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Compare and contrast the Functionalist and Marxist explanations of the role of religion in society. Functionalists take a reductionist view point, reducing the role of religion to its mere functions. They consider religion to be necessary and inevitable as it serves to ensure the stability and equilibrium of society. In this way therefore religion is functional to hold back anomie. As a system of shared norms and values, religion assists socialisation and creates social cement which promotes social harmony. Functionalists therefore see this as a normal, positive and safe state for society to be in. In particular religion is seen to support value consensus, integrating and patterning standards of behaviour by the values and beliefs held by its cultural system. As such, religion provides guidelines for human actions, and standards against which human conduct can be measured. By sharing these standards social accord maintains equilibrium, and so in turn religion is...

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