Explain what is meant by civil religion
What will be an ideal response?
Durkheim defined religion as the way that societies deal with things that are sacred. Things that are worthy of awe and special treatment and are not just mundane or everyday parts of life are considered sacred. The "sacredness" definition of religion has led sociologists to recognize a common form of religion that they call civil religion. The way Americans feel about the Constitution as a sacred text or about the flag as a sacred symbol or about July 4 as a day of ritual and worship is indicative of civil religion. Other examples of civil religion include sporting events such as the Olympics, where athletes are, it seems, worshipped as gods, where the medal-awarding ceremonies are highly ritualized, and where impressive sporting venues are like houses of worship and community. Music and concerts are also like religions. Many describe them in frankly mystical terms. From a Durkheimian perspective, the civil religion that makes these things sacred is the same as all religions—it is the worship of the community and society, from which all good things eventually flow and on which we are completely dependent.
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Religion is a social institution
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
As the U.S. economy moved from farming to industry, the responsibility for teaching the young moved from parents to
a. the workplace. b. specially trained teachers. c. the community. d. technology.
The program planning process is often deterred by a focus on all of the following EXCEPT:
a. organizational survival. b. doing what the grant or funder is willing to fund. c. expansion. d. maintain the original purpose without analysis of the current problem.
Children living in poverty are more often __________ than other children
a. introverted b. rebellious c. resourceful and intelligent d. disabled or chronically ill