marxism, religion and change

• Engels •Religion inhibits change by disguising inequality

  religion can be a force for change-senior clergy may support the status quo, lower ranks within church hierarchies (local priests) can support or inspire popular protest to achieve change
• Bloch- As a Marxist, he accepts that religion often inhibits change, but he emphasises that it can also inspire protest and rebellion.

  religion can be a force for change- Religious beliefs may therefore create a vision of a better world, which, if combined with effective political organisation and leadership, can bring about social change.
• Liberation-Theology AO3- the pope John Paul II condemned liberation theology on the grounds that it resembled Marxism, and instructed priests to concentrate on pastoral activities, not political struggle.

  religion can be a force for change-Liberation theology is a movement that emerged within the Catholic Church in Latin America at the end of the 1960s, with a strong commitment to the poor and opposition to the military dictatorships of the time. Liberation theology was a major change of direction for the Catholic Church in Latin America. For centuries, it had been an extremely conservative institution, encouraging a fatalistic acceptance of poverty and supporting wealthy elites and military dictatorships. The factors that led to liberation theology were: - Deepening rural poverty and the growth of urban slums throughout Latin America. Human rights abuses following military take-overs, such as torture and death squads murdering