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Evaluate Marxist and Functionalist Views of Religion Definitions of religion tend to be either substantive or functional. Substantive definitions try to uncover the essence of religion, in other words what religion is. Functional approaches place more emphasis on the effect of a religion, which means what a religion does. Religion is one of the major social institutions in society. Many sociologists believe that religion has three typical characteristics these are, "1) An organised collectively of individuals, with 2) a shared system of beliefs and 3) a set of approved activities and prac- tices." (Taylor, P (1995)) Religious groups can have significant affects on the socialisation process. In Christian societies the Ten Commandments show how social norms can be integrated by religious beliefs. Functionalists believe that belief in Gods and Spirits originate in ancestral spirits of dead relatives. They beliefs are that souls represent presence of social values. Therefore worshipping souls shows that they are again worshipping a...

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