Marxism, Neo Marxism & Postmodernism

Question 1

Marxist Perspective

Answer 1

“it is the opium of the ppl”
= conserv force - primary function = reproduce, maintain & justify class inequals = ISA serving Bour interests

Question 2

Opium of the masses

Answer 2

dulls pain of exploitation & = temp high through promises of better afterlife to distract from exploitation
gives distorted world view no solus to suffering

Question 3

Legitimates Inequality

Religion as an Ideology

Answer 3

suggests poor suffering = inevitable & god given - religion misleads into believing will be rewarded in next life - camel through needle

Question 4

Legitimates the power of the Ruling Class

Religion as an Ideology

Answer 4

religion teachings encour idea soc = org by gods will

Question 5

Spiritual Gin - Lenin

Religion as an Ideology

Answer 5

religion doled out to masses by rich & powerful to keep order - keeps confused & in place
L believed used to manip & prevent overthrowing ruling class - obscures reality

Question 6

Suffering as a test of faith

Answer 6

makes virtue out of suffering - make poor seem more godly - camel

Question 7

Existential Security

Answer 7

can offer hope of supernatural intervention to solve probs - makes it seem useless to try improve situ

Question 8

Promises Afterlife

Answer 8

gives something to look forward to - easier to put up with misery

Question 9

Engels (1975)

Answer 9

‘the history of Christianity has notable points of resemblense w/ the mod WC movement. Like the latter Christianity was originally a movement of oppressed ppl’

Question 10

Leech

Supporters of Marxist View

Answer 10

critical of CofE bc recruits from UC base = extremely wealthy - lost contact w/ ordinary ppl should be doing m to = accessible

Question 11

Halvey (1927)

Supporters of Marxist View

Answer 11

methodist relig played key role in preventing WC rev in C19 m other Eur nations exper some attempt at soc change not GB - expressed by disserting CofE for Meth = distracted from class grievences - inhib maj soc change & upheaval

Question 12

Hook (1990)

Supporters of Marxist View

Answer 12

pope has v conserv views on contraception, abortion, homosexuality, & female priests - shared by predessessor - stance on contraception = causing issues in less developed areas
wealth of ch should do m to tackle world pov

Question 13

Criticisms of Marxist Approach

Answer 13

failed to explain existence of relig where it does not appear to contrib to oppression of a particular class
some religion movements have brought about radical soc change & helped remove ruling class - can legit radical ideas as well as conservative ones
Neo marxists recog the way religion is sometimes used as the only means to oppose the ruling class

Question 14

Neo Marxism

Answer 14

talk about the apparent indepen of cul institus = rela autom argue = m affective as RC aren’t directly involv but econ power of RC will always control

Question 15

Otto Manduro

Answer 15

religion can = rev force - relig ideas & rad cler fight for p’s & w’s in situ when no alt cler can give guidance

Question 16

Gramsci

Answer 16

didn’t think = inevi that Ch sup RC interests
can develop to sup & challenge RC - not directly controlled

Question 17

Lowry

NM Evaluation

Answer 17

questions Marx’s view relig always legits soc inequal
other M’s agree can bring about soc change - depends on definition of soc change

Question 18

Changes to Religion due to Postmodernity

Answer 18

role of ch = less direct - ppl no longer go to ch just bc = expected = dec attendence - doesn’t mean dec faith - could = private
also acting as form of iden - in PM soc trad gender, sexuality etc = m fluid

Question 19

David Lyon

Postmodernism

Answer 19

Jesus in Disneyland (2001) - relig = disembedded in post-mod soc - no longer embedded in relig orgs / a particular country/cul - beliefs not in original context
pick & mix belief systems
relig appearing in unexpected places eg Disney - relig becomes matter of choice - shouldn’t be viewed in terms of obligation but in consumption

Question 20

Implications for Metanarratives

Postmodernism

Answer 20

ideas about changes to relig have impact on funcs described by Func, M & Fem
if relig not about a shared set of beliefs = private indu beliefs then cannot lead to col con
if relig = about meeting needs & wants as a product to = consumed rather than putting obligations on believers then won’t ensure discipline & control
ppl worshipping an individualised privatised relig are not worshiping soc

Question 21

Lyotard - Monopoly of Truth

Postmodernism

Answer 21

rejects metanarratives - macro mod theories like M & scientific theories - meaning relig = another narrative
to undermine & minimise relig = a challenge to secularisation theory - says relig truths are as true as scientific ones
the idea ppl can chose their own truths = another factor in resacrilisation of soc

Question 22

Holistic Milieu

Postmodernism

Answer 22

consump of relig fits w/ idea of holistic milieu & nature of New Age relig movements
companies sell spirituality as a commodity
tech = maj factor - internet has taken relig out of chs - now TV & websites = m privitised - Davie ‘believing w/o belonging’

Question 23

Sociology = Ethnocentric

Evaluation of Postmodernism

Answer 23

Berger - sec theory = eurocentric & relig = growing in other parts of world
post-mod socios neglect for these relig ppl relig is still mainly trad & doing trad funcs
eg Islam not disembedded in Islamic world from mosque/ trad context - same for many Christians in Africa & Latin America - some argue sec thoery = wrong bc relig has stayed the same in many areas

Question 24

Lyon Overstates Internet NBance

Evaluation of Postmodernism

Answer 24

whilst Televengelism & Youtube preachers = example of relig changing NBance could = overstated - m will still go to church - marketed to relig audience
like public address systems created bigger congregations & bigger churches being addressed - mod tech extends reach of relig message - doesn’t necessarily change fundmental nature of the message/meaning to audience

Question 25

Evaluation of Postmodernism

Answer 25

= evidence in western liberal democs sec theory = accurate
although = inc in New Age movements don’t challenge the pop of maj religs / atheism - many who consume = happy to consider selves christian / non relig
those ‘believing w/o belonging’ & worshipping vicariously through professional clergy might as well not really believe much at all - Bruce