Religion and Social Change

Question 1

Religion can be seen as a conservative force in two different senses:

Answer 1

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

Question 2

How do functionalist see religion?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

How do feminists see religion?

Answer 3

Religion maintains patriarchy

• religion is an ideology that legitimises patriarchal power
• religion maintains women’s subordination in society

Question 4

How do Marxists see religion?

Answer 4

Religion preserves capitalism

• religion maintains class inequality
• religion is a tool of ideological oppression creating a false class consciousness
• religion maintains alienation

Question 5

What does Weber argue about Calvinists beliefs

Answer 5

Argues that the religious beliefs of Calvinism helped to bring about major social change

Question 6

What are the four Calvinist beliefs?

Answer 6

Predestination
Divine transcendence
Asceticism
The idea of a vocation

Question 7

How does Calvinists explain predestination?

Answer 7

God predetermines who will be saved - ‘the elect’ - and individuals can do nothing to change this.

Question 8

What does Weber argue about divine transcendence?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

How does Weber describe Asceticism?

Answer 9

Abstinence, self-discipline and self-denial. For example, monks have devoted themselves to God and refrain from luxury.

Question 10

How does Weber describe the idea of a vocation?

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Calvinists led an ascetic lifestyle shunning all luxury, working long hours and practising rigorous self-discipline. As a result:

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Give two examples of societies where capitalism did not take off, due to the lack of a religious belief system like Calvinism:

Answer 12

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

Question 13

How does Parkin evaluate Weber?

Answer 13

Parkin is critical of Weber as capitalism was late to develop in Scotland, despite Calvinism being present there.

Question 14

How do Marxists evaluate Weber?

Answer 14

Marxists are critical; they argue that capitalism predates Calvinism

Question 15

How does RH Tauney evaluate Weber?

Answer 15

Technological change give rise to capitalism

Question 16

How does Kautsky evaluate Weber?

Answer 16

Weber overestimates ideas and underestimates the economic factors

Question 17

What is social change?

Answer 17

Refers to the alternation in the social order of a society. Social change may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours.

Question 18

What is Bruce interested in?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Bruce identifies several ways in which religious organisations are well equipped to support protests and contribute to social change. What are they?

Answer 19

Taking the moral high ground
Channelling dissent
Acting as honest broker
Mobilising public opinion

Question 20

Explain taking the moral high ground

Answer 20

Black clergy pointed out the hypocrisy of white clergy who preached ‘love thy neighbour’ but supported racial segregation

Question 21

Explain acting as honest broker

Answer 21

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’

Question 22

Explain channelling dissent

Answer 22

Religion provides channels to express political dissent. For example, MLK’s funeral was a rallying point for the civil rights cause

Question 23

Explain mobilising public opinion

Answer 23

Black churches in the South successfully campaigned for support across the whole of America

Question 24

How does Bruce identify that the civil rights movement used religion to bring about change?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

The New Christian Right were unsuccessful in social change, what three reasons does Bruce suggest for their failure?

Answer 25

• 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