By contrast Durkheim’s functionalist perspective concentrated on small-scale pre-industrial societies, initially totemic religion. He extended this to reveal the consensual binding qualities of religion, in the form of ideas and practices concerning the “scared” and its functional relationship to society. These functions of religion identified by Durkheim such as collective consciousness and social solidarity show the religious reinforcement of the sense of belonging. With modernisation, it was believed that as long as religion performed a necessary function it would always be present in modern society. However, it is questionable whether religious beliefs and practices in complex, differentiated, unequal and highly mobile societies can truly be explained in the same functionalist terms.
On the other hand, Weber saw religion for the purpose of legitimating or challenging the status quo. Religion could in fact act as a powerful force for change and revolution. His work “the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism” showed how the religious beliefs of the group drove social change as well as sanctifying existing inequalities of wealth, power and status, which may still be applicable to aspects of religion today. However, with capitalism came this concept of rationality and logic, a new way of conduct and a shift to scientific explanations as opposed to the previously religious. Weber believed that as an inevitable result of industrial and modernisation there would be this move away from religion.
This links in with the notion of secularisation, the decline of religion, and though early ideas on religion given by the classical sociologists help to understand how religion was defined, in contemporary society there is the ongoing debate that in fact religion is of less importance or the differing view that, perhaps, its even stronger then ever. There is much evidence to support and refute this idea, for example using statistics (positivist approach) there seems to be a drastic decline in church attendance figures, which is argued by Bruce to indicate secularisation. However, Grace Davie uses the phrase “Belief without belonging” which refers to people not necessarily having to attend an institution in order to be religious therefore, the figures are an unreliable form of measurement. Furthermore, Stark asserts that religion is not in decline simply because it was never that popular anyway, he claims that this golden “Age of faith” in the past did not exist. Whilst organised forms of religion may be in decline, there is the persistence of religion as suggested by the growth of new religious movements and fundamentalist groups.
Wilson argues that the growth of sects is a result of secularisation, not evidence against the decline of religion. There are numerous reasons why people join such groups such as seeking stable social order, mystery, a sense of belonging and also as rejection of the impersonal, bureaucratic and unjust world. Wallis identified the different areas of the groups such as world rejecting and world-affirming and the attraction to certain groups of people in society.
Fundamentalist groups to a large extent offer this aspect of stable social order, as their traditional beliefs give people a sense of security in this fairly uncertain world. Glock and stark saw the growth of religious groups as a response to deprivation, at a time when there was much racial conflict in America, Jonestown was unique as it was an interracial group and so for many gave a sense of belonging and equality. Also, a couple that had joined the Heavens gate joined as they had been harassed and so the group and its ideology appealed to them. There is in addition, the issue that women are more attracted to the groups compared to men. Though the cause behind this is unclarified could it be that women on the whole are more emotional then men and willing to seek solutions/refuge from their problems with involvement from others. However, Eileen Barker has noted that many people have passing contact with such groups yet not many have sustained a commitment to them and this is reflective of contemporary postmodern society.
This notion of living in a postmodern world has led to religion being more suited to this sort of “pick and mix” lifestyle, one of the key features of postmodernity, the idea that people can choose and change the groups they belong in. Heelas argued that some New age religions are in fact linked with capitalism and consumerism (e.g. cleansing crystals and therapy.) and some as a rejection of this (e.g. adoption of a simple way of living). This idea of capitalism and religion as almost being a product links to scientology, a large-scale business with members paying huge fees to “clear” their minds. Furthermore, in this pick and mix society there is evidently an entire global market regarding religious groups, wider choice and the ability to create your own identity. Here, functionalists would argue that religion is still on some level performing a function however, there is great controversy in society as to what people believe in and whether such beliefs should be regarded as religious at all. It is clear that the role of religion is ever adapting and changing, that different areas of the world hold different beliefs and that though on the surface religion may not seem apparent it is still greatly present in society.
