BELIEFS: RELIGION AND SOCIAL CHANGE

Question 1

according to WEBER what major social change did calvinism bring about?

Answer 1

-modern day capitalism

Question 2

calvinist belief: pre-destination

Answer 2

God predetermined which souls will be saved (who goes to heaven and hell)
Nothing can change this.

Question 3

calvanist belief: divine transcendence

Answer 3

-God is so far and beyond comprehension that no human can claim to know his will. Created a ‘salvation panic’ in the Calvinists. They could not know whether they had been chosen to be saved, and they could not do anything to earn their salvation.

Question 4

calvanist belief: asceticism

Answer 4

-living a simple life, completely free from pleasure (not giving into materialism)
e.g. monks lead an ascetic existence refraining from luxury, wearing simple clothes and avoiding excess in order to devote themselves to God and a life of prayer.

Question 5

calvanist belief: the idea of a vocation or calling

Answer 5

• being ‘this worldly’ so working hard and being self-disciplined (dedicating your life to work and not to living)

Question 6

what are 2 consequences of the calvanist lifestyle?

Answer 6

-they began to see their increasing wealth as a sign they were blessed by God (the elect)
-they used the money generated from hard work to reinvest into their ‘business’ leading to industrialisation= modern day capitalism

Question 7

in what ways did Hinduism and Confucianism fail to encourage capitalism according to WEBER?

Answer 7

-Hinduism= was ‘other-worldly’ so it encouraged spirituality in preparation for reincarnation so doesn’t encourage to pursue a vocation or advance themselves
Confucianism= doesn’t encourage ascetism as people didn’t like a simple life or save and reinvest wealth into vocation/callings. (China also remained pre-industrial)

Question 8

what are 3 criticisms of WEBER?

Answer 8

-KAUTSKY: capitalist ideas emerged before calvanism became popular
-TAWNEY: technology played a bigger role in developing capitalism than religion
-TAWNEY: the emerging bourgeousie were attracted to calvanism because it’s teachings justified their social position

Question 9

what was the American Black Civil Rights Movement (BRUCE)

Answer 9

BRUCE:

Aimed to end racial segregation in America. Began when Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of a bus, as Black passengers were expected to do.

Black clergy was the backbone of this movement by giving support and moral legitimacy to civil rights activists.

Churches provided meeting places and sanctuary from the threat of white violence.

Rituals such as prayer meetings and hymn singing were a source of unity in the face of oppression.

Question 10

what are examples of how the black church could help religion?

Answer 10

-taking the moral high ground= ‘love thy neighbour’ should mean racial equality

-channeling dissent= allowing protesters to voice their political oppression

-acting as an honest broker= (mediator) use of the church as it is respected by both sides

-mobilising public opinion= able to spread the message throughout the country

EV: church influence has decreased

Question 11

what were the aims of the new christian church?
(RELIGION AS NOT A FORCE FOR CHANGE)

Answer 11

-BRUCE:

Aimed to take America ‘back to God’ by making abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage and divorce illegal.

Believes strongly in the traditional family gender roles.

(EV.) However, failed due to lacking widespread support and met with strong opposition from groups who stand for freedom and choice.

Question 12

what is relative autonomy? (MARXISM)

Answer 12

-when the state does play a role in controlling people and religion usually helps to encourage this but religious beliefs/practices aren’t restricted by the capitalist system

Question 13

how does religion have a ‘dual character’? (MARXISM)

Answer 13

ENGELS: most religious ideas inhibit social change = maintains class inequality and some religious ideas liberate people from the control of ruling classes to challenge the status quo

Question 14

what is the principle of hope?

Answer 14

ERNEST BLOCH:

encourages our dreams of a better life contain images of utopia (the perfect world).

= making a ‘vision of a better world’ can help people potentially change the physical world

Question 15

what is the liberation theology?

Answer 15

-A movement which emerged within the Catholic Church in Latin America at the end of the 60s with a strong commitment to helping the poor and opposition to the military dictatorships of the time.

Question 16

what 3 factors led to the liberation theory?

Answer 16

-increased poverty
-human rights abused by military dictators
-catholic priests who wanted to help the poor

Question 17

according to MADURO how does liberation theology show that religion can be a revolutionary force?

Answer 17

-it was a priest’s duty to help the poor than allow religion to explain their disadvantages but help the poor overcome them

Question 18

why did the roman catholic church’s attitude to liberation theology change

Answer 18

-eventually was challenged by pope john paul II as it was seen as too political and too marxist

Question 19

what is the difference between liberation theology and Pentecostalism?

Answer 19

liberation ideology= support /actively help the poor

Pentecostalism= to get people to get themselves out of the bad situation they are in

Question 20

what are Millenarian movements?

Answer 20

-desire to change life in the present rather than in the afterlife
-linked to the idea of the 2nd coming of Christ
-world is going to be transformed by supernatural power

Question 21

why do Millenarian movements appeal to the poor?

Answer 21

Appeal of millenarian movements is largely to the poor because they promise immediate improvement, and they often arise in colonial situations.

Question 22

what are ‘cargo cults’ and their significance?

Answer 22

-they’re inhabitants of pasific islands nd saw ‘cargo’ arriving for colonists= they thought they should’ve fought to overthrow colonism

-during the 19th and 20th century, performing rituals towards the second coming of God, hoping that it would happen and the colonists would disappear. They believed this unjust social order must be overturned, and led to widespread unrest that threatened colonial rule.

Question 23

what is Hegemony?

Answer 23

GRAMSCI:

the way the ruling class use ideological domination through religion to keep their positions in power e.g. working-class and upper class division

Question 24

what is counter-hegemony?

Answer 24

-providing the other view and can still support dominant thinking

Question 25

what are 3 ways in which religion can challenge hegemony according to BILLINGS

Answer 25

-leadership= having organic intellectual (the miners)

-organisation= having links to churches to hold meetings

-support= having high morale through sermons and prayer meetings (textile worker’s need)