religion is force for social change Vs conservative force

Question 1

Weber

Answer 1

• social action theorist & force for social change
• Calvinists (type of protestant) believed in predestination (idea that everyone was going to heaven but there were limited spaces).
  -therefore they worked hard + were frugal + invested in their communities to guarantee themselves a place (Success seen as smth god rewarded them with)
  = in part led to capitalism as Calvinists accumulated wealth
  EV: capitalism existed before Calvinists did

Question 2

Marx

Answer 2

• traditional marxist & conservative force
• used to legitimise inequality by encouraging being poor + accepting inequality in return for good afterlife e.g. parables (widow’s mite)

-‘opium of the masses’ = used to dull the oppression of the people = false class consciousness maintains bourgeoisie rule as w/c no longer feel the need to revolt

EV: Maduro (neo marxists) - force for change

Question 3

Durkheim

Answer 3

functionalist & conservative force
- religion exists to reinforce social solidarity + cohesion by bringing ppl together thru shared values e.g. respect for sacred objects
- encourages social integration, a functionalist key way of socialising into norms + values
EV: religion can be in conflict w each other,, (inter + intra conflict can occur)

Question 4

Gramsci

Answer 4

• neo marxist & conservative force
• religion is part of dominant hegemony + helps to maintain inequality
• can be force for change = can create counter hegemony

Question 5

Armstrong

Answer 5

• radical feminist & conservative force
• women used to be excluded from priesthood & men maintained higher positions in religious groups even tho women were known to be more religious + believing
• men used religion to justify subordination of women = stained glass ceiling
  EV: women can now become priests - outdated.

Question 6

Maduro
- liberation theology

Answer 6

-neo marxist & force for change
- catholic priests played role in fighting against military dictatorship in South America
- encouraged the poor to revolt against oppressive system by presenting Christ as revolutionary rather than as passive peacemaker = helped poorer part of christian religion
EV: however this only happened once + in one country

Question 7

Bruce

Answer 7

• force for change
• groups used religion as ideological resource w shared message that helped cause change e.g. hypocrisy “love thy neighbour” but supporting segregation
• can cause social change when views are united + the group lacks conflict

-Civil Rights Movement = successful ,, one reason why they were successful was bcs churches were seen as common ground ‘safe space’ to have civil chat

-New Christian Right = unsuccessful,, conflict within their own group and with other religious groups even when campaigning on same issues e.g. abortion
- also lacked widespread support, strong opposition for groups who stand for freedom of choice

Question 8

El sadaawi

Answer 8

• intersectional feminist & conservative force
• religion used to oppress women but this is not a direct cause of their subordination rather this is bcs of the patriarchy in the cultures and countries these religions were found in = men in control and use religion to justify oppression

if culture could change religion could be used as a force for social change

Question 9

De beauvoir

Answer 9

• radical feminist & conservative force

Question 10

Bellah

Answer 10

• functionalist & conservative force
  civil religion

Question 11

Parsons

Answer 11

• functionalist & conservative force

Question 12

Malinowski

Answer 12

• functionalist & conservative force
• turning 2 religion at a times of crises & when the outcome is uncontrollable
• tribe turned to prayers when they were out at sea bcos someone needed to get food + also because tides were becoming unsettled
• turning to prayers during birth, nearing death etc

Question 13

millenarian movement

Answer 13

• since religion raises hope for better afterlife, it may also create a desire to change things here & now
• 1000 year movement and refers to belief that Christ would return for a second time, rule for 1000 years before the end of the world

Question 14

Worsley

Question 15

contemporary examples where religion has caused social change

Answer 15

• South Africa - Apartheid: Archbishop Tutu opposed apartheid
• civil rights movement, = Martin Luther King’s speech used religious ideas
• removal of the caste system in India
• liberation theology - South America, overthrowing dictatorship = Maduro
• Iranian revolution - Pahlavi dynasty (monarchy in Iran) was overthrown + replaced with Islamic Republic.