Religion In Society

Question 1

Falsification

Answer 1

When something is able to be proved wrong

Question 2

Why is science an open belief system?

Answer 2

Scientists set out to try to falsify existing theories, deliberately seeking evidence that would disprove them
If the evidence from an experiment or observation contradicts a theory and shows it to be false then the theory is discarded

Question 3

Why is science a closed belief system?

Answer 3

Polanyl argues that all belief systems reject fundamental challenges to their knowledge claims, science is no different

Question 4

Reasons why religions is a closed belief system

Answer 4

Religion claims to have a special, perfect knowledge of the absolute truth
Its knowledge us sacred and religious organisations claim to hold it on Gods divine authority so cannot be challenged

Question 5

Reasons why religion is an open belief system

Answer 5

People have translated and edited the bible so it is not a fixed text

Question 6

What is Durkheim’s sacred and profane?

Answer 6

Sacred things are things that are set apart, special and evoke awe, fear or wonder, often surrounded by rules and rituals
The profane are ordinary, everyday things that have no special significance or deeper meaning

Question 7

What does Parsons believe about the function of religion?

Answer 7

Religion provides moral guidelines that help maintain social order
Argued that religious teachings are key to socialising individuals into a shared moral framework which influences legal systems and societal norms

Question 8

What does Bellah believe about the function of religion?

Answer 8

Introduced the concept of ‘civil religion’ where nationalistic belief systems take in religious qualities, uniting society under shared values. E.g. USA and ‘Americanism’

Question 9

What does Malinowski believe about the function of religion?

Answer 9

Religion functions to relieve the anxieties caused by life crises like death, birth, or marriage
Religious rituals like funerals help people cope with uncertainty and stress, thus maintaining social stability

Question 10

What is Weber’s view on Marx?

Answer 10

Rejected Marx’s theory that religion was a tool of capitalism
Instead he believed that religion was a force for social change
Religion is more than just an ideological tool or a response to deprivation. Religion is a social force

Question 11

What does religion do in the eyes Weber?

Answer 11

It explains good and bad fortune as divine reward or punishment. It enables people to cope with uncontrollable situations

Question 12

Economic restructionism

Answer 12

Refers to the idea that everything can be educed to economic relationships

Question 13

Disenchantment

Answer 13

Movement away from the magical explanations of the world, to the logical ones

Question 14

What do Calvinist’s believe?

Answer 14

Grid had already chosen if your going to heaven or hell

Question 15

According to Weber, what did Calvinists start?

Answer 15

Capitalism because they made the conditions for capitalism to grow

Question 16

Protestantism

Answer 16

Individualistic religion. Encourage private prayer and worship. Allowed for people to interpret religion for themselves and this was more open to social change

Question 17

Criticisms of Weber

Answer 17

Not all Calvinist countries were capitalist
Other factors were more influential- Marxists argue that slavery, colonialism, and piracy were more important features that lead to the rise of capitalism

Question 18

Views that support Weber

Answer 18

Religious ideas fuel economic and social change- Berger and Redding agree as they say we can still see this happening in societies today
Mormons are the modern day calvinists- Aldridge saw similar patterns in the Mormon community which had similar work ethic to calvinists. They promote hard work and a strain from many pleasures

Question 19

Five characteristics of Pentecostalism

Answer 19

Strong belief in biblical authority
Strong emphasis in personal ‘born again’ conversion experiences
Focus on the importance if prayer
Engagement in missionary activity
Conservative morals

Question 20

What are the conflicts between faith and feminism?

Answer 20

Perception if patriarchy
Religious justification for gender inequality
Historical resistance
Secular VS religious ideals

Question 21

What are the reasons why faith and feminism can coexist?

Answer 21

Shared commitment to justice
Historical collaboration
Faith inspired feminism
Alternative views on liberation

Question 22

Traditionalist

Answer 22

Religion is fixed and sacred

Question 23

Modernist

Answer 23

Religion is impacted by culture and therefore open to change

Question 24

How do religious organisations make women subordinate and who is the key theorist that is linked to this?

Answer 24

Mainly male dominated dispute the fact that women often participate more than men in these organisations

Armstrong- sees the exclusions from the priesthood as evidence for women’s marginalisation

Question 25

How do places of worship make women subordinate and what theorist links to this idea?

Answer 25

They often segregate sexes and marginalise women (e.g. sitting them behind screen while men occupy the central more sacred places). Women’s participation may also be restricted

Holm- describes this as the devaluation of women in religion

Question 26

How do sacred texts subordinate women?

Answer 26

They largely feature the doings of male Gods, prophets, etc, and are usually written and interpreted by men, stories often reflect anti-female stereotypes, such so that of Eve who caused the fall in the Garden of Eden

Question 27

How can religious laws and customs subordinate women and who is a theorist linked to this idea?

Answer 27

Many give women fewer rights than men. Many religions legitimate and regulate women’s traditional domestic and reproductive role

Woodhead- the exclusion if women from the Catholic priesthood is evidence of the church’s deep unease about the emancipation of women generally

Question 28

How does religion maintain capitalism?

Answer 28

It is an ideology that creates a false class consciousness
It is an ideological state apparatus that maintains the socio-economic inequalities in society
It encourages oriole to accept their suffering as ‘divine’ and promises them false rewards in heaven
It also sees mattering success as a sign of God’s favour and further endangers the class divide
It also quells rebellion by preventing its followers taking action as all things are seen as ‘God’s will’
It therefore maintains social control and prevents social change
In a communist society there would be no religion as there would be no ideology to disseminate

Question 29

What is the radical feminist view on religions being a part of the system that oppresses women?

Answer 29

Religion is a tool that the patriarchy use to maintain their social control and for the benefit of men

Simone de Beauvoir- the second sex- men use religion to oppress and control women, created a false consciousness that women see themselves as second class citizens whilst also believing that they are being treated as equals to men

Mary Daly- language of the Father God legitimates male supremacy and oppression of women- “as God is male the male becomes God”

Question 30

What is the liberal feminist view on religions being a part of the system that oppresses women?

Answer 30

Religious institutions are patriarchal as they are part if the patriarchal society. They created a ‘stained glass ceiling’ that prevents women from being liberated and empowered

Nawal El Saadawi- Islam developed in areas if the world which already had extremely patriarchal social structures

Question 31

What is the Marxist feminist view on religions being a part of the system that oppresses women?

Answer 31

Religion is an ideological tool that maintains the capitalist nature of society. Religions are used to maintain women’s low status so they can continue to give their unpaid labour to the system

Nawal El Saadawi- revolutions are generally beneficial to women

Question 32

Why would Woodhead argue that religions are not part of the system that oppresses women?

Answer 32

Hijabs should not be viewed as simply an oppressive symbol, but rather it can also be seen as empowering for Muslim women
Wearing a hijab can act as an assertion of power for women allowing them to reclaim authority of their own bodies while also challenging traditional gender roles by asserting their right to participate in public life without fear or shame

Question 33

Why would Armstrong argue that religions are not part of the system that oppresses women?

Answer 33

Women were central to many spiritual traditions in early history
One common representation is of the Mother Goodness as a pregnant women, which places fertility as central to early spirituality
Female figured began to be written out of religion with the acceptance of monotheism

Question 34

Why would Nawal El Saadawi argue that religions are not part of the system that oppresses women?

Answer 34

Female oppression in the Arab world is not caused by Islam but by the patriarchal systems that existed before Islam
Religion isn’t the direct cause of women’s oppression, instead it is the patriarchal influences that reshape religion to suit the interests of men

Question 35

Criticisms of the Marxist view of religion

Answer 35

It is pessimistic as it only looks at the negatives of religion rather than the benefits
Secularisation — religion is declining in power by capitalist values are still successful
Narrow focus — only acknowledges the ideological nature and ignores the other features
Feminism — it ignores patriarchal nature of religion and its promotion of gender inequality
Christo-centric — heavily only applies to Abrahamic faiths
Religion and communism — Marx said religion wouldn’t exist in communist societies but China’s predicted to be the worlds most Christian nation by 2030

Question 36

How does Bloch argue religion is the ‘principle of hope’?

Answer 36

Our dreams of a better life that contain images of utopia - images of utopia can deceive people with promises of rewards like heaven

Question 37

What does liberation theology set out to do?

Answer 37

Change society, e.g. priests set out to establish support groups called ‘base communities’, and helped workers and peasants fight oppression under the protection of the church

Question 38

What does the term hegemony mean and who uses it?

Answer 38

It is the ideological domination of leadership of society and is used to refer to the way that the ruling cksss use ideas such as religion to maintain social control

Gramsci

Question 39

Arguments that believe that religion is a conservative ideology

Answer 39

Haleny argues that the rise of non-Christian churches is the reason Britain did not see the w/c revolution of the 18-19thC
In 2014 50% if the serving Bishops who’s schools were known were privately educated
42% of CofE bishops went to Oxbridge

Question 40

Arguments that believe that religion isn’t a conservative ideology

Answer 40

CofE calls out governmental policies that promote austerity and tax avoidance. This means that they are fighting against the corporate elite

Question 41

Church

Answer 41

Large organisation, often with millions of members such as the Catholic Church, run by a bureaucratic hierarchy of professional priests, and they claim a monopoly of the truth

Question 42

Denomination

Answer 42

Religious organisation that lies midway between churches and sects. Unlike both churches and sects, they are tolerant of other religious organisations and beliefs and do not claim a monopoly of the truth

Question 43

Sects

Answer 43

Small, exclusive groups. They are hostile to wider society and expect a high level of commitment. They draw their members from the poor and oppressed and are led by a charismatic leader rather than a bureaucratic hierarchy

Question 44

Cult

Answer 44

Loose-knit and usually small religious organisations spiritual groups of individuals with similar interests. They lack a sharply defined belief system and are tolerant of other beliefs. Often led by ‘practitioners’ or ‘therapists’ who claim special knowledge. Those who take part are more like clients or consumers over members

Question 45

Key features of a church

Answer 45

Claim a monopoly of the truth
Usually associated with the state
Has professional clergy

Question 46

Key features of a denomination

Answer 46

Works alongside other religions and usually accepting of religious pluralism
World accomplishing religious movement

Question 47

Key features of a cult

Answer 47

Focused on individual spiritual development
Financial buy in

Question 48

Key features of a sect

Answer 48

Claim a monopoly of the truth
Also known as world rejecting movement
Demand total loyalty and are completely exclusive

Question 49

What are new religious movements (NRMs)?

Answer 49

Social movements that aim to alter existing religious organisations or establish new religious groups

Question 50

According to sociologists, what are the three key reasons for the rise of NRMs?

Answer 50

Changing values
Changing social structures
Change to the role and character of religion

Question 51

Who are NRMs appealing to?

Answer 51

W/c
Migrants
Women
The young

Question 52

What do Stark and Bainbridge categorise NRMs unto?

Answer 52

Audience cults — low level, low commitment, no mass organisation
Client cults — larger level of commitment (financial)
Cult movements — world rejecting, massively organised, large following, high commitment

Question 53

What are new age movements (NAMs)?

Answer 53

Religious practises that focus on individual spiritual growth and development. Often shared vid courses and seminars at a financial cost. They use social media to gain followers

Question 54

What does Barker say NAMs are?

Answer 54

Pick ‘n’ mix
Individuals can have overlapping memberships- can go from one ‘self-religion’ to the next

Question 55

What are the three types of religion and define them?

Answer 55

Constructionist = how followers define it
Substantive = define religion by its substance
Functional = what it does

Question 56

What does Drane (post-modernist) say about NAMs?

Answer 56

The appeal is part if a shift towards a post modern society
People have lost faith in experts and professionals and are disillusioned with the churches failure to meet their spiritual needs so they turns to NAMs

Question 57

What does Bruce (modernist) say about NAMs?

Answer 57

Growth of NAMs is a feature if the latest phase if modern society
Notes that NAMs are often softer versions of more demanding Eastern religions

Question 58

What does Heelas (modernist) say about NAMs?

Answer 58

Says NAMs and modernity are linked in four ways:
A source of identity
Consumer culture
Rapid social change
Decline of organised religion

Question 59

What are the two key characteristics of NAMs according to Heelas?

Answer 59

Self-spirituality — new agers seeking the spiritual have turned away from traditional ‘external’ religions such as churches and instead look inside themselves to find it

Detraditionalisation — the rejection of spiritual authority if external traditional sources. Instead it values personal experience and believes that we can discover the truth for ourselves within ourselves