Theories of Religion - Neo-Marxists

Question 1

How do Neo-Marxists criticise traditional Marxists views of religion?

Answer 1

Neo-Marxists criticise traditional Marxists for being too deterministic and ignoring the role religion can have in bringing about change for the benefit of the SC

Question 2

What are Neo-Marxist Gramsci’s views of religion?

Answer 2

Gramsci recognised religion could maintain the RC hegemony

• hegemony - dominant capitalist beliefs and values

However, this hegemony is never complete because:

• the RC are a minority
• the SC have a dual consciousness i.e. their ideas are influenced not only by RC ideology but also their own experiences e.g. poverty

Therefore, to overthrow capitalism, the SC must produce their own organic intellectuals who can make the mass of the SC aware of their exploitation and organise them to challenge the RC

Religion can provide these intellectuals

Question 3

What is Maduro’s liberation theology?

Answer 3

Maduro developed Gramsci’s ideas with liberation theology which focused on the role of individual Catholic priests in Latin America

This suggests religion can provide the intellectuals to express the problems of the subject class and help them improve their situation and resist the power of the ruling class

Question 4

How can liberation theology be used to criticise the traditional Marxist views of religion?

Answer 4

Liberation theology says WC can turn to religion to help them fight back against the RC which is the opposite of what Marxists views of religion say, as they say religion helps dull the pain of alienation and exploitation to prevent the WC overthrowing the RC

Liberation theology wants to help the WC overthrow the RC