Religion and social change

1. TO DESCRIBE A RANGE OF EXAMPLES ON RELIGION AND ANALYSE THEIR ROLE IN SOCIAL CHANGE

2. UNDERSTAND SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANTIONS OF THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN SOCIAL CHANGE

3. EVALUATE RELATIONSHIP THE ANALYSIS BETWEEN RELIGION, SOCIAL STABILITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE

The role of religion• Sociologists that have studied the role of religion in society

tend to fall into one of two broad camps:

1. Those who see religion as a CONSERVATIVE force (conservative means keeping things the way they are.) These sociologists see religion as a force for stability and order. They may well favour a functionalist or a Marxist point of view.

2. Those who see religion as FORCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE– supporters of this position point to the role of religion in encouraging societies to change. They may well be influenced by the writings of Max Weber.

Religion is a conservative force

1. Religion is traditional and upholds traditional customs and beliefs to how society should be organised.

2. It functions to conserve or preserve the status quo

Conservative force

• Maintain traditional beliefs

Maintain patriarchy?

Religion’s conservative function•Religion and consensus•Maintains social stability, social solidarity and value consensus.•Outlet for stress that may otherwise disrupt society

Functionalism

•Religion and Capitalism•Religion prevents social change in the interests of powerful•Legitimates and reproduces inequality and disguises exploitation

Marxism

•Religion and Patriarchy •Religion is an ideology that legitimises patriarchal power and maintains women’s subordinationFeminism

Weber Religion as a force for change

Calvinism brought about a work ethic that gave rise to capitalism (was one of the contributing

factors, others resources, trade etc)

An Example: The Protestant Ethic

• The spirit of capitalism• Capitalism is based on the systematic, efficient,

rational pursuit of profit for its own sake, rather then consumption (not spent on greed for wealth as in pat).

• The spirit had Elective affinity (unconscious similarity) to the Calvinist beliefs and attitudes.

Weber Religion as a force for change

Calvinist beliefs •Predestination Divine

TranscendenceAsceticism The idea of vocation or calling

•God has predetermined which souls will be saved•The individual can do nothing to change this•salvation anxiety – not knowing if heaven or hell awaited.

•God is so immortal and great that no human can claim to know his will (including priests).•This gives rise to loneliness.•This combined with predestination created what Weber refers to as salvation panic

•Abstinence, self discipline and self denial.•Live a simple life as Jess did

•Other world asceticism a calling to serve God (Monks) used to be the only calling• Weber believed that Calvinism introduced this world asceticism .•That we work to glorify Gods name and we do this through mythological work in society (as a religious duty)•Idleness is a sin, no luxury, long working hours

•Performed 2 functions:1. Allowed Calvinists to cope

with their salvation panic2. Reinforced the gains of more

wealth. The spirit of modern capitalism.

Hinduism and Confucianism

• Other societies had a higher rate of economic growth then Northern Europe in the C16th and C17th, but still failed to adopt modern capitalism.

• China and India were more materially advanced but didn’t adopt capitalism due to their lack of religious belief like Calvinism.

• They promote rewards in the other life, good deeds and other goals that lacked the material drive that Calvinism created.

Evaluation of Weber

• Before we begin, write down 3 key points that you feel summarise Weber’s theory.

• Religion is a force for social change• The Protestant work ethic• Theodicy - predestination

Evaluation of Weber• Some commentators have

suggested that slavery, colonialism and piracy were more important than Calvinist beliefs in accumulating the capital required for industrialisation.

• PARKIN – is critical of Weber as capitalism was late to develop in Scotland, despite Calvinism being present there.

• Marxists are critical – they argue that capitalism predates Calvinism.RH Tawney – technological change give rise to capitalism. Then B adopted ideas to maintain it

• Bruce & Hamilton – Weber’s theory lacks validity based on assumption, not evidence

• Kautsky– Weber overestimates ideas and underestimates the economic factors

• Jones surprising relevance for contemporary society – can see evidence in modern day society

Religion and Social protest

• Steve Bruce – Relationship between religion and social change.

• Compares the role of religiously inspired protest movements in the USA

• Civil Rights

• The new Christian Right

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBPeCQzHu5w

The American Civil Rights Movement

• Bruce – • CRM = Religiously motivated social change

• Campaigning involved direct action (marches, boycotts, demonstrations).

• Segregation outlawed in 1964

• The Black Clergy played a major role (Dr Martin Luther King) giving moral legitimacy to activists. They provided sanctuary and unity. Appealed to common Christian values of equality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QZik4CYtgw&feature=related

Bruce – Religion is an ideological resource

Religious organisations role in social

change

• CRM helped religion get

involved with a secular struggle and bring about

change.

• It had the shared values of those in

power and those in wider society and could use these to

push for change

The New Christian Right

• Protestant fundamentalists• Opposition to the liberalising society• Want to take America ‘back to God’• Want abortion, homosexuality and divorce

illegal and ban SRE in schools• Want traditional family and gender roles and

teaching of creationism only in schools.

The New Christian Right

• Campaigns increase profile since 1970s• Use of media – Televangelists – to make

converts and recruit new members• Links with the Republican party• New moral majority formed as a pressure

group

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXOEAz46vMk

The New Christian Right

• The NCR has been largely unsuccessful • New moral majority – not a majority – but 15% of

population• Found it difficult to cooperate with other religious

groups• Oppositional groups – pro-choice

• Bruce NCR = Failed movement for social change• Didn't connect with the mainstream beliefs about

democracy, equality and religious freedom (as CRM did)

Marxism, religion and change

• Marxists recognise that religious ideas can have relative autonomy (can be partly independent from the economic base) so can sometimes be a force for change as well as stability

• Marx thinks religion humanises a world that exploitation has made inhuman

• Engels – inhibits change but can also challenge the status quo and encourage social change- fight against slavery

Marxism, religion and change

• Like Engels – (inhibits change but can also challenge the status quo and encourage social change)- Ernst Bloch believed that religion could inspire protest and rebellion.

• Religion is an expression of the ‘principal of hope’

• Cast a vision of a better world and how this can be achieved (with political organisation leading to social change)

Liberation theology

• Emerged in 1960s, Catholic church, opposition to military dictatorships and commitment to helping the poor in Latin America.

• Big move away for the Church from supporting elites and accepting poverty.

• Arose due to 3 factors1. Deepening rural poverty2. Human rights abuses by military dictatorships3. Commitment of priests to ideology that supported HR

and the poor

Liberation theology• Priests harboured freedom fighters, developed literacy

programmes, took the sides of the oppressed and mobilised support.

• In 1980s the Church’s official line changed and it condemned liberation theory on the grounds that it resembled Marxism.

• The priests had to concentrate on the pastoral activities – not political struggles.

• The movement has since lost influence.• Most countries are now democracies and Catholicism has got

more conservative.• But still defends democracy and HR

Liberation theology• Liberation theory has led Marxists to believe that religion can

be a force for social change.

• Otto Maduro – religion can be a revolutionary force that brings about change. The religious ideas radicalised the clergy in the fight for the peasants and workers

• Lowy – questions Marx’s view that religion always legitimises social inequality.

• Other Marxists disagree that it can bring about change – depends on definition of the social change

DebateAll religions should be abandoned as they as they cause

more problems than they solve!

• Agree1. Wars through out

history2. Ideology3. Terrorism4. Acceptance of fate 5. Intolerant attitudes.

• Disagree1. Personal comfort2. Solidarity3. Social Change4. Religious texts5. Norms and values

Each group should prepare an opening statement, that outlines your general perspective. After this any member of the group can make a point. You should also have a closing statement to sum up why your perspective is correct.

Millenarian movements

• Millenarian movements are an example of the desire to change things on earth at present and bring about the kingdom of God.

• Millenarian movements expect the immanent transformation of this world by supernatural means. The group will be saved on earth and will live in utopia on earth – Peter Worsley

• Worked well amongst poor, exploited groups, especially in the colonies.

Millenarian movements

• Millenarian movements used traditional beliefs, ideas and images with Christianity .

• They united tribal movements and became mass movements.

• The were the precursor to the political movements to overthrow colonial rule.

• For Marxists they were the first awakening of the proletarian self consciousness

Gramsci: Religion and hegemony

• Interested in hegemony – how the government use ideas to control society.

• Hegemony – the way the RC use ideas (RELIGION) to control the WC

• Government have popular consent to rule so there is no need for coercion.

• Catholic Church helped win support For Mussolini’s fascist regime.

Gramsci: Religion and hegemony

• Hegemony isn't always guaranteed – WC can develop an alternative vision or a counter hegemony.

• Religion has a dual culture that can challenge as well as support the RC.

- Offers a vision of what can be- Leaders support WC organisations - TUs

Religion and class conflict – Dwight Billings

Coalminers & Textile workers struggle

Leadership Organisation Support

Compared the Coalminers & Textile workers struggle. The coalminers were more militant and forceful the textile workers more accepting and inactive

Religion can play an important role in effecting class struggle (other factors did play a part too)

Quick Check Questions

• Questions:

Write in full sentences

20 Minutes

9 mark Question

• Identify and explain 3 reasons why the NCR might have failed to achieve its aims

18 Mark (6 A01 12 A02)

• Using material from item A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of religion to social

change