Religion

1
Religion Social Change
2
Religion as a Conservative Force

• What is conservatism?
• Does religion prevent social change?

3
Fundamentalism

• Conservatism as Fundamentalism
• Taylor definition of fundamentalism
• People who feel their faith is being challenged
• People who decide this challenge cannot be
  tolerated.
• Reaffirming of beliefs
• Opposition to those who have challenged beliefs.

4
Changes in Society Religion

• Parsons religion has lost some of its
  functions.
• Marx changes in infrastructure leads to changes
  in superstructure.
• Turner religion has lost some of its function
• Berger Luckmann destruction of society leads
  to loss of religion

5
Weber Protestant Work Ethic

• Disagrees with Marx
• Social Action Theory
• Capitalism Protestantism
• The Protestant Ethic
• Materialism

6
Feminism religion as conservative force?

• Cultural reproduction on gender roles
• Jean Holm inequality in major religions

7
Religion as a Disruptive / Revolutionary Force
(Nelson)

• Northern Ireland
• 1960s USA Civil Rights Movement
• Catholic Church in South America liberation
  theology
• Iranian Revolution 1979
• Poland 1980s
• South Africa

8
Religion Conservative or Radical? (McGuire)

• Beliefs
• Culture
• Social Location
• Internal organisation

9
Essay Title

• Evaluate the view that religion is a conservative
  force in modern society. (40 marks)