To What Extent Do Sociologists Agree That Religion Is a Force for Social Change?

To what close do Sociologists agree that holiness is a attract for sociable swap? passim explanation, in that location has been an on-going debate as to whether or non pietism is a fusty deplume, or a specialty for well-disposed qualify. Whilst some Sociologists such as Durkheim, operate righteousness as a substantiating conservative force creating companionable concurrence and solidarity, differents disagree claiming theology to be a strong force for social variety and as neo-Marxist Otto Maduro believes, righteousness has the antecedent to beginner revolutionary interpolate.Firstly, both Functionalism and Marxism takes on the entree that religion is a conservative force as both hold the facial expression that religion aids nightclub, in harm of aloneowing it to stay within its existing practices. However, the cardinal perspectives disagree on why and how religion helps to do this. Functionalist, Durkheim stated that religion is inborn in creating sh atomic number 18d norms and good deal. He claimed that practices of religion and in the law, help mess to cognize their cognises.In innovational horse opera society thither atomic number 18 thirteen bishops in the stand of Lords, who all influence which laws atomic number 18 make and passed, in accordance with Christian teachings. such issues as abortion, euthanasia, and divorce atomic number 18 discussed and decisions argon make nigh them, which argon influenced by the church. Through this scheme of having a apparitional guidance, a value consensus is renderd, by which al closely of society accepts. This is alike cognize as a collective consciousness which Durkheim taught, organise social solidarity leading to a harmonised and stable environ workforcet for deal to live in.Durkheim and many other Functionalists witnessed social solidarity as highly important, as they believed it allowed mint to belief socially supported decrease the hazard of mickle feeling a consciousness of anomie. Durkheim himself was very foc utilise on the reverend and profane. He claimed that apparitional procedures argon something which societies see as creation divine. For example, a supernatural creation such as an omnipotent beau ideal, would be hallowed. However, non provided that but something does not film to be s premeditationd for it to be divine, thus meaning, as the playscript is full of religious teachings it is a divine object.Durkheim emphasised that divine depicted objects, exercise strong feelings of respect and defence. These strong beliefs corporation cause passionate emotions of dedication and rise thus establishing group solidarity once more notion let on the sense of anomie. The Functionalist argued that in a more profane manor, the church unites the familiarity by having events like, tea afternoons, fates, jumble etc. This way the church is permitting people to discontinue something back to their society but too receive help or friendship if they need it. Nevertheless, Durkheim is criticized for discarding the idea of a numinous being, being the main attribute of religion.On the other hand, Neo-Marxist Otto Maduro observes how religion contains the authority to inspire a revolt thus generating social change. Maduro refereed to the firing theological system to put his view forward. between the 1950s and 1960s, southmost America was largely Catholic but many priests started to take apart themselves from the Catholic Church claiming that it was their duty to swear out and liberate those who were being vanquished. This is when the liberation theology offshoot started to be taught. These teachings opposed the trustworthy situation leading to a revolution.Oscar Romero was a Catholic bishop who spoke out about the injustice of so many people, and for this he was assonated. His death sparked a huge make out of outrage and fury by the people he was trying to help, groups such as the Dem ocratic Revolutionary front join to oppose what the government was doing, in hurt of exploiting the people. Maduro used the liberation theology to shine up how religion can per division as a force for social change. other example, of religion being a force for social change is the Apartheid system in due south Africa.This was the legal racial dissolution of people from1948 until 1993, which meant that various races were separated into assorted districts anddiscriminatedagainst in coherence with their colour. White people had priority over housing, jobs, education, and political power, whereas the dour people were forced to live in poverty and suffer. Reverend Trevor Huddleston travel conduct to South Africa and spoke out peacefully against the Apartheid, which concisely led to his arrest but also put a lot of management on what was put acrossring in South Africa for other countries to take notice of.Soon after the arrest, Western democratic countries put into place anti- apartheid policies and took execution. South Africa was forbidden from sporting events and trading was made more difficult for them, forcing for them to come to an arrangement. By 1980 the Apartheid had completely broken d throw and sear South Africans were freed. Desmond Tutu then became the first ever black Arch Bishop, beneathlining how importantly religion had led to social change, for the better. Conversely, Marxists view religion as acting as a conservative force because they target it prevents revolutionary change.Marx argued that religion is an important form of social control. All by dint of history the church has acted in such a way that people conform to it. This was by through graven image and Hell, which were exercised as a deterrent. The people in power quick realised that religion had a prominent hold over the commonwealth and so it became part of the power group. For example, Kings used to give money or attain to the church in exchange, the church would va ticinate the peasants whatever the monarchy told them to. eveningn in right aways society, Queen Elizabeth still has the surname Defender of the faith and she is also issue of the Church of England.Illustrating that those in power, still impart control over the church, and what the republic hear. Marx explored how the superior ideology was conveyed through sermons, and Bible teachings. These sermons and Bible teachings could be said to consist of a false hope for some people. some(prenominal) of the Bible stories communicate that idea that if you argon poor in this life and you suffer, when you pass you will be rewarded by God in Heaven. These promises of a perfect afterlife, hold adequate to(p) the working dividees in their place reducing their aspiration to change society.The Caste system in India is a good mannikin of how religion keeps people in their places. The Hindi Caste system separates the people into quadruple different patternes, depending on their occupa tion and family background. The Kshatriyas be the top class and according to the conventional Hindoo principles, they be there to nurse the people. The Chandalas also sleep withn as the untouchables are the lowest class, and are discriminated against as they are believed not to follow the adjust Hindu faith. It used to be that these people were not allowed to walk around the village or city during day time, or babble to anyone other than other Untouchables.The Cate system was obligate through law books, religious teachings, kings and the sour of being punished in this life and the next if you question which class you are placed in to again preventing people from changing their social conditions due to concern of God but leaving the alienated. In contrast to this, Althusser rejects the concept of alienation because he feels it is unscientific, and based on an idealistic supposition that human being contrive true self. Nevertheless, Functionalist Michael Robert Bella stat ed that in modern societies that state connects with religion to unite the country.This is known as a Civil religion. Through creating a religion around the idea of a nation state, the religion acts as a value consensus creating social solidarity. For example, in America the people confidence their allegiance to the flag, to honour their country and to God. On the dollar bills, the words In God we trust are printed, to remind people that God is there for them no matter what. Bella accentuates that religion is not a force for social change as it joined a society and makes it stronger as it holds something in common, that being a belief in God.On the contrary, Neo-Marxist Gramsci looked into Hegemony, which is the way in which the vox populi class curb their privileged positions by make them seemed justified. In this instance, Gramsci looks at how hegemony occurs through religious ideas, rather than coercion. The ruling class blaspheme heavily on the majority of the existence c onsenting to their rule. During the 1920s Gramsci observed that there was a large amount of handed-down moral control of the Church in helping to gain support for Mussolinis fascist regime in Italy.This highlights how the ruling class and religion combined to fulfil a certain goal, and to achieve the populations approval. However, Gramsci also specified that religion does have to potential to develop and both support or challenge the ruling class. For example, The Archbishop of Canterbury youthfully published his highly critical feelings of the Conservative parties polices. Also the Stop capitalist economy campaign outside St Pauls Cathedral was in the first place supported by the church allowing the protesters to checker their thoughts on our society.This stressed Gramscis usher that the church is not outright under the influence of the ruling class, and so does have the potential to create social change if an anti-hegemony situation occurs. As well at this, Functionalist Parsons, declared that religion is a collateral force in times of uncertainty. raft turn to religion to answer those last-ditch questions about life, such as What is the sharpen? Parsons maintained that in situations like death, conjugation and birth, people turn to God for answers and hope. devotion does not create social change, as it is not intending to do so.Religion is there for when a person is scared, feel for salvation or just needs someone to care about them. Similar to Parsons, Malinowski, who was an anthropologist, carried out a study to find out if all societies had a religion. He travelled to an old-fashioned society in The Trobiand. Malinowski observed that when the men went out of the lagoon to fish, entering into the open water, it was seen as a highly treacherous event, which not everyone would come back from. He then went on to see that in the lead the men left the lagoon a ritual of yam giving took place.It appeared to Malinowski, that this was a religio us ceremony which gave consolation to the families as well as wider society. Consequently, a Functionalist whitethorn assert the point that religion does not provide social change, as again it is there to produce social solidarity, in the way that it aids people, giving them something in common again to minimise the bump of anyone feeling unwanted or alone. Conversely, recent query on the Trobiand islands has challenged Malinowskis search and his interpretation of the meaning of yam giving.Whilst carrying out his search Malinowski did not speak directly to the people, he simply observed placing his own version of events onto the situation. Modern research has shown, through the use if interpertistic techniques, that the yam giving was a marriage intension, much like a proposal rather than being confused about the fishermen. The modern researches were not smell at what the action was, unlike Malinowski, they were looking at what the meaning behind the action was (comm all known as Verstehen. ) This new research brings to light the fact that these people, who appeared to have no religion, were living happily with each other.This could them advertize declare oneself that if religion was introduced to them, their society could change because it something they have never needed to lot forward, consequently implying that religion could be a force for social change, if it is introduced as a completely alien topic. In addition, weber wrote The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of capitalism examining how Protestantism was a huge part of how society changed into a capitalist economy. He claims that the values of ascetic Calvinist Protestantism shaped a work ethic which encouraged capitalism.Calvinists believed in predestination, the theory that God chooses whether you go to heaven or hell in the beginning you are born. This formed a psychological problem for Calvinists, as they did not know if they were one of the elect. As a solution to this they developed a set of values that expressed hard work, self-restraint and the growth of wealth. These ethics inherently led to the spirit of capitalism, and weber aware that this is why Capitalism first developed in Northern Europe, where Calvinism and Protestantism were most commanding. Webers research is a sign paradigm of religion generating social transformation.His research is still useful when looking at todays societies, with countries such as Germany and Sweden which converted to Protestantism, and are model countries economically. Whereas, countries which are still Catholic like Spain and Greece are in a financial crisis. Lastly, many feminists view religion as being a immemorial institution that presents inequalities through religious beliefs functioning via a patriarchal ideology. Feminists dispute that most of the religious organisations are male dominated. Judaism and universality forbid women from becoming priests.Karen Armstrong debates that the clear inequality against women in this manner, is evidence of womens demotion. As well as this, in places of idolise the two sexes are often segregated, the women being put at the back possibly behind screen, whilst the men are in the sacred areas. Sometimes women are not allowed to participate in the practices, this maybe schooling out a passage or preaching. In the Islamic culture, women are menstruating are not allowed to the Quran and could be asked to leave the place of worship all together, so as not to pollute of contaminate the sacred environment.In many of the sacred texts, like the Bible, women are stereotyped as a witch and blamed for anything that goes wrong, For example, in Genesis Eve creates the fall of humanity by choice the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge. This is humourous as the entirety of the Bible stories are supposedly written by men. However, before the rise of Christianity women were not always seen as the males subordinate. Armstrong identifies that in early religions w omen were central in the beliefs, being the mother of goodness and nature. It wasnt until Patriarchy began that women lost their godly statuses.This could suggest that when Christianity rose, and people read about the evil of women, Patriarchy was promoted, as women are referred to in the Bible as mans helper giving men power to rule over women. Therefore, a feminist may argue that religion does create social change but in a negative way, as it elysian men to take control of women and oppress them, as punishment for their sins. In conclusion, Functionalism and Marxism have strong arguments which describe how religions help to maintain social order and counteract social change.A Marxist may also imagine social change does not occur through religion, as the ruling class want it to stay the same. Juxtaposing this view, history has revealed that in some extreme cases such as the Liberation theology religion has been a positive force for social change. Whereas, a feminist could say re ligion has been a negative force for social change as seen throughout the history of womens oppression. For that reason, I would say religion is a force for social change, but only in extreme conditions where the change happens on a considerable scale.