Religion in a Global Context

Question 1

Examples of fundamentalist religions:

Answer 1

• Free presbyterian church of Ulster (Stacey Dooley - girl who hates gay people)
• Faithful word Baptist Church
• Westboro Baptist Church

Question 2

The features of fundamentalist religions:

Answer 2

• An authoritative sacred text
• An ‘us and them’ mentality
• A negative reaction
• Use of modern technology
• Patriarchy

Question 3

‘The clash of civilisations’ - Huntington

Answer 3

• Fundamentalism is a product of the clash of civilisations.
• This means, that as Western and Islamic cultures come into contact, this inevitably leads to a conflict of values.
• Huntington says the cause of fundamentalism is Islam, and the only solution is for Western countries to invade and impose Western values on those countries.

Question 4

Zizek - criticism of Huntington

Answer 4

Argues that there are similarities between Christian and Muslim fundamentalists.

Question 5

What effects might there be from an increased contact between religions and increased exposure of members of society to different religions?

Answer 5

• It leads to religions borrowing ideas from each other.
• People may convert to those religions or feel threatened by them.
• E.g. ‘Hare Krishna’

Question 6

Religious responses to postmodernity:

Answer 6

• Religions either reject or adopt their beliefs to fit in with society’s dominant values.

Question 7

Bruce - causes of fundamentalism: modernity.

Answer 7

• FM movements are movements that respond to problems created by modernisation
• Modernity leads to fundamentalism as people with traditional values feel threatened by things such as:
• Socialisation
• Differentiation
• Egalitarianism
• Rationalisation

Question 8

Davie - causes of fundamentalism: modernity

Answer 8

• Fundamentalism occurs when those who have traditional values feel threatened by modernity.
• Fundamentalists are products of modernity.

Question 9

Giddens - causes of fundamentalism: globalisation

Answer 9

• Globalisation undermines traditional social norms concerning the nuclear family, gender and sexuality.
• Cosmopolitanism - a way of thinking that is tolerant of difference.
• Fundamentalism - holding rigid, dogmatic beliefs.

Question 10

Bauman; Castells - causes of fundamentalism: postmodernity

Answer 10

• Bauman (liquid modernity) argues that some embrace these new freedoms whilst others are attracted to fundamentalism which offers absolute truth and certainty.
• Castells - identifies two responses to modernity:
• Resistance identity - feel threatened + retreat to fundamentalism.
• Project identity - feminist movements, environmentalist

Question 11

Beckford- criticism of Bruce, Davie, Giddens, Bauman and Castells.

Answer 11

• Not every movement falls neatly into fundamentalism or cosmopolitanism.
• Ignores non-fundamentalist religions like Catholicism.

Question 12

Causes of fundamentalism - Bruce: monotheism

Answer 12

• Argues that monotheistic religions produce fundamentalists but polytheistic religions do not.
• He says that this is because monotheistic religions are based on the word of God being revealed through a single sacred text.

Question 13

Causes of fundamentalism - Bruce: changes from within and without society.

Answer 13

• Fundamentalists in the West and East are different.
• West - feel threatened by changes within society - feminism, gay people.
• East - causes by threats from outside. E.g. Isis formed by invasions from the West.

Question 14

France

Answer 14

• Islamophobia is common in France, a very secular country.
• A law in 2004. banned women from wearing a headscarf in public buildings.
• Niqab been banned in public since 2010.
• France is fundamentalist but secular, feel threatened by religion.

Question 15

Two phases of modernity - Davie

Answer 15

• Religious fundamentalism - in response to the enlightenment. Promoted a belief in progress based on rationality and science.
• Secular fundamentalism - when people with enlightenment values feel threatened by those with traditional values.

Question 16

‘Recreated memories’ - Hervieu-Leger

Answer 16

• Fundamentalism is an attempt to recreate religion how it was.

Question 17

The role of religion in opposing communism in Poland:

Answer 17

• The communist government tried to turn Poland into an atheist country.
• Church property was seized, members of the church were banned from public service.
• 80% of young Poles say they’re catholic, half go to mass at least once a week.

Question 18

The role of religion in the Islamic revolution in Iran:

Answer 18

• Islamic revolution of 1979.
• Before this Iran was becoming secular.
• Shi’ite Islam provided cultural defence for Iranians.

Question 19

Religion in India

Answer 19

• Powerful economy, has a growing educated affluent M/C.
• 80% of the Indian population are Hindu.

Question 20

Nanda

Answer 20

• In India, it is fashionable to be religious. M/C Hindus seem particularly interested in less important, village Gods.

Question 21

What is happening in East Asia? (Redding)

Answer 21

• Confucionism - is a philosophy but works like a religion. They say that ‘life is duty’.
• Redding - just as Calvinism inspired the growth of European capitalism, confucianism is inspiring the growth of East Asian capitalism.

Question 22

Religion in Brazil (Berger)

Answer 22

• Pentecostalists - direct experience of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
• 1940s - 99% were Catholic.
• Now - 22% of Brazilians are evangelical Christians.
• Berger - pentecostalism does the same thing for South America as Calvinism did for Europe.

Question 23

Lehmann - two phases of Christianity:

Answer 23

• In the past, Christianity was spread by European missionaries. It was imposed on the developing world.
• Now, it sort of blends with indigenous beliefs so is more popular.