Chapter 1: What Do We Mean by the Term Religion?

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. A functional definition of religion focuses on ______.

A. what people believe

B. what religion does in society and in people’s lives

C. a concept of supernatural power or supernatural being(s)

D. the distinction between the sacred and profane realms

2. What does Geertz take as the starting point for his definition of religion?

A. divine beings

B. practices

C. symbols

D. spirituality

3. Emphasizing sacred times and places as intrinsic to all religions is based on which approach to defining religion?

A. functional

B. invisible

C. substantive

D. symbolic

4. Which of the following is a weakness of functional definitions of religion?

A. The range of behaviors and ideas that might be considered “religious” may be too broad.

B. Functional definitions tend to focus almost entirely on traditional expressions of religion.

C. Functional definitions often miss new forms or types of religiosity in a society.

D. The emphasis on belief in supernatural privileges Western understandings of religion.

5. Why Buddhism often excluded from substantive definitions of religion?

A. Buddhism is perceived as more spiritual than religious.

B. Most Buddhists practice lived religion.

C. Most Buddhists do not believe in divine beings.

D. Buddhism is grounded in sacred rituals.

6. According to Emile Durkheim, what is essential to religion?

A. belief in a super human being

B. the presence of religious symbols

C. a division of the sacred from the profane

D. an emphasis on answering questions of meaning.

7. According to Yinger, what is the problem with using substantive definitions of religion?

A. They emphasize belief rather than action.

B. They inadequately define the sacred.

C. They may result in a definition that is too broad.

D. They may lead to the misidentification of religion in changing societies.

8. Phenomena such as communism, nationalism, and perhaps even sports could fit the criteria for religion according to which perspective?

A. functional

B. substantive

C. symbolic

D. individualized

9. A distinguishing feature of religion is its ability to provide a(n) ______, which helps make sense of injustice, death, and suffering.

A. ethos

B. ritual

C. worldview

D. symbol

10. According to Geertz, how do symbols impact individuals?

A. They teach people important religious rituals.

B. They shape people’s moods and motivations.

C. They must be used to capture the idea of god.

D. They delineate the sacred from the profane.

11. According to Geertz, ______ refers to depth of feeling, while ______ offer a direction for our behavior.

A. mood; symbols

B. motivation; symbols

C. motivation; mood

D. mood; motivation

12. Which of the following would be evidence of individualization of religion?

A. A Christian church incorporates a Buddhist meditation.

B. A woman describes her religion as “part Christian, part Hindu, part love your neighbor.”

C. A man goes to a mosque one week and a church the next.

D. A person says they are spiritual but not religious.

13. What does Luckmann mean by “invisible religion”?

A. Ways of being religious that are more private and individualized

B. meaning systems often not considered religious, such as science

C. the impact of media on traditional religious practices

D. Everyday practices that blur the sacred and the profane

14. According to the text, characterizing religion as primarily about ______ is a Western bias.

A. spirituality

B. sacredness

C. beliefs

D. rituals

15. Which of the following is an assumption that functional definitions of religion make?

A. Most people rely on religion to answer questions about existence.

B. All people are, to some extent, religious.

C. At the core of religion is belief in a supernatural power.

16. Individuals who trust that science will one day solve all human problem would be considered religious according to which definition of religion?

A. symbolic

B. ritualistic

C. substantive

D. functional

17. According to Luckman, over time, traditional religions ______.

A. have been replaced spirituality

B. have become less focused on the divine

C. influence smaller range of human behaviors

D. influence a growing range of human behaviors

18. According to scholars of lived religion, where will we find religion in the contemporary world?

A. religious institutions

B. everyday life

C. talk shows

D. spiritual leaders

19. Lived religion argues for a blurring of ______ and ______.

A. the sacred; the profane

B. religion; nonreligion

C. spirituality; religiosity

D. science; religion

20. Which of the following concepts refers to the process by which people develop their own meaning systems by drawing on diverse sources?

A. individualization of religion

B. sacralization of everyday life

C. spiritual but not religious

D. private symbolism

21. Research show that over time, there has been the largest increase in people identifying as which of the following?

A. religious and spiritual

B. spiritual but not religious

C. neither religious nor spiritual

D. religious but not spiritual

Essay

When it comes to essay questions, students sometimes write poorly because they are guessing about what the instructor wants, even if the question seems to be perfectly clear. For that reason we strongly recommend provision of an audience (so students know how much to assume in use of sociological vocabulary as well as how much must be made explicit) and criteria for evaluation (which is information that any writer needs to know.) Below are two sample statements that might be used as part of an essay question.

A. This essay calls for presentation and defense of an informed opinion. You should write for a well-educated reader, but one unfamiliar with sociological approaches to the study of religion. You will be graded on (a) provision of a clearly stated thesis, (b) the clarity and sophistication of your rationale, and (c) the ability to support your argument with strong evidence. Sophistication of rationale refers to awareness of the complexity of the issues. The side of the argument that you support is irrelevant to the grading criteria.

B. Your audience for this essay should be senior sociology majors who know sociological vocabulary but have never specifically studied the sociology of religion. The criteria for evaluation will be (1) accuracy of explanation, (2) clarity of illustrations or examples, and (3) thoroughness in exploring all dimensions of the issue.

Since some of these questions call for careful reflection, you might consider giving students a list of these and other essay questions in advance.

1. Compare and contrast the primary approaches to the definition of religion.

2. Drawing on the text, explain why it is necessary to interrogate definitions of religion.

3. Summarize the functional approach to defining religion. Then, critique this definition using a substantive definition.

4. Provide your own definition of religion, citing concepts from the text as appropriate. How might a sociologist with a different definition critique yours?

5. The authors note that some scholars argue functional definitions of religion are too broad, rendering the concept of “religion” meaningless. Do you agree or disagree? Support your points with concepts from the first chapter.

6. How does Geertz define religion? How does this symbolic definition differ from substantive and functional definitions?

7. What does it mean to say “I am spiritual, but not religious?” What assumptions are embedded in this phrase?

8. What is lived religion? What are some challenges of studying lived religion?

9. What is invisible religion? How is invisible religion connected to modernity?