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Themes and BRYAN S. TURNER A MATERIALIST ng ve THEORY OF RELIGION ight and ucture, as in the fo 983) follows arguing that rel al base. He agrces that orda gs from the Victorian hymn Bryan Turner a materi economic aspects of social hysical and believe that reli on rises fro te. Unlike Marx, Turner does not The rich man in rate, nor does he bel versal role in part of ruling gion is always an important the belief tha He The poor man at his gute. God made them high and lowly, gion has a u that control force persuading class ideological been a powerful His has always status quo. subject classes to accept the Aad ordered their nevitable. his way, social arrangements appear This can help suggests that while reli system to accept and come to terms wi religion in feudal Europe not important tion. In the same way, poverty and misfortune in for the ruling clas it was was simply have often been seen as divinely ordained as a is important concern perio for the peasantry ose religion during this hmen survival He argues that performed the following functions: From a Marx viewpoint, religion does not simply cushion the effects of oppression: it is also an insti ment of that oppression. t acts as a mechanism of the existing system sexuality supported the institution of a landowner its control son primogeniture in which the eldest ensu nherited his father's land. This red that land remained d in the hands of particular concentrate feudal widuals, which was for the workings of ism. Premarital promiscuity and adultery he produc of such an heir. condemning nd the legitimacy of children exploitation d reinforcing class relation Put simply, it an place not only by keeps people in their source diverting the attention of the poor from the real oppression but also by allowing the rich to of their For this reason Marx argues that scuity, marriage a church were propped up and defended by the fy their wea religion is often directly supported by ruling classes to nder feudalism also A secondary function of religion u further their interests. med from mogeniture. There was a surplus of Stem military feu- younger sons who did not inherit land. it was neces- dalism sons might meet an early death, was sary to have a number of heirs in case one,or more, But those who did not receive an inheritance means of support. Monasteries one solution to the problem surplus males. Marxism Evidence to suppor There is considerable evidence to support the Marxist of the role of religion in society. dia was justi of traditiona The caste system n medieval Europe, kings Hindu religious be divine right. The Egyptian provided and queens ruled one step further by combining pharaohs we odern capitalism religion urner believes person. Slave owners in the god and king in the same vital function that it had for the ruling has lost southern states of the United States often approv class Today, he claims, individual and family property ty, believing it to the conversion of slaves to Chri maintenance of ch less important for be a controlling and gentling influence. The work of ng-class power. Property has become "deperson- Christian missionaries among Aboriginal Australians alised-most wealth is concentrate was supported by the state in the belief that conversion organisations (such as banks, pension funds and mu would have a civ ng and therefore pacifying national corporations) rather than in the hands of ind influence there is some cvidence to uals. In these circumstances religion These examples suggest support Marxist propositions about the role of religion in than an optional extra for modern capitalist societies. society. However, conflicting evidence suggests that Since the transmission of property v the family is no Marxist views must be limited to the operation of re longer vital to the system, society can tolerate, and the gion at certain times and in certain places. Religion does h accept, divorce and illegitimacy. not always legitimate powct, it is not simply an expres- sion of alienation or a justification of privilege, and it Phenomenological theories of religion can sometimes be an impetus for change. Phenomenological theories of religion are concerned he way in which religion is produced by