Assess the claims that religion acts as a conservative force...

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Assess the claims that religion acts as a conservative force…

Some sociologists claim that religion acts as a conservative force.  Depending on the perspective and the political stance, this is viewed as either a good or bad thing for individuals and society.  Functionalists and Marxists have generally dismissed the possibility that religion can cause changes in society.  They claim that religion acts as a conservative force and that it is the changes in society that shape religion, not vice versa.

Religion can be seen as a ‘conservative force’ in two senses.  The phrase conservative force is usually used to refer to religion as preventing change and maintaining the status quo.  Functionalists have claimed that it acts in this way because it promotes integration and social solidarity.  As discovered last year throughout our ‘AS’ modules, from a functionalist perspective, religion provides shared beliefs, norms and values, and helps individuals to cope with stresses that might disrupt social life.  In these ways it facilitates the continued existence of society in its present form.  Marx had similar views, although he saw religion as maintaining the status quo in the interests of the ruling class rather than those of society as a whole.

‘Conservative’ may, however, be used in another way: it can refer to traditional beliefs and customs.  Usually if religion helps to maintain the status quo it will also maintain traditional customs and beliefs.  But in some circumstances religion can support social change while at the same time promoting traditional values.  This often occurs when there is a revival in ‘fundamentalist religious beliefs’.

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According to Donald Taylor (1987), ‘fundamentalism involves the reassertion of traditional moral and religious values against changes that have taken place and those who support the changes.  If fundamentalists are successful, they succeed in defending traditional values, but at the same time they change society by reversing innovations that have taken place’.

However, it should be kept in mind that religions are usually open to many different interpretation.  Those claiming to be returning to the original teachings of a religion may well disagree with one another.  Thus, Fred Halliday, commenting on Islamic fundamentalism, says that ‘no such essential ...

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