As a result of today’s lecture, tutorial and independent task – I feel like I have been thrown head first into a whole new world. Having not experienced any Religious Education since primary school, I feel today has helped me understand more aboutreligious diversity and the opportunities and challenges it presents to a society.

After today, I now understand that religion can be split into 3 types (as a social institution) – established religion, sects and cults. When exploring cults, I felt the Jim Jones video really helped me to understand the difference between a cult and established religion.

I am only beginning to understand the work done by anthropologists – such as Bronislaw Malinowski (1884-1942), Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) and M.F.C Bourdillon (1990) – towards the functions of religion. I found this quite confusing to start with but after the independent task where I researched Bronislaw Malinowski in further detail. I am keen to carry out this task with Durkheim and Bourdillon to gain a greater understanding as well as doing some wider reading.

Although I don’t have many of my own opinions when it comes to religion, as I am not a religious person myself, I feel today’s lecture will help me as a teacher when relaying information to children about religion. It has given me more of a background and has allowed
me to expand my views on religion and diversity in society, which will help me when teaching children from different cultural backgrounds and who have different beliefs.