Discuss the main assumptions of the Functionalist and Marxist perspectives on religion.

Religion is an important aspect of life. It is interwoven into the culture of a people and is
ultimately linked to the issues of social integration and conflict between different groups within a
society and between societies. According to Tischler (2002 !"0# religion may be defined as a
system of beliefs$ practices$ and philosophical values shared by a group of people it defines the
sacred$ helps e%plains life$ and offers salvation from the problems of human e%istence.
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'urkheim (&()&# on the other hand defines religion in terms of the distinction between the
sacred and the profane.
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Tischler states that all religions share common sets of elements such as
prayer and rituals$ belief and organi*ation. +or the purposes of this essay I will discuss the main
assumptions of both the functionalist and ,ar%ist perspectives on religion.
+unctionalist sociologists are concerned with the contribution religion makes to meeting
society-s needs$ such as social solidarity$ value consensus$ harmony and integration between its
parts. 'urkheim argues that$ in worshipping .od people are in fact worshipping society.
/ociety is more important and more powerful than the individual$ 0ust as .od is. According to
'urkheim$ religion reinforces the shared values and moral beliefs that hold a society together
(collective conscious#. 1y defining these shared values as sacred$ religion endows them greater
power. 2ence in worshipping society$ people are$ in effect$ recogni*ing the importance of a
social group and their dependence on it. In this way religion strengthens the unity of the group
promoting social solidarity. It is through acts of collective worship members of society e%press$
communicate and understand the moral bonds which unite them. 3n the other hand most
sociologists would not go as far as 'urkheim in arguing that religion is$ in fact$ the worship of
society. 2amilton (&((4# suggests that 'urkheim-s theory may only be applicable to a small
non5literate society. ,odern societies are characteri*ed by diversity. 2ence 2amilton argues
that 'urkheim overstates the degree to which common values influence behaviour.
6ike 'urkheim$ 1ronislaw ,alinowski sees religion as reinforcing social norms and
values and promoting social solidarity. 2e differs from 'urkheim in that he does not see
religion as reflecting society as a whole and he does not see religion as the worship of society.
,alinowski (&(47# believed that there are specific areas of social life where religion is
important. These are usually situations of emotional stress that threaten social solidarity.
An%iety and tension tends to disrupt social life. /ituations such as birth$ marriage and death
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Mustapha, Sociology for Caribbean Students
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aralambos and olborn! Sociology "hemes and #erspectives Seventh $dition
%riyomi $astman &12''()1*
Discuss the main assumptions of the Functionalist and Marxist perspectives on religion.
cause great an%iety. It is religion that helps individuals to deal with these problems. +or instance$
at a funeral ceremony the social group unites to support the bereaved family. Rituals reduce
an%iety by providing confidence and a feeling of control$ especially in situations that are
unpredictable. It is said that ,alinowski e%aggerated the importance of religious rituals in
helping people to cope with situations of stress and uncertainty. The rituals are related to the
maintenance of prestige in that society$ and have little to do with cementing solidarity or dealing
with uncertainty or danger.
Talcott 8arsons believed that religion through its belief system provides the foundation
upon which social order and stability can be achieved in society. 6ike 'urkheim$ 8arsons
believes that religion can provide solace and comfort to members in society when they are
befallen by une%pected sudden events such as death. 2e believed that religion provides the
means through which people can ad0ust and adapt to such events. 8arsons also believed that
religion helps to provide meaning to life. Religion serves as a social antidote to some of the
social ine9ualities in society. This helps to provide rational answers to some of the 9uestions
people may have about their situation in the society.
,ar%ist or :onflict theorist on the other hand$ e%amines religion as a means of
controlling the working class and reinforcing the interest of the ruling class. ;arl ,ar% describes
religion as the <opium of the people-. 2e saw religion as a social drug that nullified the negative
effects of the e%ploitative relationship between owners of the means of production and the
owners of labour. Religion is therefore seen as a illusion. ,ar% believed that religion serves the
social function of masking the foundation of power and e%ploitation in a class society. This
masking of reality precludes the development of class consciousness that would reveal that the
world is produced and shaped by human effort$ rather than divine forces. Religion therefore
serves as a means of self5alienation$ although it is a comfort valve for the oppression e%perienced
through the conflict of economic interest. 2ence the e%ploited find comfort in what is promised
in the hereafter for enduring material deprivation.
+eminist theories$ like ,ar%ist theory$ view religion as an instrument of domination and
oppression. 2owever they see religion as a product of patriarchy rather than of capitalism where
mean can oppress women. =ean 2olm argued that$ although many religions stress e9uality
between men and women$ in practice men have been given subordinate roles. >omen-s second5
%riyomi $astman &12''()1*
Discuss the main assumptions of the Functionalist and Marxist perspectives on religion.
class status is often related to women-s se%uality. +or e%ample the menstruation and childbirth
are universally regarded as <polluting-. +eminist believe that religion can be used by oppressors
(men# to control the oppressed (women# and it also serves as a way of compensating women for
their second5class status by e9uality in heaven. This helps to maintain the status 9uo in which
women are une9ual.
In the final analysis$ the functionalist perspective emphasi*es the positive contributions of
religion to society and ignores its dysfunctional aspects. 3n the other hand$ some evidence
suggests that religion does not always legitimate power and that it can sometimes provide an
impetus for change. The fact that religion sometimes acts as an ideological force in the way
suggested by ,ar% does not e%plain its e%istence. ?ven though both the functionalist and
,ar%ist view of religion differ it is important to understand these views in order to understand
the role and impact religion has on the society as a whole.
%riyomi $astman &12''()1*