Religion and Social Change Flashcards
Religion can be seen as a conservative force in two different senses:
1) Religion is traditional and upholds traditional customs and beliefs to how society should be organised.
2) it functions to conserve or preserve the status quo
How do functionalist see religion?
Religion preserves social solidarity
- religion and consensus
- maintains social stability, social solidarity and value consensus
- religion is an outlet for stress that won’t distress society
How do feminists see religion?
Religion maintains patriarchy
- religion is an ideology that legitimises patriarchal power
- religion maintains women’s subordination in society
How do Marxists see religion?
Religion preserves capitalism
- religion maintains class inequality
- religion is a tool of ideological oppression creating a false class consciousness
- religion maintains alienation
What does Weber argue about Calvinists beliefs
Argues that the religious beliefs of Calvinism helped to bring about major social change
What are the four Calvinist beliefs?
Predestination
Divine transcendence
Asceticism
The idea of a vocation
How does Calvinists explain predestination?
God predetermines who will be saved - ‘the elect’ - and individuals can do nothing to change this.
What does Weber argue about divine transcendence?
God is so far above and beyond this world that no human being could possibly claim to know his will - leaving the Calvinists to feel ‘an unprecedented inner loneliness’. This creates what Weber calls a salvation panic Calvinists.
How does Weber describe Asceticism?
Abstinence, self-discipline and self-denial. For example, monks have devoted themselves to God and refrain from luxury.
How does Weber describe the idea of a vocation?
The idea or a vocation or calling to serve God - but in the everyday world of work, not in a monastery. Calvinism invented this-worldly asceticism, where a vocation means constant, methodical work in an occupation.
Calvinists led an ascetic lifestyle shunning all luxury, working long hours and practising rigorous self-discipline. As a result:
1 driven by their work ethic, they systemically accumulated wealth but did no spend it on luxuries (asceticism), instead reinvesting it in their business to produce further profit
2 they prospered and came to see this as a sign of God’s fAvour and their salvation
Give two examples of societies where capitalism did not take off, due to the lack of a religious belief system like Calvinism:
Hinduism: in ancient India was an ascetic religion, but was other-worldly - directing followers towards the spiritual world
Confucianism: in ancient China, although a this-worldly religion that directed its followers towards the material world, it was not ascetic
How does Parkin evaluate Weber?
Parkin is critical of Weber as capitalism was late to develop in Scotland, despite Calvinism being present there.
How do Marxists evaluate Weber?
Marxists are critical; they argue that capitalism predates Calvinism
How does RH Tauney evaluate Weber?
Technological change give rise to capitalism
How does Kautsky evaluate Weber?
Weber overestimates ideas and underestimates the economic factors
What is social change?
Refers to the alternation in the social order of a society. Social change may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours.
What is Bruce interested in?
The relationship between religion and social change , comparing two case studies of the role of religiously inspired protest movements in America: the civil rights movement and the new Christian Right
Bruce identifies several ways in which religious organisations are well equipped to support protests and contribute to social change. What are they?
Taking the moral high ground
Channelling dissent
Acting as honest broker
Mobilising public opinion
Explain taking the moral high ground
Black clergy pointed out the hypocrisy of white clergy who preached ‘love thy neighbour’ but supported racial segregation
Explain acting as honest broker
Churches can provide a context for negotiating change because they are often respected by both sides in a conflict and seem as standing above ‘mere politics’
Explain channelling dissent
Religion provides channels to express political dissent. For example, MLK’s funeral was a rallying point for the civil rights cause
Explain mobilising public opinion
Black churches in the South successfully campaigned for support across the whole of America
How does Bruce identify that the civil rights movement used religion to bring about change?
In Bruce’s view, the movement achieved its aims because it shared the same values as wider society and those in power. It brought change by shaming those in power to put into practice the principle of equality embodied in the American Constitution that all men and women are born equal
The New Christian Right were unsuccessful in social change, what three reasons does Bruce suggest for their failure?
- The ‘Moral Majority’ was never a majority
- Its campaigners find it very difficult to cooperate with people from other religious groups, even when campaigning on the same issue, such as abortion
- The New Christian Right lacks widespread support and has met with strong opposition from groups who stand for freedom of choice, such as Planned Parenthood and People for the American Way
