Religion + Social Change

Question 1

Religion + Social Change - Religion is a Conservative force

Answer 1

1) Religion upholds tradition –> on how soc should be organised
- church of England- bride must love + obey groom
2) Religion seeks to keep things as they are –> Catholic Church- forbidding abortion, divorce, contraception

Question 2

Religion + Social Change - Religion is a Conservative Force - Functionalists Agree - Durkhein, Parsons

Answer 2

• Religion upholds value consensus creating stability in soc + preventing anomir
• Religion socialised + binds people together

Question 3

Religion + Social Change - Religion is a social Conservative Force - Traditional Marxists agree - Marx/Lenin

Answer 3

• Reinforces capitalist ideology + supports social order
• Prevents change leading to equality

Question 4

Religion + Social Change - Religion can be a foce for change - Weber

Answer 4

• Calvinism changed soc structures + dev capitalism
• China + India were materially more advanced but capitalism didn’t grow due to different beliefs
- Hinduism –> Focuses on spiritual world not material
- Confucianism –> focuses on material world not encourage frugal values

Question 5

Religion + Social Change - Religion is a source of Change - Example - Civil Rights Movement- Bruce

Answer 5

• Religion can be used to inspire people + bring about Change in soc
• Black Clergy (Religion indivs) was civil rights backbone
- Moral high ground –> hypocrisy of preaching gods word but supporting segregation
- Channeling dissent
- Honest Brokers –> Seen above politics
- Mobilised public opinion –> unity

Question 6

Religion + Social Change - Religion can be a force for Change - New Christian Right Example - Bruce

Answer 6

• Want to take America back to god (outlaw abortion, LGBT rights, sex ed)
• Christian Right are a failed movement for change
- Struggle to cooperate with out religious groups –> takes interpretation literally
- Lacks widespread public Support

Question 7

Religion + Social Change - Evaluate Examples of social change

Answer 7

• Religion wasn’t only cause of civil rights movement
- also influenced by socio-economic factors (poverty + discrimination)
- many supporters had no religious belief
• Not all religious social protests are successful + generate change –> New Christian Right unsuccessful

Question 8

Religion + Social Change - Evaluate Religion as a force of social change - Marxists

Answer 8

• Traditional + progressive
• Marxists - Kautsky –> Capitalism arrived before calvinism - economic not cultural factors made capitalism
• Marxists - Tawney –> Technological change not religious ideas create capitalism

Question 9

Religion + Social Change - Neo - Marxists Dual Character of Religion - Engles

Answer 9

• Religion can inhibit social change by supporting hierarchy
• Can challenge status quo + encourage change
• Dual Character is structural

Question 10

Religion + Social Change - Neo- Marxists - Dual Character of Religion - Bloch - Principle of Hope

Answer 10

• Principle of Hope
- Better world does and can exist (progressive)
- Better world exists in next life (conservative)
- Dual Character is Ideological

Question 11

Religion + Social Change - Neo- Marxists Dual Character of Religion - Liberation Theology

Answer 11

• 1960s movement in Catholic churches
- Focuses on alleviating poverty + resisting military dictatorships
- Church protected those fighting oppression
- Condemned by Pope Jean Paul II - Priests should focus on pastoral activity

Question 12

Religion + Social Change - Neo-Marxists Dual Character of Religion - Liberation Theology - Madura

Answer 12

• Religion can be force for Social Change
• Religious ideas pushes Catholic clergy to support workers struggle
• Church saw serving poor as part of duty

Question 13

Religion + Social Change - Neo Marxist Evaluation

Answer 13

• Liberation Theology brought democracy but didn’t end capitalism