Key Terms
Religion
A system of beliefs, values, and practices concerning what a person holds to be sacred or spiritually significant.
Example
A rock is neither sacred nor profane by default. Made into a headstone, it becomes sacred.
Religious experience
The conviction or sensation of being connected to "the divine." Prayer, meditation.
Religious beliefs
Specific ideas members hold to be true. Example: reincarnation, Jesus as the son of God.
Religious rituals
Required or expected behaviors. Example: bar mitzvah, confession.
View
Religion = tool of oppression. It reflects and reinforces social stratification; it keeps the poor accepting their condi
Core idea
People choose religion by weighing costs (time, money, commitment) against rewards (meaning, community, explanation of l
Key work
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905)
Argument
Protestant values — hard work, frugality, individual achievement — fueled the rise of capitalism in northern Europe (Net
Caveat
Scholars have found little support for Weber's thesis when applied to modern society.
Famous line
Religion is "the opium of the people."
Core argument
Religion is inseparable from economic inequality. It teaches the working class to accept suffering now in exchange for r
In-group/out-group dynamic
Because religion is central to identity, it can create tension between groups. Examples from text: Inquisition, Salem wi
Feminist perspective (subset of conflict theory)
Women typically socialize children into religion but historically hold almost no positions of power within religious ins
Focuses on the micro-level
How individuals experience and create meaning through religious symbols and interactions.