1. Beliefs in
Society
Unit 3 – A2 Sociology

2. Introduction
 It can be argued that religion and society share a
cause-and-effect relationship.
 Sometimes changes in society effect religion.
 Some see religion as a method of prevention for
change in society taking place as it aims to retain
traditional and conservative values.
 Other times, religion causes a change in society
and society has to adopt a new moral code/order.

3. Inhibiting change
Functionalism:
 Religion contributes to the well-being, stability and
value consensus of society.
 DURKHEIM - social life can only exist if values are
shared and society is integrated into a coherent
whole.
 The relationship between humans and God is
reflective of the relationship between humans and
society. It is not God who punishes us, but rather
society.
 Collective worship reinforces social
solidarity, restrains deviant behaviour and restricts
social change.

4. Marxism:
 Karl Marx believed that religion is a tool of
class exploitation and oppression.
 Rewards such as the afterlife ease the pain of
believing that the world is a result of God’s will
and is unchangeable.
 Social relationships seem inevitable and God-
given.
 Religion involves the distortion of 'reality', it is
ideological.

5. Criticisms of functionalism
 It is claimed that Durkheim's analysis is not
applicable to societies that are typified by
cultural diversity.
 The idea that religion is the worship of
society has been criticised - as an
argument it is difficult to substantiate
other than through some notion of false
consciousness since people clearly
believe they are worshipping God.

6. Criticisms of Marxism
 Marx’s approach takes a documentary
nature, but looking at the nature of faith
and the way in which the religion of the
poor concentrates on the afterlife.
 Also there are some traditional Marxists
who adopt the view that religion can
bring about social change, a position also
adopted by some neo-Marxists.