Deck 45: The Sociological Approach to Religion

Question 1

Which of the following would be an example of liberation theology?

A)a Catholic church in South America that leads a movement to earn equal rights for poor women
B)the role of Martin Luther King Jr.and other religious leaders in the civil rights movement in the U.S.in the 1960s
C)the leadership of Pope John Paul II among Catholic clergy adhering to traditional pastoral duties
D)All of these answers are correct.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The concept of the sacred encompasses

A)the ordinary and commonplace elements of life.
B)the practices required or expected of members of a faith.
C)elements beyond everyday life that inspire awe,respect,or fear.
D)a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to profane things.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What term did Max Weber use to refer to a disciplined work ethic,this-worldly concerns,and a rational orientation to life emphasized by John Calvin and his followers?

A)the sanctuary movement
B)the Protestant ethic
C)predestination
D)liberation theology

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Religious loyalties that contribute to tension and even conflict between groups or nations can be considered

A)manifest functions of religion.
B)latent functions of religion.
C)dysfunctions of religion.
D)interactionist approaches to religion.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about liberation theology is correct?

A)It dates back to the 1973 publication of the English translation of A Theology of Liberation.
B)It has made significant inroads into eliminating social injustice in central Africa.
C)It is actively and fully endorsed by the Pope and other church leaders.
D)None of these answers is correct.

Question 6

Which sociologist published a book in 1904 in which he noted that it was no mere coincidence that an overwhelming number of business leaders,owners of capital,and skilled workers were Protestants,not Catholics?

A)Karl Marx
B)Max Weber
C)Émile Durkheim
D)Friedrich Engels

Question 7

Churches that serve as training grounds for community leaders and allow members to refine their organizational skills are performing a

A)latent function.
B)manifest function.
C)manifest dysfunction.
D)latent dysfunction.

Question 8

Giving meaning to the divine and defining the spiritual world are among religion's

A)latent functions.
B)manifest functions.
C)manifest dysfunctions.
D)latent dysfunctions.

Question 9

Which sociologist was perhaps the first to recognize the critical importance of religion in human societies?

A)Émile Durkheim
B)Talcott Parsons
C)Karl Marx
D)Robert Merton

Question 10

The U.S.government maintains a policy of "separation of church and state." The relationship between the church and the government in the U.S.illustrates

A)creationism.
B)fundamentalism.
C)secularization.
D)the Protestant ethic.

Question 11

Max Weber

A)examined the connection between religious allegiance and capitalist development.
B)called religion the "opiate of the masses."
C)examined the influence of religion on suicide.
D)studied cult behavior in Germany.

Question 12

Liberation theology refers to

A)the use of a church,primarily the Roman Catholic Church,in a political effort to eliminate poverty,discrimination,and other forms of injustice.
B)the use of a church,primarily the Muslim temple,in a political effort to eliminate poverty,discrimination,and other forms of injustice.
C)people who support a literal interpretation of the book of Genesis.
D)a religious organization that claims to include most of the members of a society.

Question 13

Secularization is the

A)process through which religion's influence on other social institutions diminishes.
B)process through which religion's influence on other social institutions increases.
C)ordinary and commonplace element of life,as distinguished from the sacred.
D)element beyond everyday life that inspires awe,respect,and even fear.

Question 14

Emphasis on a disciplined work ethic,this-worldly concerns,and a rational orientation to life is known as

A)the opiate of the masses.
B)liberation theology.
C)the Protestant ethic.
D)the Catholic ethic.

Question 15

Which sociological perspective emphasizes the integrative power of religion in human society?

A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)global perspective

Question 16

Liberation theology was first advocated by

A)Karl Marx.
B)Friedrich Engels.
C)Émile Durkheim.
D)Gustavo Gutiérrez.

Question 17

A table,an incense stick,and candelabra can all be considered

A)profane items.
B)sacred items.
C)neither sacred nor profane items.
D)both sacred and profane items.

Question 18

According to Émile Durkheim,religion is

A)a unified system of beliefs and practices related to profane things.
B)the feeling or perception of being in direct contact with the ultimate reality,such as a divine being.
C)a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to worldly things.
D)a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things.

Question 19

The ordinary and commonplace events of life are classified as

A)sacred.
B)profane.
C)cult-like.
D)ritualistic.

Question 20

Many cultures have shamans,or spiritual guides,who assist individuals on spiritual journeys to the "underworld" or some other non-earthly realm.These shamanic journeys would likely be considered part of

A)the sacred.
B)the profane.
C)creationism.
D)both the sacred and creationism.

Question 21

Most religions are patriarchal in their traditions and nature.Which of the following is NOT?

A)Islam
B)Episcopalian
C)Christian Science
D)Catholicism

Question 22

Discuss the primary differences between the functionalist and conflict views on religion.

Question 23

A by-product of the Protestant ethic is the drive to accumulate savings that can be used for future investment.

Question 24

Public opinion polls taken across 114 nations showed over 95 percent of people in the poorest countries said religion was an important part of their daily lives.What was the percentage for people living in countries with the highest per capita income?

A)75 percent
B)62 percent
C)47 percent
D)25 percent

Question 25

Which sociologist noted that religions often drug the masses into submission by offering a consolation for their harsh lives on earth and the hope of salvation in an ideal afterlife?

A)Talcott Parsons
B)Max Weber
C)Émile Durkheim
D)Karl Marx

Question 26

Religion can give its members a way in which to make sense of "senseless" events.

Question 27

Latent functions of religion include unintended actions that are considered covert or hidden.

Question 28

Discuss the concepts of sacred and profane in the context of the distinctions religious faiths make between transcending events and the everyday world.

Question 29

The stained glass ceiling refers to the

A)ability of women to fill leadership positions within religious institutions.
B)difficulty women face obtaining leadership positions within religious institutions.
C)difficulty women have in practicing their beliefs within the U.S.religious system.
D)None of these answers is correct.

Question 30

Which sociological perspective argues that to whatever extent religion actually does influence social behavior,it reinforces existing patterns of dominance and inequality?

A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)global perspective

Question 31

Karl Marx described religion as an "opiate" that was particularly harmful to oppressed peoples.