Evaluate Sociological Explanations of the Relationship between Religion & Social Change

Marxist theory on religion does share certain aspects of Functionalism; this is they both see religion as a conservative force which inhibits social change, however where Marxism differs is they argue religion only works in favour of the ruling classes. They say religion promotes a ruling class ideology which keeps the masses in check. The phrase ‘Religion Is the Opiate of the Masses’ was commonly used to express this ideology. Marxist argues religion is simply there to: reproduce the status quo, maintain inequality and inhibit any sort of social change at all. Of course there are certain examples of this which support Marxist theory, the fact religion prevented a revolution in the 20th century was ‘keeping the working classes in check’ and this further supports their view religion is a conservative force which favours the ruling classes and inhibits social change. However, critically speaking Marxist theory like Functionalists theory doesn’t take into account mass examples where religion has been used to promote social change, Liberation theology, French and Russian revolutions in the 20th century, The Taliban in the middle East -  all ways in how religion has cased social change and all ways Marxist theory on religion can be disproved.

 Max Weber (The Protestant Ethic & the Spirit of Capitalism 1958) was sympathetic to the fact religion can be used as a conservative force but noted how it could be used radically as a vehicle for social change. Calvinists were a seventieth century protestant sect that believed in pre destination, this was only the elect was to reach heaven. This drove the members to achieve their optimum as a level of success was relative to that of belief; the more successful the more likely you were destined to go to Heaven. Weber argues this fundamental belief and the fact rich people could not enter the kingdom of heaven led to the Calvinists reinvesting their profits and fuelling the industrial movement in the Western Europe. Their religion fuelled the economics and societal vales of capitalism and their devotion to it, Weber suggests, results in radical social change- Industrialisation. Off course this sociological theory can be critically evaluated, as such it is thought that Calvinism may not have predated the development of capitalism and therefore had not fuelled this macro change.

A further sociological view which explains religion in terms of promoting social change is that of fundamentalism. Fundamentalist religious groups use their extreme right wing opinions to change society back to traditional values. Christian fundamentalists in America have expressed their opinion to ban abortions, ban homosexual marriages, all conservative actions to change a society which expresses freedom and the American Dream. Another example of fundamentalism promoting social change would be that of mainly Islamic groups. The Sept 11th terrorist’s attacks can be explained in terms of social and economic change. It is thought that the threat of globalisation and the dominating western values have together angered Islamic extremists. By attacking the world trade centre, seen as the forefront of Western economics; the Islamic fundamentalists have used their faith to change the societal values, politics and economics of the world. However, it’s important to note that fundamentalists can sometimes be seen as hijacking their religion in order to change society in a way they can justify, this can therefore lead to sociologists questioning the nature of the social change, and whether it can be tightly tied to religion may be hard to measure.

Finally post modernists see religion as an indicator in social change arguing the change in religion reflects the shift from modernity to post modernity. Post modernists see society in constant change where there are no absolute truths, the decline in rationalism and growth of religious pluralism undermine the traditional community dimension of religion. They see the very rise of post modernity the resurgence of religion and the many ways some religions can be conservative or radial based on culture or location.

The relationship between religion and social change has forever been of great sociological debate but with the emergence of post modernism and the many new religions forming it compels us to contemplate new definitions of religion, most of which contribute a radical or conservative force in society either inhibiting or promoting social change