Religion and Social Change

Question 1

What is social change

Answer 1

Changing society and evolving with it, cosmopolitan, Neo-Marxist

Question 2

What is a conservative force

Answer 2

Tradition, stuck in its ways, old fashioned, status quo

Question 3

Social protest - Civil Rights

Answer 3

• Martin Luther King jr - American civil right movement led by MLK - churches provided meeting places as an escape, religion is a ideological resource
• Was the movement Religion or Politics?

Question 4

Social Protest - New Christian Right

Answer 4

• Politically and Morally Conservative - Protestant, fundamentalist movement
• aims of the movement were to ‘take America back God’ and make abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage and divorce illegal - restore traditional and conservative beliefs
• made effective use of the media and networking notably televangelism
• Bruce argues that this movement has been largely unsuccessful in trying to achieve its aims because its campaigners find it difficult to cooperate with people from other religious groups and it lacks widespread support

Question 5

Social Change and Fundamentalism

Answer 5

Fundamentalism provides us with an example where religion can both be seen as playing a conservative role but also a role to create social change, as it seeks to reintroduce beliefs that are more traditional and conservative, over more liberal values. E.g. Iranain revolution

Question 6

Neo Marxism and Social Change

Answer 6

• Maduro Liberation theology - religion can be seen as freeing as well as oppressive
• Bloch Principle of hope - Utopia - religion provides dreams for a better life
• Gramsci hegemony/dual character - can help or hinder revolution
• Billings - dual character - church offered support but to men over women

Question 7

Weber and Social change

Answer 7

Protestant ethic and spirit of capitalism - relationship between the rise of certain forms of capitalism protestantism and the development of western industrial capitalism

Question 8

Religion performs a conservatie force - evaluation

Answer 8

Functionalism - Durkheim = collective worship reaffirms collective conscience, Parsons = religion legitimises core values
Marxism - Marx sees religion as a conservative ideology that prevents social change, by legitimising and disguising inequality, creates false consciousness and prevents revolution
Feminism- religion as a conservative force, it is an ideology that legitimises patriarchal power and maintains womens surbordination in family + wider society = De Beauvour