and creates a feeling of awe. The profane on the other hand, was something which was seen as being ordinary and had little significance. Durkheim concluded that the members of the tribe worshipped the sacred totem as it provided them with a collective conscience and a greater sense of identity. According to Durkheim, the collective conscience is the shared norms and values and beliefs that allow individuals to feel socially integrated. This therefore allows the individual to feel empowered. In doing so, the functionalist Durkheim successfully illustrates that the function of religion is not only based on the beliefs individuals have but also involves practices and rituals that give people a sense of belonging.

However, Durkheim’s study on ‘totemism’ can be criticized on several accounts. Firstly, the study Durkheim carried out was highly unrepresentative of society as it was a small scale study. It could also be argued that his study is very reductionist as it only focuses on the positive functions of religion and therefore...