Relationship of Religion to Society

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Relationship of Religion to Society

• Useful Typologies

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Varieties of Religious Presence

• Authors
• David Roozen
• William McKinney
• Jackson Carroll
• Based on study of 413 congregations in Hartford,
  CT
• Question How is religion a presence in the
  community where it is located?

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Congregations can be

• This worldly
• Stressing the kingdom of God in society
• Concern for welfare of all people
• Ecumenical
• Participate in public life of community
• Educate members on social issues

• Other worldly
• Stress salvation in world to come
• Accept existing social structures/policies
• View government as corrupt/unredeemable
• Make sharp distinction between sacred/profane

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Focus of effort by congregation

• Membership centered
• Take care of members needs
• Internally focused

• Publicly proactive
• Church, temple, synagogue is an instrument of
  salvation, healing, social change within the
  community/world

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Civic Orientation

• The church, temple or synagogue is a place for
  public/social issues to be debated
• Goal is to help members clarify their position
• But clergy/congregation do not take public stands
  on issues
• Involvement in social issues is at a private
  citizen level
• Personal obligation to vote, etc.

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Activist Orientation

• The world/society is Gods arena of activity
• Therefore one is Gods agent of change within
  society
• Goal is to create a more just/humane society
• This may require challenging government policy,
  advocating for change, etc.
• Minister/priest/rabbi is a public figure
• Speaking out on social issues, leading
  demonstrations
• Even advocating for civil disobedience

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Sanctuary Orientation

• Role of religion is to enable one to withdraw
  from pain and suffering of this world
• E.g., to comfort, console
• Focus is on world-to-come
• E.g., heaven (where all will be made right)
• Goal is to create a perfect society within the
  congregation (I.e., a place of peace, order)

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Evangelistic Orientation

• This world/society is evil and sinful and cannot
  be redeemed or ultimately changed
• What can change is the individual
• Focus on personal salvation, moral purity
• Social obligation is to evangelize others
• Promoting individual salvation
• One accepts civil authority

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Discussion Question

• What is your view of the role of religion?

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Culture Wars

• By James Davison Hunter

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There are two competing moral visions in the USA

• Orthodox
• Committed to an external, definable, transcendent
  source of moral authority/truth that is
  unchanging, eternal, and divinely revealed
• Source Bible, natural law, etc.

• Progressivist
• Moral and spiritual truth is not static, but
  always changing
• Constant need to reinterpret tradition, apply
  reason to sacred texts, etc.
• Religion is a human creation

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Hunters thesis

• There are greater differences between orthodox
  and progressive branches of the same religious
  tradition than there are differences between
  different faith traditions
• E.g., progressive Catholics have more in common
  with progressive Protestants than they do with
  orthodox Catholics

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What distinguishes orthodox from progressives?

• Social class and education
• Orthodox tend to be blue collar and working class
• They desire clear-cut rules for behavior
• Progressives tend to be upper-middle class and
  college educated
• They are used to symbol manipulation and the need
  for interpretation