What are some ways that religion engages society? Under which circumstances might religion inhibit social chan

Question

Under what circumstances might religion promote social change?

Answer 1

Religion brings people together, and offers a common understanding or shared meaning of experience, reality.  

On the other hand, as I just described in a post on Marx - religion is the opiate of the masses - it gives people a false view of reality (false consciousness); people won't rebel in this lifetime on this earth, because they are too busy waiting for heaven in the afterlife. Or they're too busy praying or meditating to rebel.

On the other hand, still, Jesus was a revolutionary who shook up the Roman Empire in his day (that is, until the Roman Empire became Christian).  The Buddha was a revolutionary. So were Abraham and Moses. And Mohammed. They were all revolutionaries.

There's also such a thing as Liberation Theology - when the Catholic Church subscribed to it, the Catholic Church became a positive force for the first time in their history - helping the poor was Godly. There are still Liberation Theologians out there, even though the Pope doesn't officially endorse the doctrine anymore.