Analyse and evaluate the relationship between religion and social change
Analyse and evaluate the relationship between religion and social change
A hot sociological debate is the relationship between religion and social change. Sociologists have long been divided on the issue. Sociologists such as Weber and Parsons believe religion is a force for social change whereas others like Marx and the postmodernist Bauman believe religion is not a cause for social change.
Sociologist Weber argues that religion encourages social change. Weber wrote the protestant ethic about Calvinism. Calvinism were a group of people who valued working for money and any money they earned they put back into their own business. The Calvinists also believed that they were the chosen and elect ones who believed they were the only ones going to heaven. Weber called this the spirit of capitalism.