Exam 17: Religion

__________ was the official religion of China until the Communist takeover and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

According to Hinduism,individual souls pass through a sequence of bodies over time as they undergo a process known as __________ (reincarnation),an endless passage through cycles of life,death,and rebirth until the soul earns liberation.

The symbolic interactionist perspective on religion focuses on:

The Ten Commandments and discussions of moral,ceremonial,and cultural laws are contained in four books of the __________ (the sacred book of contemporary Judaism): Exodus,Leviticus,Numbers,and Deuteronomy.

The Islamic notion of jihad,meaning "struggle," is a core belief.The __________ is believed to be the internal struggle against sin within a person's heart.

Describe the basic beliefs of Christianity.

From a functionalist perspective,religion tends to promote strife between groups and societies.For example,the new religious right in the United States has incorporated both the priestly and prophetic functions into its agenda.While calling for moral reform,it also calls the nation back to a covenant with God.

According to the text's discussion of civil religion,__________.

Functionalists argue that religion serves the function of social control and support for the government.Religion helps maintain social control by conferring __________ on the norms and laws of a society.

Discuss the relationship between religion and questions about the meaning of life.

Summarize trends in religion in the United States in relation to social inequality and race/class in central city/suburban churches.

Social meaning in religion emerges through the process of _________ and from interaction with others in a religious setting.

A traditional religious doctrine that is conservative,typically opposed to modernity,and rejects "worldly pleasure" in favor of otherworldly spirituality is known as:

According to feminist theorists,___________ consistently privilege(s) men over women.

Trace the development of Confucianism.

__________ is the belief that plants,animals,or other elements of the natural world are endowed with spirits or life forces having an impact on events in society.

Polarization is the process by which religious beliefs,practices,and institutions lose their significance in sectors of society and culture.It involves a decline of religion in everyday life and a corresponding increase in organizations that are highly bureaucratized,fragmented,and impersonal.

Describe symbolic interactionist perspectives on religion and explain how women and men may view religion differently.

Trace the development of Buddhism.

Describe the functionalist perspective on religion and discuss its major functions in societies.