Transcript Societal Change Through Religion Protestantism and Buddhism

Societal Change
Through Religion
Protestantism and Buddhism
Building awareness of social changes
through religion.
Intention
Bring about awareness and development of religion
• To build a stronger community
• Foster tolerance, acceptance, and diversity
Support other work and research
• Meditation/yoga in schools
• Student attention and mindfulness
To inform and create programs
• Behavior
• Academic
• Social studies and history
Audience
The audience for this presentation is:
• Religious groups, churches - Universalist ceremony
• Protestant and Buddhist churches and temples
• Schools
Community Groups:
• Political movements
• Volunteer work and programs
• Fundraising
Religious Education (schools and churches)
• Social Studies, History
• Music
• Reading
• Character programs
Social Change Through Religion
Research
Curriculum/Program
Evaluation
Classical
Theories
Current
Theories
Awareness
Change
What is religion?
According to Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and Rodney Stark:
 Control
 Supernatural
 God(s)
 Magic
 Beliefs and Rites
 Faith
 Sacred
 Charisma
Disjoined Definition of Religion
 A disjoined definition of religion will be accepted
 Cover three main ideas:
 The supernatural or nature
 Behaviors or practices
 Universal truths of meaning
Both Stark (2004) and Weber (1963) support and agree that there is
no true or possible conjoined definition of religion because of its
complex intellectual conventions and its understanding coming
out of perception and perspective, which shades the subject
involved (p. 1, xxvii). Durkheim (1995) on the other hand
defined religion mostly around beliefs and practices, which are
united through a moral community (p. 44).
Disjoined Definition of Religion
In finding middle ground and combining the ideas before a
unified definition of religion would be…
 The beliefs and practices about the existence and nature
of the supernatural and ultimate meaning.
Protestantism
 A monotheistic religion that believes in one God that is a holy
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Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, although some
Protestant groups disagree (Stark, 2007 p. 293, 322).
Jesus is the founder and main religious figure in Christianity who
was born of Virgin Mary in Bethlehem (p. 282-288).
Jesus is believed to be the Son of God and led a life of purity,
service, love, forgiveness, and without sin (p. 283).
The Bible is the main text for all Christians and is made up of
two large sections the Old and New Testament.
Christianity is made up of three large branches Catholics,
Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants.
Protestantism
 Protestantism derived out of the reformation in the 16th century, which
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protested and rejected the movement of the Catholic Church. Protestantism
believes in salvation through the doctrines of justification by grace through
faith (Stark, 2007 p. 293).
There are many denominations of Protestantism, which hold different beliefs
towards sacraments, a demonstration and sign of inner spiritual feelings.
The main purpose and practice of Christians is to know, love, and serve God by
having faith in the true God and resurrection, doing good works, and
participating in sacraments.
The main doctrine of Christianity includes the Apostles Creed and the Ten
Commandments (Stark, 2007 p. 292, 293). Most Christians also practice those
beliefs through prayer, Bible study, church services, good deeds, and
celebrating holidays.
The largest differences center on denying purgatory, rejecting praying to
Saints, ideas around the priesthood, sacraments, free will, papacy, and
authority given to Scripture alone.
Buddhism
 Buddhism is a pantheistic, universal, and godless religion (Stark, 2007 p.
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241).
Siddhartha Gautama who later became Buddha and the founder and main
religious figure of Buddhism grew up as a prince who later denounced his
royal family and upbringing to search for enlightenment through
meditation (p. 237-238).
The main text is called the Tipitaka, which means the three baskets.
The life purpose and main practices that affect the human situation is
gaining enlightenment and obtaining the “release from the cycle of
rebirth” and reincarnation through the doctrines of the three jewels, for
Noble truths, and utilizing the eightfold path (Stark, 2007 p. 238-240).
The three jewels govern all Buddhist practices and consist of the faith in
Buddha, faith in law taught by him, and the community following his
teaching (p. 239).
Buddhism
 The four Noble truths, which includes: truth of misery that describes life as
suffering; truth of desire, describing that craving for happiness and pleasure
within us creates the suffering; truth that desire may be overcome; and the
method for eliminating that desire comes from following the eightfold path
(p. 240).
 The eightfold path can be divided into three major concepts such as wisdom,
ethics, and meditation. Wisdom is made up of two of the eight paths including
right view or vision (experience and perception) and right thought
(awareness). Ethics is made up of three of the eight paths including right
speech, right action, and right livelihood. Meditation is made up of the last
three paths of eight that include great effort (intention and purpose), right
mindfulness, and right concentration (meditation) (p. 240).
 The concept of the afterlife includes reincarnation and the goal of obtaining
nirvana, which is where the ego is extinguished, as it becomes and unfolds
into full conciseness that is thought to be “indefinable and inexpressible.”
(Stark, 2007 p. 240)
Buddhism
 Buddhist philosophy centers on the concept that suffering is brought
about through craving and desire (p. 240).
 Buddhist doctrine teaches that, “Salvation does not come from God or
Gods, but from one’s own efforts.” (p. 243) “It is a doctrine of salvation by
works alone.” (p. 243) Religious authority is then given to practice and
Dharma. This religious authority and practice can be broken up into
different sects of Buddhism, which all follow different precepts or rules.
 Similar to most religions the five main precepts, which most Buddhist
sects follow would include: not killing, not stealing, not lying, no
intoxicants, and no sexual abuse (Durkheim, 1994 p. 82). By following
these rules and practices outlined above, Durkheim (1995) reiterated that
Buddhism is a religion, even though it is godless, by accepting “the
existence of sacred things, mainly, the four Noble truths and practices
that are derived from them.” (p. 35)
Differences and Similarities of
Buddhism and Protestantism
 Differences
 Concept and belief of God
 Buddhism is pantheistic, Protestantism monotheistic
 Salvation, suffering, and afterlife
 Scripture and texts
 Similarities
 The Golden Rule
 Buddha and Jesus rejected extreme asceticism
 Believe in a life after death
 Similar forms of worship and rituals
 Prayer, meditation, and songs
Classical Theories
 Durkheim, Emile (1858-1917) Sociologist
 Weber, Max (1864-1920) Sociologist
 Stark, Rodney Current Sociologist of Religion
 How religious practice influences societal change
 How community, organizations, congregations, and
education influence societal change
 Economic and political influences societal change
 Buddhism and Protestantism affects on social change
 Differences and Similarities of Buddhism and Protestantism
on the affects on social change
Religious Practice and
Societal Change
 Rituals, morals, and ethics
 Moral community
 Connection and human relationship
 Conformity
 Faith
 According to Durkheim (as cited in Stark, 2007) the “purpose of
rituals is ‘strengthening the ties between the faithful and their
God,’ what they really do is strengthen the ‘ties between the
individual and society… the God being only a figurative
representation of the society.’” (p.14)
 Education and evolution
Community, Organizations,
Congregations, and Education
 Churches that create an organizational community receive
new life, energy, and momentum through the emphasis of
ritualized structure and practices.
 Stark (Stark, 2004) explained that most religions generate
congregations which are “groups of adherents who meet
regularly for religious reasons.” (p. 116)
 Traditional congregation, un-churched and include folk
religions, audience religions, privatized religions, client
religions and creedless religious groups
Community, Organizations,
Congregations, and Education
 A cultural foundation formed by religious communities
and churches with the intent of offering stability impacts
society.
 In churched and unchurched religion creeds and
congregations play important transformative roles by
practicing and participating in rites and rituals, which
communicate morals and ethics where education then
starts to play a role in helping communities and religious
organizations create and maintain moral and ethical
standards.
Community, Organizations,
Congregations, and Education
 Durkheim and Pickering (1994) explained that we must perfect and
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purify our virtues through education (p. 29).
Weber (1963) explained the process of education happening through
intellectualism that was handed down through individuals influenced
by a winning prophet or permanent helper meaning apostles,
disciples, comrades, or followers (p. 60, 120).
Education’s role in religion is critical because it is a system created out
of a community and organization that supports a congregations
ability to instill, support, and teach morals and ethics, which effect
society.
Regardless of the type of community, organization, or congregation
the ability for education to impart knowledge, religious ethics, and
morals is and will continue to be important play a key role in directing
social change.
A community, educational system, and religion all have strong
economic and political influences on societal change as well.
Economic and Political Influences
 According to Durkheim and Pickering (1994) economic action is
not the most primitive social phenomena, but religion is
because “in principle, everything is religious.” (p. 326) Religion
does not depend as much on the economy as the economy
depends on religion (p. 326).
 Weber (1963) also described the significance of religion as
creating a strong bond and influence on family by unifying and
influencing internal economic relationships especially within
domestic communities (p. 15).
 Weber (1963) also outlined that there were “distinctive
economic achievements of Judaism in the Middle Ages”
including: the participation in money lending, pawn broking,
commodity businesses, retailing, peddling, trade, wholesale
business with the brokerage stocks, money changing, the
financing state agencies, wars, colonial enterprises, tax
farming, banking, credit, and bond issues (p. 248).
Economic and Political Influences
 Religious duty harnessed from the community through
economic interests also supported the struggle against
authoritarian government and gave religion reason and
direction to increase support toward politics (Weber, 2002 p.
102, 212).
 According to Weber (1963) Christianity’s institutionalization led
to the approval and power of “political authority in secular
society,” as well as, within the church (p. lviii). He also
reiterated that “salvation religions usually emerge when the
ruling classes, noble or middle class, have lost their political
power to a bureaucratic, militaristic imperial state.” (Weber,
1963 p. 122)
 The problems with political power coupled with religion usually
spawns into a physical force of violence brought about through
disagreements and politics (p. lviii).
Economic and Political Influences
 Weber (1963) also believed that “all politics is orientated
to the material fact of the common interest of the state, to
realism, and to the economists and of maintaining the
external and internal distribution of power.” (p. 235)
 This control and power of politics that Weber speaks of is
the same thing Stark outlines as he defines power as our
human nature to want to protect and control uncertainties
while maximizing our potential as we are motivated to
develop and search for answers (Stark, 2004 p. 5-6).
 Durkheim (1995) also agreed that society creates a
hierarchy of who is superior or subordinate, which creates
an organized set of rules, which could be understood as
politics (p. 370).
Buddhism and Protestantism
Affects on Social Change
 Buddhism
 Accepts the existence of sacred things, namely, the Four
Noble Truths and practices that are derived from them.
 About 2 million people, 1656 temples in U.S.
 Growth and popularity of unchurched and creedless religions
such as spiritual public lectures, yoga classes, the study of
metaphysics, and mindfulness retreats demonstrates a
movement and change of society as opening and accepting
other cultures and beliefs (Stark, 2004 p.119-121)
 No resentment, karma
 Individual improvement and Golden rule – judicial system.
Buddhism and Protestantism
Affects on Social Change
 Protestantism
 Social reforms that included minimum wage, pensions, disability
payments, and a reduced workweek
 Broadcast over the radio and later TV
 Durkheim (1994) also made a profound statement that “religion,
thus sustains society and everything is religious and religion
naturally expresses society.” (p. 335) Therefore, giving strength and
control to religious groups as they plant the seed of ideas to
encourage moral growth and development within society.
 Science integrated with religious thought with an emphasis on
humanism and approach to history
 Humanitarian programs
 Bible as a codification of divine law
 Dedicated to serve others by love and forgiveness without sin
Differences and Similarities of Buddhism
and Protestantism on Social Change
 Differences
 Growth of Buddhism and Protestantism in the United States
 Concepts of resentment and karma
 Similarities
 Perceive sacred things
 Shifting awareness and responsibility
 Support or create political faith or social law impacting the
judicial and political system
 Sacred texts as being divine law – government
Current Theories
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Classifications and paradigms
Synthesized perceptions
Benevolence
Buddhism and Protestantism Benevolence Classifications
Religious knowledge and ritual
Psychological and spiritual investment
Religious influence on government and education
Buddhist Christianity
Tolerance and/or unity
Classifications and Paradigms
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Bell (2006) frames the theoretical concepts of religion
Wilson (2005) perceptions and evolutionary hypotheses
Economic stratification
Synthesized perceptions
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Prototype Paradigm
Irrational Paradigm
World Religion Paradigm
Cultural Necessity of Religion Paradigm
Religion as a Western Construct Paradigm
 Types of evolutionary hypothesis - group-level adaptation,
individual-level adaptation, and adaptive-small groups
 Protestantism and Buddhism share the world religion paradigm
and the evolutionary hypothesis of adaptive small groups
Benevolence
 Definition and parts of benevolence used in this context will
include brotherly love, ethics, trust, and compassion
 Brotherly-love (Weber)
 Ethics, trust, compassion
 Symonds (2006) outlined five major types of brotherliness from the
writings of Weber, which were the Ideal, Puritan, Mystic (e.g.
Buddhism), Organic Christian (Lutheran), and Charismatic
Communities (p. 137).
 Compared those five types through five crucial descriptive
dimensions highlighted by Weber, which were Universal
understanding, Personal/Ethical characteristics, Acosmic/WorldDenying, Tension with the World (Economic and Political), and
Compromise with the World (p. 137).
Synthesized Benevolence
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Ideal benevolence
Charismatic benevolence
Mystic benevolence
Organic benevolence
Puritan benevolence
 Buddhism fits into the mystic benevolence classification, which has a
large radius of trust encompassing acquaintances, because it is
universal.
 Protestantism fits into the organic benevolence classification, which
holds a large circle of trust towards acquaintances, similarly to mystic
benevolence, but also includes strangers.
 Buddhism and Protestantism both fall within the middle
classifications of benevolence
 All other areas including personal, ethical, world denying, economic
and political tensions, and compromises with the world are all
conversely related.
Religious Knowledge and Ritual
 Durkheim’s (1995) definition of religion is based on beliefs
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encompassing practices and rituals (p. 44).
Buddhist communities focus on the meditation ritual to
communicate and share knowledge such as charity and moral
conduct (Jordt, 2006 p. 195).
Social identities based on one’s experience and knowledge
taken from culture and science
Mahon (2005) also explained Weber’s theories about cultural
transformation regarding ritual and practices associated with
norms being interpreted as the mechanism of passing on
knowledge (p. 60).
Passing on knowledge and ultimately transforming culture
through practices and rituals
Sharing of historical textual knowledge and mystical experience
Psychological and Spiritual
Investment
 Rindfleish (2007) explained that Eastern and Western traditional
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religions both function to assist in the formation of identity and
with the building of self-concept (p. 68).
Spiritual ego and the social psyche, which is a contemporary
search for the real self (p. 68, 69)
O'Sullivan (2006) heart rather than the head (p. 520).
Ego concept and social psyche
West view it as more as a positive identifying factor in
connection to economic development and the East view it as a
hindrance and as something to get rid of.
Spiritual connections and direct experiences
Psychological and Spiritual
Investment
 Rindfleish (2007) ego as a self-image, social mask, and false role
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we play (p. 70)
Uncovering the true self-development and interconnectedness
Departure from both Durkheim and Weber - rites, rituals,
organizations, sacredness, political, and economic models
Afterlife and contributions – practice
Hung-Lin’s (2007) philanthropy the Christian doctrine states
“love your neighbor as yourself” and Buddhist ideas revolve
around being the “great vehicle,” which supports all life (p. 584,
585).
Volunteerism and service
Influence on
Government and Education
 Stark (2006) believes that “Christianity created Western
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societies,” and religion is at the heart of our culture, which
“is why the West is so powerful.” (p. 19)
Symes (2005) is in agreement and further explains this
religious influence as political conservatism influencing the
growth of nongovernment schooling (p. 19).
Impact of teacher employment
Maintaining public security, justice, and welfare
Advancement of Science
Influence on
Government and Education
 Declaration of Independence has the language “that all men are
created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights,” further demonstrating how human worth is
measured by spiritual, not physical, terms (Symes, 2005p. 17).
 Child-centered education to Jesus-centered education (p.22)
 Stark (2006) also described how the development and sense of
individualism, personal liberty, equality, moral obligation, and
civil society through religion helped end slavery (p. 18).
 Major partnership and fluctuation of how religion, education,
and government influence each other and support many basic
concepts outlined in the works of Durkheim and Weber
Buddhist Christianity
 According to Lai (2007) the Christian philosophy can be interpreted
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through the Buddhist framework and Chinese philosophy, therefore
creating not a comparative situation, but a synthesis of ideas (p. 67).
One of the main points of agreement was in the “Christian emphasis
on faith instead of elaboration of doctrines, similar to that of the
Pureland School of Buddhism.” (p. 70)
Lai (2007) also took the stand that the Bible was “written by human
beings under inspiration of the Holy Spirit,” hence resulting in errors
of interpretation (p. 71).
Christian spiritual principles/concepts that can be interpreted through
a Buddhist framework would include the interpretation of Jesus, the
crucifixion, and the cross (Lai, 2007 p. 75-83).
Term Son of God not exclusive
Both Jesus and Buddha taught to eliminate craving, ill will, and
delusion through ideal moral character (p. 78).
Buddhist Christianity
 The crucifixion as not being penal, but setting an example
(Lai, 2007 p. 76). An example of forgiveness
 Jesus and Buddha also taught the main concepts of
overcoming attachments and dealing with self (self-love,
self-delusion, view of self, and self conceit) (p. 77).
 The cross can be interpreted as a crossroads of humanity
and divinity as humanity is the horizontal and divinity the
vertical axis.
 Increasing the awareness of the symbol of moral practice,
salvation, and repentance by helping us rediscover our
true nature and our inner Christ regardless of religious
affiliation (p. 82).
Tolerance and Unity
 How such diverse cultures and philosophies could find a
common ground and similarities – not differences
 Development of awareness and understanding through
religion
 The Golden Rule, unity, tolerance, and compassion can be
used to uncover and appreciate diversity, thereby leading
to an ultimate truth and uncovering of spiritual essence
within all
 Building tolerance and acceptance toward a common goal
and unified idea for the common good of man
Societal Change Through Religion
Summary
 Intent and Audience
 What is Religion?
 Protestantism and Buddhism
 Classical Theories of Durkheim, Stark, and Weber
 Practice, Organization, Congregation, Education,
Economics, and Politics
 Current Theories
 Classification, Paradigms, Perceptions, Benevolence,
Knowledge, Ritual, Government, Education, Buddhist
Christianity, Tolerance, and Unity
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Jeffrey Glogowski
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