2.1.2 Beliefs in society: Religion and Social Change

Question 1

Religion and social protest

What are the two movements that ____ focuses on to compare the role of religion and social change?

Answer 1

• Bruce
• Civil Rights Movement (1950s and 1960s)
• New Christian Right (1960s)

Question 2

Religion and social protest

When was slavery abolished in Amercia?

Answer 2

1865

Question 3

Religion and social protest

How does Bruce argue that the Clergy impacted the civil rights movement?

(3)

Answer 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).

Question 4

Religion and social protest

How does Bruce see religion in the context of social change?

Answer 4

As an ideological resourse to draw on for motivation.

Question 5

Religion and social protest

What ways did religious organisations support the civil rights protest?

(4)

Answer 5

• 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.

Question 6

Religion and social protest

What is the New Christian Right?

Answer 6

• A politically and morally conserative, protestant movement.

Question 7

Religion and social protest

What are the NCR’s aims / beliefs?

(4)

Answer 7

• 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.

Question 8

Religion and social protest

How did NCR campaign for support?

Answer 8

• Used ‘televangelism’, where church-owned TV stations broadcast programmes aimed at trying to make converts.

Question 9

Religion and social protest

Why does Bruce think NCR has been largely unsuccessful?

Answer 9

• 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.

Question 10

Religion and social protest

What is one example of NCR’s success?

Answer 10

Overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022

Question 11

Weber: religion as a force for change

How can religion be seen as a conservative force?

(2)

Answer 11

1. Upholds traditional values and beliefs. E.g divorce, abortion …
2. It functions to stabilise society through value consensus

Question 12

Weber: religion as a force for change

What are the main criticisms of Weber’s theories?

Answer 12

• 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.

Question 13

Weber: religion as a force for change

Why did Hinduism (India) and Confucianism (China) not lead to capitalism?

Answer 13

• 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.

Question 14

Weber: religion as a force for change

What are the steps of Calvinism leading to capitalism?

Answer 14

• 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.

Question 15

Weber: religion as a force for change

What are the main Calvinism beliefs?

(2)

Answer 15

1. Predestination - God has determined whose souls will be saved.
2. Divine transcendence - God’s will is above human knowledge.

Question 16

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What is relative autonomy?

Answer 16

When something can have ideas that are partly independent of the capitalist economic base of society.

Question 17

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

How does Bloch see religion?

(2 key points / terms)

Answer 17

• ‘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.

Question 18

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What is Liberation Theology?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

Why did LT emerge?

(2)

Answer 19

• The growth of rural poverty and urban slums.
• Human rights abuses following military takeovers

Question 20

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What are ‘praxis’ and what are some examples of this?

Answer 20

• ‘praxis’ - practical action guided by theory.
• Priests led literacy programmes raising political awareness and resisted state terror.

Question 21

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

Why did the LT movement lose momentum?

Answer 21

• Pope John Paul criticised LT for being too similar to marxism, changing the church’s attitiude.

Question 22

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What is ____’s criticism of LT being a revolutionary force?

Answer 22

• Maduro’s
• Argues that LT helped bring about democracy but didn’t threaten the stability of capitalism.

Question 23

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What is the pentacostal challenge and what is the main difference between it and LT?

Answer 23

• 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.

Question 24

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

How does Worsley define Millenarian movements?

Answer 24

• 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.

Question 25

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

Why do millenarian movements often appeal to the poor?

Answer 25

They promise to immediate improvement, and often arise in colonial situations.

Question 26

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What did Worsley find in his study of cargo cults?

Answer 26

• 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.

Question 27

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

What is hegemony? Studied by ____

Answer 27

• Ideological domination or leadership of society.
• It is the way that the dominant class rule using religion to maintain control.
• Gramsci

Question 28

Neo-marxism, religion, and change

How can religion sometimes challenge hegemony?

Answer 28

By acting as ‘organic intellectuals’ who have relative autonomy and support working class organisations.