Religion and social protest (change)

Question 1

American Civil Rights Movement - BRUCE

Answer 1

• describes struggle of black civil rights movements 1950s/60s -> end racial segregation as an example of religiously motivated social change
• slavery had been abolished in 1865, but blacks were denied legal and political rights in many southern states where segregation was enforced, preventing them using same amenities as whites
• schools were segregated and interracial marriages forbidden
• blacks often excluded from voting by various legal restrictions and intimidation

Question 2

Civil rights and religion- BRUCE

Answer 2

• the black clergy = backbone of movement
• Led by MLK - played decisive role, gave support/moral legitimacy to civil rights activists
• churches were meeting places/sanctuary from threat of white violence
• rituals eg prayer meeting were a source of unity in the face of oppression
• black clergy shamed whites into changing law be appealing to shared Christian values of equality
• impact on black clergy in south was limited, msg reached wide audience outside southern states and gained national support

Question 3

BRUCE sees religion in this context as an ideological resource

Answer 3

• provided beliefs and practices that protesters could draw on for motivation and support
• identified several ways in which religious organisations are well equipped to support protests and contribute too social change
  1. Taking the moral high ground - point out hypocrisy of white clergy who preached ‘love thy neighbour’ but supported racial segregation
  2. Mobilising public opinion - black churches in south successfully campaigned for support across whole of America

Question 4

The New Christian Right

Answer 4

• politically and morally conservative, Protestant fundamentalist movement
• has gained prominence since 1960s due to opposition to liberalising of American society
• aims = take American ‘back to God’ and make abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage and divorce illegal - going back to before the liberalisation of American culture/society
• believe in traditional family values and have campaigned for only creationism to be taught in schools and ban sex ed

Question 5

The NCR and Social Change

Answer 5

• made effective use of media/networking eg televangelism, where church owned TV stations raise funds and broadcast programmes aimed at making converts/recruiting new members
• RW Christian pressure groups have also become focus for political campaigning and for strengthening links with the republican party
  HOWEVER…been largely unsuccessful in achieving aim for 2 reasons (BRUCE)
  1. Campaigners find it hard to cooperate with other religions, even when its the same issue eg abortion
  2. Lacks widespread support and has met with strong opposition from groups who stand for freedom of choice

Question 6

Failure of NCR

Answer 6

BRUCE

• failed movement for social change
• lots of publicity/high media profile, but didn’t achieve aims of taking America ‘back to God’
• its attempt to impose Protestant fundamentalist morality on others has failed because of basic Liberal/democratic values of most of American society eg separation of church and state (very few Americans believe in idea of theocracy)
• surveys show - Americans comfortable with legalising activities they personally believe are immoral eg abortion, homosexuality, and are unwilling to accept others’ definitions of how they should live their lives
• issue for NCR - they believe in literal truths of Bible - insist everyone should conform to its teachings
• impossible demand to make in a mature democracy

Question 7

Civil rights vs NCR

Answer 7

• to achieve success, beliefs of group need to be same as wider society
• in America -they need to connect with mainstream beliefs about democracy, equality and religious freedom
• civil rights did this , but NCR failed to do