Cultural Defence

What does Bruce see one function of religion in today’s world as?

Cultural defence.

What is cultural defence?

Where religion serves to unite a community against an external threat. In such situations, religion has a special significance for its followers because it symbolises the group or society’s collective identity. Defending the community against a threat often gives religion a prominent role in politics.

What are two examples of religion as cultural defence?

Late 20th century Poland and Iran: They illustrate how religion can be used in defence of national identity in the face of political domination by an external power. In Poland, the external power was Soviet communism. In Iran, it was Western culture and capitalism.

In the cases of both Poland and Iran, how must the role of religion be understood?

In a transnational context.

From 1945 to Poland, what rule was Poland under?

In Poland, what did the Church serve as?

After the fall of communism in Poland, what did the Church regain?

Who had a lot of power in Iran?

Western capitalist powers and oil companies, including involvement in the illegal overthrow of a democratic government in the 1950s to install a pro-Western regime headed by the Shah of Iran.

During the 1960s and 70s, what did the successor of the Shah of Iran do?

He embarked on a policy of modernisation and Westernisation. This included banning the veil and replacing the Muslim calendar. Meanwhile modernisation was widening the gap between rich and poor, while protest was ruthlessly suppressed.

How was change imposed following the successor of the Shah?

It was imposed rapidly and from above, causing great suffering. Under these conditions, Islam became the focus for resistance to the Shah’s regime, led by clerics.

What did the revolution of 1979 in Iran bring?

The creation of the Islamic republic, in which clerics held state power and were able to impose Islamic Sharia law.

What does Haynes argue about the Iranian revolution?

That it was not typical of the Middle East, in that it was led by the religious leaders. In countries such as Saudi Arabia, the religious leadership is closely tied to the local elite, who in turn are tied to Western imperialism. As such, local religious leaders are opposed by local fundamentalists, who regard them as enemies of Islam.