After completing Chapter 17, you should be able to:
- Discuss the views of the three major social theorists — Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber — regarding religion and the role in plays in society.
- Identify the differences between churches, sects, and cults , and explain why the authors identify many American denominations (Southern Baptists, Mormons, etc.) as institutionalized sects.
- Understand the concept of civil religion and some of the distinctive features of religion in the United States.
- Discuss how social class influences church affiliation and participation.
- Discuss the role patriarchy plays in religion and its influence on the perpetuation of gender inequalities in society.
- Explain the difference between the comforting and challenging functions of religion.
- Discuss the role conflicts than many ministers, rabbis, and priests experience in fulfilling their mission.
- Discuss the role religion has come to play in the political arena in the U.S. and how it is could influence the government stance on the separation of church and state.
- Explain how savvy marketing is spreading the evangelical word.
