Topic 2- Religion and social change

Question 1

Why can religion be seen as a conservative force?

Answer 1

• Upholds traditional beliefs of how society should be oragnised.
• Stabilises society and maintains the staus quo.

Question 2

How does religion uphold trad beliefs? Example

Answer 2

Example: Catholic church forbodding divorce, not allowing abortion, artificial conception, gay marriage and homosexuality.

Question 4

How does religion stabilise society and maintain the status quo?

Answer 4

It functions to conserve or presreve things as they were. Example: Family values, ‘love, honour and obey’, divisionof labour.

Question 5

What do functionalists argue about religion as a conservative force?

Answer 5

Functionalists support the view that religion operates as a conservative force. They also argue that religion promoteds people in the society to share the same values and norms.

Question 6

What does Durkheim argue about religion as a conservative force?

Answer 6

Deviation from the agreexd norms and values that religion teaches is dysfunctional for society.

Question 7

What does Parsons argue about religion as a conservative force?

Answer 7

Argues religion religion acting as a conservative force is useful as the role of religion is to discourage deviant behaviour by putting in place written codes of ethics.

Question 8

What do Marxists argue about religion as a conservative force?

Answer 8

1. Agree with functionalists but for different reasons.
2. Argue thatbit is used to perpetuate class inequality.
3. Therefore religion is problematic as it operates as a subordinate position of the working class in society.

Question 9

What do De Beauvoir (feminists) argue about religion as a conservative force?

Answer 9

• Agree with Functionalists and Marxists point of view.
• Argues that religion is used as an instrument to maintain the existing patriarchal society.
• Conseravtive force–> use and manipulated by men to control and oppress women in most areas of lifensuch as family nd religious life.
• Argue religiuos organisations reinforece gender inequality. (‘holy men’, like imams and vicars).