Religion as a Conservative Force and a Force for Social Change

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards exploring sociological theories on religion as both a conservative force and an instrument for social change, covering Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism, Max Weber, Steve Bruce, Liberation Theology, Millenarian movements, and Gramsci's concept of hegemony.

Conservative Force

The role of religion in society marked by defending traditional customs, institutions, and roles, as well as preserving the status quo and discouraging social change.

Value Consensus

A set of shared beliefs and norms reinforced by religion to integrate individuals into a moral community, promote social solidarity, and prevent society from falling apart.

False Consciousness (Marxism)

A distorted perception of reality produced by religious ideology that legitimises inequality and prevents the working class from recognizing their exploitation.

Patriarchal Power (Feminism)

Male authority and dominance within the family and wider society that religion legitimises and reinforces through traditional gender roles and the subordination of women.

Spirit of Capitalism

A modern economic ethos identified by Max Weber in which the pursuit of profit becomes an end in itself, and wealth is methodically accumulated and systematically reinvested.

Asceticism

A core religious practice and belief in self-discipline, restraint, and the strict avoidance of worldly pleasures and luxury spending.

Vocation or Calling

The Calvinist religious belief that performing hard, disciplined work within one's worldly occupation is a duty assigned by God.

Other-Worldly Asceticism

The orientation found in Hinduism that promotes self-discipline while directing followers to focus on spiritual matters rather than material concerns, which Weber argued hindered modern capitalism.

Marxist Criticism of Weber (Kautsky)

The argument by Karl Kautsky that Weber overstated the influence of religious ideas, maintaining that capitalism emerged before Calvinism and that economic changes were the primary cause.

Ideological Resource

Beliefs, values, and practices supplied by religion that protest movements can draw upon to justify their actions, gain moral authority, and motivate activists.

Taking the High Moral Ground

A strategy during the Civil Rights Movement where Black clergy exposed the hypocrisy of white Christians who preached equality while supporting racial segregation.

Honest Brokers

The role played by churches as widely respected institutions that enables them to facilitate dialogue and mediate negotiations between conflicting factions in society.

New Christian Right (NCR)

A politically conservative Protestant fundamentalist movement in the United States that campaigns to ban abortion, prohibit same-sex marriage, restrict divorce, and take America 'back to God.'

Televangelism

The use of television and religious broadcasting by organizations such as the New Christian Right to mobilize support and transmit conservative messages.

Relative Autonomy

The Neo-Marxist concept that religious ideas and cultural institutions can operate with partial independence from the economic infrastructure.

Dual Character of Religion (Engels)

Friedrich Engels's view that religion can simultaneously act to stabilize existing social arrangements and inspire rebellion or resistance against social injustice.

Liberation Theology

A movement emerging in the Latin American Catholic Church in the late 1960s that aligned with the poor, opposed military dictatorships, and championed social justice and political literacy.

Millenarian Movements

Religious movements that anticipate an imminent, radical transformation of society and the arrival of a just, perfect world on Earth, appealing strongly to poor and oppressed populations.

Cargo Cults

Melanesian millenarian movements studied by Peter Worsley, centered on the belief that incoming colonial cargo was intended for indigenous peoples but wrongfully confiscated by European settlers.

Pre-political Movements

Religious movements, such as Melanesian cargo cults, that unite divided groups and organize collective resistance before traditional political structures or parties emerge.

Hegemony (Gramsci)

Antonio Gramsci's term for the ruling class's ideological dominance over society, achieved by engineering popular consent through institutions like religion, media, and education.

Dual Role of Religion (Gramsci)

The Gramscian concept that religion can either bolster ruling-class hegemony or supply subordinate groups with the ideological tools to envision an alternative, fairer social order.