| CODE | PLC2822 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Religion: Psychological and Sociological Aspects | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Pastoral Theology, Liturgy and Canon Law | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit presents religion in its social environment, since it “is constructed” by and constructs social reality, that is, its content and structure are at least partially formed, out of the "stuff" of the socio-cultural world (interactions, norms, groups, language, symbols, organizations, etc.). The sociology of religion is interested in understanding both the "social reality" of religion itself and the mutually influencing interactions between religion and “society”. This study-unit will focus on an analysis religious belief, practices, and organizations from a sociological perspective, with a primary focus on religion in the contemporary society. It begins by examining the distinctively sociological definition and approach to the study of religion and explores processes by which individuals acquire religious beliefs and identities. It will examine the different organisational structure of religion, the mutual influence between religion and other specific social institutions and practices (such as family, work, politics), the capacities of religion to inhibit and facilitate social change, and the dynamics of religious decline and persistence in modern societies. Special reference will be made to the importance of sociology for a more relevant religious ministry. This study-unit is designed for theology students with a edge of psychology. It applies the findings in psychology to areas of religion, such as the understanding of beliefs, of behaviour and of the experience of those who are considered as “religious”. Based on a sound epistemology, the course investigates the constructive relationship between Religion and Psychology and lays the foundations for a scientific study of Religion as a human behaviour. The first part is a historical analysis investigating major contributors to the field, such as James and Otto, as the pioneers; Freud, Jung, Winnicott and the Object-Relations Theorists from the Psychoanalytic school; and Fromm, Maslow, and Allport, from the Humanistic school. The second part takes a religious development through the lifespan. Starting from the religion of childhood, and adolescence, and goes to adulthood. The study-unit also covers questions like: How does the individual acquire religion? What is “Mature Religion”? What cognitive processes enter into religious knowing? What are the different kinds of religious experience? What is religious conversion? And, does religious faith make better persons? The relationship between religion and conflict, as well as the issue of religious fundamentalism, will also be investigated from a psychological perspective Learning Objectives This study-unit is designed to: 1. Cultivate in students an understanding of the distinctively sociological approach to studying religion as distinct from the theological, or psychological. Hence, the basic goal is to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the kinds of questions sociologists ask and the kind of explanations they offer when they analyse religion. 2. give students will have the opportunity to learn some of the theoretical and substantive content of the sociology of religion, to deepen their sociological knowledge of such things as the indices of religion, religious experiences, including conversion, changing church attendance rates, the origin and institutionalisation of religion, secularization and de-secularisation and the emergence of new religions. Reading List Wilson, Bryan R., Religion in Sociological Perspective, Oxford University Press, Berger, Peter, L., The Sacred Canopy. Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion, NY, Doubleday, 1966. Luckmann, Thomas, The Invisible Religion, London, Macmillan, 1967. Davie, Grace, The Sociology of Religion, London, Sage, 2007. Heelas, P. Woodhead, L. The Spiritual Revolution, Oxford, Blackwells, 2005. Durkheim, Emile, Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, New York: Free Press, Intro, Bk. I, Ch. 1; Bk. Ii, Ch. 7). Weber, Max, Proexaminationant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. (Entire). Weber, Max. Economy and Society, Berkeley: University of California Press. 1978. (Pp. 3-33, 399-602). Otto, Rudolf, The Idea of the Holy, Pelican, 1959 Geertz, Clifford. 1973. "Religion As A Cultural System.", The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books (Ch. 4). Robert Bellah, "Civil Religion in America." Daedalus. 1967. 96 (Winter). Pp. 1-21. Glock, Charles & Stark, Rodney, Religion and Society in Tension, Chicago, Rand McNally, 1965. Stark, Rodney and Finke, Roger, Acts of Faith: Exploring the Human Side of Religion, California, 2000. Schneider, Louis, Religion, Culture and Society, London, John Wiley, 1964. O’Dea, Thomas, “Five Dilemmas in the Institutionalisation of Religion” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1 (1961) 32-39 [http://web.pdx.edu/~tothm/religion/Dilemmas.htm] Batson, C.D., Schoenrade, P., & Ventis, W.L. (1993). Religion and the Individual. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Paloutzian R. F.(1996). Invitation to the Psychology of Religion. 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Wulff, D. (1991). Psychology of Religion. Classic & Contemporary Views. New York: J. Wiley & Sons. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Paul Galea |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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