Neo-Marxist Theory Of Religion (radical)

Question 1

Dual character

Answer 1

Religion has relative autonomy and can be separated from capitalism so has dual character (force for change/ stability)

Question 2

Engels

Answer 2

Religion can challenge the status quo and encourage social change

Question 3

Bloch

Answer 3

-religion has a dual character
-religion can inspire protest and rebellion and inhibit change
-religion is and expression of ‘the better principle of hope’
-these images of utopia can create a vision of a better world

Question 4

Liberation Theology (Maduro)

Answer 4

-Liberation Theology is a movement that emerged within Catholic Church in Latin America in the 1960s with commitment to poor and opposition to military dictatorship

Question 5

What factors led to Liberation Theology?

Answer 5

-deepening rural poverty and growth of urban slums
-Human rights abuses following military take-overs
-commitment among Catholic priests to an ideology that supported the poor

Question 6

How did Liberation Theology work?

Answer 6

-priests helped poor establish ‘base communities’ and helped ppl fight oppression under protection of church
-priests developed literacy rates etc
-1970s priests only figures to side w/ poor

Question 7

the decline of LT

Answer 7

-Pope John Paul II condemned it bc it resembled marxism
-lost influence since

Question 8

Casanova

Answer 8

LT was important in resisting state terror and bringing abt democracy which is continued now in LA catholicism

Question 9

ETV of LT/ Maduro

Answer 9

-other marxists disagree of view of religion being radical force as it depends on how social change is defined
-LT brought abt democracy but didn’t threaten stability of capitalism

Question 10

Gramsci

Answer 10

-looked at hegemony and how religion may be used to maintain control but it’s possible for wc to have an alternate vision of society (counter-hegemony)
-dual character= view of better world

Question 11

Organic intellectuals

Answer 11

-some clergy act as this (educators etc) and can help w/c organisations like trade unions

Question 12

Billings

Answer 12

supported Gramsci and looked at w/c coalminers and textile workers who were both evangelical protestant but miners were more militant whereas textile workers accepted status quo

Question 13

Billings (3 ways)

Answer 13

-looked at 3 ways religion supported or challenged hegemony:
>leadership= miners had organic intellectuals which convinced miners of the cause, textile lacked this
>Organisation= miners used independent churches for meeting, textile lacked this
>support= churches kept miner’s morale high w/ sermons etc but textile were met w opposition from church

Question 14

Billings’ conclusions

Answer 14

religion could play ‘a prominent oppositional role’. Religion can support or challenge status quo

Question 15

etv

Answer 15

-outdated (see religion as socially v significant)
-secularisation= question whether religion acts either radical or conformist (this could be seen as a eurocentric viewpoint as religion is prominent elsewhere)