TOPIC 1 – THEORIES OF RELIGION
3 WAYS sociologists define religion Substantive, functional and social constructionists
SUBSTANTIVE- focus on the content of religious belief such as belief in God or the supernatural (MAX WEBBER) defines religion as belief in the superior or supernatural power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically.
Advantage- conform to a widespread views of religion as belief in God
Disadvantage- defining religion in this way leaves no room for beliefs and practices.

FUNCTIONAL- define in terms of the social or psychological functions it performs for individuals or society. (EMILE DURKHEIM) defines religion in terms of the contribution it makes to social integration, rather than any specific belief in God or the supernatural.
An advantage of functional definitions are that they yare INCLUSIVE allowing us to include a wide range of beliefs and practices
A disadvantage of functional definitions just because an institution helps integrate individuals into a group it doesn’t make it a religion.
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST- take an interpretivist approach that focuses on how members of society themselves define religion, argue that its not possible to produce a single universal definition to cover all cases since in reality different individuals and groups mean very different things by ‘religion’
FUNCTIONALIST THEORIES OF RELIGION
Functionalists see society as a system of interrelated parts or social institutions such as religion, the family and the economy. Each institution performs certain functions that is each contributes to maintaining the social system by meeting the needs.
DURKHEIM ON RELIGION

The sacred and profane- the key feature of religion was not a belief in gods, spirits or supernatural but a fundamental distinction between the sacred and profane found in all religions. The sacred are the things set apart