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Religion and Social Change

The document discusses the contrasting views on the role of religion in social change, with Functionalists and Traditional Marxists arguing that it prevents change, while Neo-Marxists and Max Weber contend that it can promote change. Evidence is presented for both perspectives, including how religion can help maintain social order and justify existing inequalities, as well as examples like the Protestant Ethic and Liberation Theology that illustrate its potential for instigating social change. Additionally, historical movements such as the Civil Rights movement and the Arab Spring highlight the active role of religion in advocating for social justice and reform.

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Kiran Tariq
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7 views3 pages

Religion and Social Change

The document discusses the contrasting views on the role of religion in social change, with Functionalists and Traditional Marxists arguing that it prevents change, while Neo-Marxists and Max Weber contend that it can promote change. Evidence is presented for both perspectives, including how religion can help maintain social order and justify existing inequalities, as well as examples like the Protestant Ethic and Liberation Theology that illustrate its potential for instigating social change. Additionally, historical movements such as the Civil Rights movement and the Arab Spring highlight the active role of religion in advocating for social justice and reform.

Uploaded by

Kiran Tariq
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Religion and Social Change

Functionalists and Marxists argue religion prevents change, Max Weber


and others disagree

Does religion cause social change, or prevent it?


Functionalists and Traditional Marxists have generally argued that religion
prevents social change. Neo-Marxists and the Social Action theorist Max
Weber have argued that religion can be a force for social change. There are
wide variety of opinions with Feminist thought as to the relationship
between religion and social change. Some Feminists tend to side with the
view that religion prevents social change. Other Feminists recognise the
potential for religion to bring about social change.

Arguments and evidence for the view that


religion prevents social change
Functionalist thinkers Malinowski and Parsons both argued that religion
prevents social change by helping individuals and society cope with
disruptive events that might threaten the existing social order. Most
obviously, religion provides a series of ceremonies which help individuals
and societies cope with the death of individual members.

Marx believed that religion helped to preserve the existing class structure.
According to Marx religious beliefs serve to justify the existing, unequal
social order and prevent social change by making a virtue out of poverty
and suffering. Religion also teaches people that it is pointless striving for a
revolution to bring about social change in this life. Rather, it is better to
focus on ‘being a good Christian’ (for example) and then you will receive
your just rewards in heaven.

Neo-Marxist Otto Maduro argued that historically the Catholic Church in


Latin America tended to prevent social change. It did so by supporting
existing economic and political elites, thus justifying the unequal social
order. However, he also recongised that religion had the potential to be a
force for social change (see below)
Arguments and evidence for the view that
religion causes social change
Max Weber’s ‘Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism’ is one of the
best loved accounts of how religion can bring about social change. Weber
pointed out that Capitalism developed first in England and Holland, taking
off in the early 17th century (early 1600s). Just previous to Capitalism
taking off, Protestantism was the main religion in these two countries,
unlike most other countries in Europe at that time which were Catholic. To
cut a very long winded theory short, Max Weber argued that the social
norms instilled by Protestantism laid the foundations for modern capitalism.

Neo-Marxist Otto Maduro pointed to the example of Liberation Theology in


Latin America to demonstrate that religion can act as a force for social
change. He further suggested that this is especially the case where the
marginalized have no other outlet for their grievances than religious
institutions.

Reverend Martin Luther King and the broader Baptist Church in the
Southern United States played a major role in the Civil Rights movement in
1960s America. This movement effectively helped to end racial segregation
in America and secure more equal political rights for non-whites.

Martin Luther King was very much inspired by Gandhi’s religiously inspired
practice of Non Violent Direct Action. This involved the use of peaceful
protest and resisting of violence in order to bring about social change.
The Arab Spring which swept across the Middle East and North Africa
between 2010-2014 offers a more contemporary example of the role of
religion in social change. Islamic groups were very active in using social
media to highlight the political injustices in countries such as Tunisia and
Egypt.

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