religion and social change Flashcards
what was the calvanist doctrine of predestination
your path in life cannot be changed - god has predetermined what souls would be saved and which ones wouldnt before birth - people could not do anything about this through their deeds, as catholics believe.
explain what weber means as this worldly asceticism
restraining from luxury, wearing simple clothes, avoiding excess in order to devote oneself to GOD and a LIFE OF PRAYER
why does weber agrue that the calvanists experienced salvation panic
they did not know what to do with the money they made so they reinvested it back into businesses which grew and prospered and made more profit, to further reinvest
according to weber, why did hinduism discourage social change
weber argues that india was more materially advanced than europe however capitalism did not develop there because its orientation was ‘other worldly’ - the followers of hinduism were concerned with the spiritual world rather than the physical world.
explain what is meant by hegemony
ideological domination or leadership of society - a set of ideas and values that are used to persuade the subordinate classes that the ruling class dominance is legitimate
how can religion be seen as a conservative force-
its often seen as ‘traditional’ because it defends traditional customs, institutions, moral views and roles
-it functions to keep things the way they are
traditional conservative beliefs held by religions
catholic church - opposes gay marriage / condemns homosexuality
coe - men should be the head of the family
2 consequences of calvinist lifestyle
- wealth was psychologically functional, allowing them to deal with their salvationist panic
- established modern day capitalism
identify 2 ways in which the churches were able to support the black civil rights movement
- moblilising public opinion - the black churches in the south succesfully campaigned for suppot across the whole of america
- churches act as an ‘honest broker’ and can provide a context for negotiating change as they are often respected by both sides in a conflict
- the black clergy caught the white clergy out, whom preached ‘love thy neighbour’ whilst supporting racial segregation.
suggest one similarity between liberation theology and marxism
the belief in the workers and peasants fighting oppression in order to spark a revoloution
why do marxists see religion as having a dual character.
religion can act as a force for social change as well as a force for social stability
outline 3 criticisms of weber
kautsky - argues that weber underestimates the role of ideas and underestimates economic factors in bringing capitalism into being.
tawney - argues technological change rather that religious ideas caused the birth of capitalism - it was only after capitalism was established that the bourgeiouse adopted calivinist beliefs to legitimate their pursuit of economic gain.
- not every country where there were calvinists developed capitalism - scotland had a large calvinist population but was slow to develop capitalism
what does ernst bloch mean by the ‘principal of hope’
religion has a dual character, having both a positive and negative influence on social change - he sees religion as an expression of the ‘principle of hope’, dreams of a better life that contain images of UTOPIA
what 3 factors led to liberation theology
- deepening rural poverty and the growth of urban slums
- human rights abuse
- catholic priests becoming growingly commited to supporting the poor / opposition to the violation of human rights
