Neo-Marxist Views on Religion & Social Change

• What did Friedrich Engels suggest about religion?

  It has a dual character.
• How can religion challenge the status quo according to Engels?

  By encouraging social change.
• How did Hinduism act as a conservative force?

  By maintaining the caste system.
• Who were at the bottom of the caste system in Hinduism?

  Dalits or "untouchables"
• How did Hinduism inspire social change in India?

  Through the principles of non-violence and self-renunciation.
• Who wrote about The Principle of Hope?

  Ernst Bloch
• What did Bloch argue religions offer people?

  A glimpse of Utopia.
• What did Bloch believe about religious faith?

  It was misplaced but offered hope.
• How can religious belief influence social change according to Bloch?

  By rallying people for revolutionary change.
• What did Gramsci write about the bourgeoisie?

  They maintained power through culture.
• What is hegemony according to Gramsci?

  A dominant set of ideas seen as common sense.
• How did Gramsci view the role of religion?

  It could support both hegemony and counter-hegemony.
• Who are considered organic intellectuals in Gramsci's theory?

  Religious leaders who build counter-hegemony.
• What role did Martin Luther King play in the Civil Rights movement?

  • Led campaigns against segregation
  • Combined Christian teachings with Gandhi's ideas
  • Used civil disobedience tactics
• How did churches contribute to the Civil Rights movement?

  Provided sanctuary and became campaigning hubs.
• What biblical command was used to support the Civil Rights movement?

  "Love thy neighbour."
• What was liberation theology in Latin America?

  A movement protecting people from fascist oppression.
• Who was Oscar Romero?

  Archbishop of San Salvador.
• What did Romero do against the military dictatorship?

  Spoke out against state killings and torture.
• When was Romero assassinated?

  1980
• What criticisms did liberation theology face from the Catholic Church?

  • Criticized by Pope John Paul II
  • Links to Marxism were condemned
  • Proponents banned from Catholic events
• How central was religion to the Civil Rights movement?

  It was multi-faith and broadly secular.
• What do some sociologists argue about religion today?

  It plays a less significant role.
• What is a criticism of the neo-Marxist view on religion?

  It may be outdated due to secularization.
• What is a Eurocentric position regarding religion?

  It overlooks religion's prominence globally.