2.1.2 Beliefs in society: Religion and Social Change Flashcards
Religion and social protest
What are the two movements that ____ focuses on to compare the role of religion and social change?
- Bruce
- Civil Rights Movement (1950s and 1960s)
- New Christian Right (1960s)
Religion and social protest
When was slavery abolished in Amercia?
1865
Religion and social protest
How does Bruce argue that the Clergy impacted the civil rights movement?
(3)
- Describes the Black clergy (priesthood) and the backbone of the movement .
- Churches provided meeting places and sanctuaries from the threat of white violence.
- Able to highlight hypocrisy of white clergy allowing segregation but believing God made everyone equal. (appealing to shared values).
Religion and social protest
How does Bruce see religion in the context of social change?
As an ideological resourse to draw on for motivation.
Religion and social protest
What ways did religious organisations support the civil rights protest?
(4)
- Taking the moral high ground - pointing out hypocrisy of segregation.
- channelling dissent - e.g MLK funeral was a rallying point.
- Acting as an honest broker - they were respected by both sides
- mobilising public opinion - by campaigning for support.
Religion and social protest
What is the New Christian Right?
- A politically and morally conserative, protestant movement.
Religion and social protest
What are the NCR’s aims / beliefs?
(4)
- Aimed to make abortion, homosexuality, and divorce illegal.
- Take the USA ‘back to God’
- Believes in traditional family and gender roles.
- Wants to ban sex-ed in schools.
Religion and social protest
How did NCR campaign for support?
- Used ‘televangelism’, where church-owned TV stations broadcast programmes aimed at trying to make converts.
Religion and social protest
Why does Bruce think NCR has been largely unsuccessful?
- It never had the support of more than 15% of the population.
- The values of American society being freedom mean that most Americans are comfortable with legalising abortion and homosexuality, even if they don’t agree with it.
Religion and social protest
What is one example of NCR’s success?
Overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022
Weber: religion as a force for change
How can religion be seen as a conservative force?
(2)
- Upholds traditional values and beliefs. E.g divorce, abortion …
- It functions to stabilise society through value consensus
Weber: religion as a force for change
What are the main criticisms of Weber’s theories?
- Kautsky argues that Weber overestimated the influence of religion and underestimates the influence of economic factors on society.
- Capitalism preceded Calvinism.
- Not all countries with Calvinism present are capitalist.
Weber: religion as a force for change
Why did Hinduism (India) and Confucianism (China) not lead to capitalism?
- Hinduism was an ascetic religion, like Calvinism, however it’s orientation was other-worldly, depicting concerns away from material world and into spiritual world.
- Confucianism was a this-worldly religion, like Calvinism, but was not ascetic so lacked the drive to accumulate wealth without spending it on luxuaries.
Weber: religion as a force for change
What are the steps of Calvinism leading to capitalism?
- calvinists are anxious about salvation
- they devote themselves to work to glorify God
- they get wealthier
- they believe it’s a sign of God’s favour and they may be ‘elect’
- they live ascetically and reinvest wealth without spending it
- companies and businesses grow and profit is a spiritual goal.
Weber: religion as a force for change
What are the main Calvinism beliefs?
(2)
- Predestination - God has determined whose souls will be saved.
- Divine transcendence - God’s will is above human knowledge.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What is relative autonomy?
When something can have ideas that are partly independent of the capitalist economic base of society.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
How does Bloch see religion?
(2 key points / terms)
- ‘dual character’ - religion can often inhibit change, however it also can cause change.
- ‘principle of hope’ - religion provides dreams of a better life / utopia which can sometimes decieve people, however can also help people strive for a better world.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What is Liberation Theology?
A movement that emerged within the catholic church in Latin America in 1960s with a strong commitment to the poor and opposition to military dictatorships.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
Why did LT emerge?
(2)
- The growth of rural poverty and urban slums.
- Human rights abuses following military takeovers
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What are ‘praxis’ and what are some examples of this?
- ‘praxis’ - practical action guided by theory.
- Priests led literacy programmes raising political awareness and resisted state terror.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
Why did the LT movement lose momentum?
- Pope John Paul criticised LT for being too similar to marxism, changing the church’s attitiude.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What is ____’s criticism of LT being a revolutionary force?
- Maduro’s
- Argues that LT helped bring about democracy but didn’t threaten the stability of capitalism.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What is the pentacostal challenge and what is the main difference between it and LT?
- Pentecostalism encourages individuals to pull themselves out of poverty, with support from the congregation.
- Therefore, the main difference is that LT offers collective improvement through political action whereas pentecostalism encourages individual efforts.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
How does Worsley define Millenarian movements?
- The desire to change things to bring about the return of God.
- They expect the total transformation of Earth by supernatural means, creating heaven on Earth.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
Why do millenarian movements often appeal to the poor?
They promise to immediate improvement, and often arise in colonial situations.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What did Worsley find in his study of cargo cults?
- Cargo cults arose in Melanesia where islanders felt that cargo was meant for natives but had been taken by the whites.
- Caused widespread unrest.
- Sometimes millenarian movements can develop into secular political movements that overthrow colonial rule.
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
What is hegemony? Studied by ____
- Ideological domination or leadership of society.
- It is the way that the dominant class rule using religion to maintain control.
- Gramsci
Neo-marxism, religion, and change
How can religion sometimes challenge hegemony?
By acting as ‘organic intellectuals’ who have relative autonomy and support working class organisations.
