Topic 2 - Religion and Social Change

Question 1

How is religion a conservative force?

Answer 1

• It maintains things the way they are to keep the status quo
• It upholds many traditional values, e.g. about sex, marriage, abortion etc

Question 2

Civil Rights Movement in the USA

Answer 2

• Successfully provided social change through religion
• Black clergy were the backbone of the movement, according to Bruce
• Bruce sees religion as an ideological resource that protestors could draw from
  Evaluation: It achieved its aims by shaming those in power, declaring it unconstitutional due to the principles of equality.

Question 3

The New Christian Right in the USA

Answer 3

• NCR want to ‘take America back to God’, hosting conservative values.
• “Get ‘em saved; get ‘em baptized; get ‘em registered.”
  Evaluation:
  Bruce says it has failed in USA due to its views not reflecting the liberal and democratic values of most American society.

Question 4

Liberation Theology in Latin America

Answer 4

• A Theology that interpreted Christianity in a way that sided with poor and oppressed groups in society - Marxist social ideas.
• Preists actively did praxis to help alleviate poverty and oppose military dictatorships.
• Church attitudes changed in the 1980s with Pope John Paul II condemning the liberation.
  Evaluation:
  It helped to bring about democracy in Latin America, but did not threaten Capitalism

Question 5

Calvinism in Northern Europe

Answer 5

• Calvinism (16th Century), believed in a form of predestination that it was already predetermined if you were to go to Heaven or Hell.
• People followed Calvin’s ascetic lifestyle as they thought it may affect their chances of going to heaven - these ideas spread through northern Europe
  Evaluation:
• Capitalism didn’t develop in every country with Calvinism, e.g. Scotland

Question 6

Marxist views on religion

Answer 6

• Karl Marx: Religion is the opium of the people
• Marxists see religion as an oppressive force.
• Religious ideologies create a ‘false consciousness
• Lenin views religion as a ‘spiritual gin’, keeping w/c in a state of ‘mystical fog’

Question 7

Neo-Marxist views on religion

Answer 7

• Gramsci suggests religion can also benefit society
• Ruling class used hegemony to transfer ruling-class ideologies to w/c
• He stated couter-hegemony could be used, where w/c use religious ideologies to bring social change
• E.g. US CRM