Religion as a force for social change

Question 1

What are the Calvinist beliefs?

Answer 1

1. Predestination.
2. Divine transcendence.
3. World Asceticism.

Question 2

What is Predestination?

Answer 2

Predestination - God has already decided who will be going to heaven or hell, and those selected for heaven are called the ‘elect’.

Question 3

What is Divine transcendence?

Answer 3

Divine transcendence - God is above and beyond this world and there is no way of understanding what he is thinking or has decided.

Question 4

What is Worldly Asceticism?

Answer 4

Worldly Asceticism - A calling to a career path as religious duty.

Question 5

What has Calvinism led to?

Answer 5

Calvinism has led to capitalism as Calvinists were ascetic - they saved all of their wealth and used this money to invest and become richer.

They carried this on as they felt that wealth was God’s way of saying he was happy with their handwork

Question 6

What are the criticisms of Calvinism

Answer 6

Kautsky - Weber underestimates economic factors as capitalism precedes Calvinism