Religion and Social Change

Question 1

Religion as a conservative force

Answer 1

1. it is traditional - defends customs, traditions and moral codes
2. functions to conserve/preserve things as they are

Question 2

Religious beliefs

Answer 2

most have conservative beliefs - oppose freedoms in personal or sexual matters e.g. contraception
uphold family values and favour patriarchal division of labour (embedded in marriage vows)

Question 3

Weber - religion as a force for change

Answer 3

religious beliefs of Calvinism brought about modern capitalism
past societies had capitalism (greed for luxury consumption)
modern - based on systematic pursuit of profit for its own sake

Question 4

Calvinist beliefs - predestination

Answer 4

certain souls are ‘saved’ before birth

individuals can do nothing to change (unlike Catholic pilgrimages)

Question 5

Calvinist beliefs - divine transcendence

Answer 5

God is above and beyond this world
greater than any mortal
led to ‘unprecedented sense of inner loneliness’
combined with predestination - led to salvation panic

Question 6

Calvinist beliefs - asceticism

Answer 6

self - discipline and self denial

Question 7

Calvinist beliefs - vocation

Answer 7

before - meant to serve in a monastery (other worldly)
Calvinists believed that they exist to glorify God’s name in their work
vocation - constant work (like a religious duty)
practised ‘this worldly asceticism’ with the belief that idleness was a sin
helped them to cope with ‘salvation panic’
as they grew wealthier - sign of God’s favour
driven by work ethic - methodically grew in wealth in most efficient way (but not permitted to spend on luxuries)

Question 8

Weber - evaluation

Answer 8

1. challenges Marx’s ideas that economic factors are enough
2. Kautsky says Weber overestimates role of ideas
3. Tawney says that technology changes caused capitalism

Question 9

Hinduism and Confucianism

Answer 9

other societies had greater economic development than Northern Europe
Ancient China and India were more advanced (but capitalism didn’t take off)
Ancient India - Hinduism’s other - worldly asceticism
Ancient China - Confucianism discouraged rational capitalism

Question 10

Bruce - US civil rights movement

Answer 10

time of segregation and denial of rights
example of religiously motivated social change
began with Rosa Parks’ bus protest
appealed to shared Christian values
1. black clergy was backbone of the movement
2. gave moral legitimacy to activists
3. provided meeting places as an escape from white violence
4. prayer provided unity in face of oppression

Question 11

US civil rights movement - religion’s effects

Answer 11

1. took the moral high ground - the hypocrisy of white clerical ‘love thy neighbour’
2. channelling dissent - religion provides a channel (MLK funeral)
3. acting as a negotiator - church provides place above ‘mere politics’
4. mobilising public opinion - successfully campaigned for support

Question 12

Bruce - New Christian Right

Answer 12

politically and morally conservative
opposed liberalisation and aimed to take America ‘back to God’
believes in traditional family and gender roles
strong links to Republicanism

Question 13

New Christian Right - ineffective

Answer 13

1. Campaigners don’t cooperate with other groups (even on the same issue)
2. Lacks widespread support
3. Belief in separation of church and state
   Surveys found that people are fine with legalisation of things that they find immoral but are unwilling to do what others say

Question 14

Marxism, religion and change

Answer 14

Usually see religion as a conservative ideology (legitimation of inequality)
recognise that ideas can have praxis (relative autonomy)
Marx sees religion as humanising a world made made inhuman by exploitation
Dual character (Engels) - although religion inhibits change, it can also encourage social change e.g. preaches liberation from slavery

Question 15

Bloch

Answer 15

argues for view of religion as both positive and negative

can inspire protest or rebellion (principle of hope)

Question 16

Liberation theology

Answer 16

movement which emerged in RC Latin America
RC had accepted poverty and supported wealthy elites
Caused by
1. deepening rural poverty and growth of urban slums
2. human rights abuses e.g. murder of political opponents
3. growing commitment to an ideology which supported the poor

Question 17

Aims of liberation theology

Answer 17

1. helped poor to set up base communities
2. workers to fight oppression under church protection
3. educated poor

Question 18

Maduro

Answer 18

religion as a revolutionary force
religious ideas radicalised clergy in defence of peasants
saving poor made a christian duty
but liberation theology did not challenge capitalism

Question 19

Pentecostal challenge

Answer 19

made inroads with the poor

1. Liberation theology - option for the poor of community consciousness
2. Pentecostalism - option of the poor for individuals to pull themselves out of poverty

Question 20

Millenarianism

Answer 20

idea that Jesus would come and rule for 1000 years before the end of the world
Religion raises hope of a better world
Worsley - groups expect imminent transformation by supernatural means
appeal is largely to the poor and often arises in colonial situation

Question 21

Cargo cults

Answer 21

tribes people felt deprived when materials went to coloniser
combines traditional beliefs of Christianity e.g. punishment of wicked
Engels - first awakening of ‘proletarian consciousness’

Question 22

Gramsci - hegemony

Answer 22

hegemony - ideological domination e.g. power of Catholicism in support of Mussolini

Question 23

Gramsci - dual character

Answer 23

WC play see through hegemony and clergy may be ‘organic intellectruals’

Question 24

Religion and class conflict - Billings

Answer 24

compared class struggle in two communities (coal miners and textile workers) 
Both were WC and evangelical protestants

Question 25

Billings - practices

Answer 25

1. Leadership - miners were led by organic intellectuals but textile workers didn’t
2. Organisation - miners were able to use independent churches for meetings
3. Support - churches kept morale high with sermons, prayer meetings whereas textile workers faced opposition from church leaders