Chapter 8: Religion, Economics, and Social Class

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following concepts was central to Weber’s argument about religion and the economy?

A. consumerism

B. socioeconomic status

C. the prosperity gospel

D. the Protestant ethic

2. According to the “Protestant ethic” thesis, vocation regards hard work as a ______.

A. sign of insufficient faith

B. moral and religious duty

C. way to achieve social mobility

D. requirement for the nonelect

3. Which Protestant thinker first introduced the idea of vocation?

A. Randall Collins

B. Max Weber

C. Martin Luther

D. John Calvin

4. Weber believed that two major Protestant elements contributed to the rise of capitalism: vocation and ______.

A. calling

B. asceticism

C. consumerism

D. ethics

5. According to Weber, over time self-restraint and self-denial give way to ______ in a capitalist society.

A. consumerism

B. asceticism

C. atheism

D. technology

6. Weber believed that John Calvin's emphasis on predestination was important because it stressed ______.

A. radical individualism

B. ascetism

C. priesthood of all believers

D. God’s omniscience

7. Looking at the experiences of the Amish allows us to conclude what about the Protestant ethic?

A. Having a Protestant ethic is sufficient for achieving wealth and upward mobility.

B. People must be both ascetic and hard workers.

C. Having particular beliefs and strong work ethic are insufficient for achieving wealth

D. Success can be achieved via hard work and consumerism.

8. Who is most likely to believe the prosperity gospel in the United States?

A. People with high levels of education but little money

B. People with low levels of education but lots of money

C. People with high socioeconomic status

D. People with low socioeconomic status

9. Marx argues that religion is the opiate of the masses because he believed that ______.

A. religion reproduces the status quo

B. motivates good workers

C. religion was created by the masses

D. religion could challenge capitalism

10. Which of the following is a potential benefit of the spread of the prosperity gospel?

A. A society may see more acceptance of religious intermarriage.

B. A society may become more dedicated to fighting inequality.

C. People may become more fiscally sound.

D. People may become less anxious.

11. What does predestination mean in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism?

A. Although God already has thought about salvation, people can still change their fate.

B. God already knows who will be saved, and people cannot change their fate.

C. People begin life destined for hell, and through good works they can change that.

D. God has ordained that some people will be harder workers than others.

12. According to the text, early family formation is correlated with ______.

A. non-Christian faiths

B. lower levels of education

C. having fewer children

D. higher levels of wealth

13. A church member connects a teenaged member with a family friend who does volunteer math tutoring. This is an example of which concept?

A. social capital

B. prosperity gospel

C. vocation

D. civic skills formation

14. Which of the following is a central belief of the prosperity gospel?

A. Working hard and being frugal will earn God’s blessing.

B. Only a select few will earn God’s blessing of wealth.

C. God will provide wealth to those who have enough faith.

D. God blesses those who give away their wealth.

15. According to the text, how does religion shape work today?

A. Most religious people see work as a calling.

B. More people are working at religious institutions.

C. Religious beliefs may inspire people to be more ethical workers.

D. Believing the prosperity gospel predicts greater entrepreneurial success.

16. People who are Jewish or who have no religious affiliation have the highest average wealth, and this finding appears to ______ Weber’s argument about the protestant ethic.

A. contradict

B. support

C. modify

D. strengthen

17. Which group would be least likely to support secular education?

A. Hindus

B. Catholics

C. Mainline Protestants

D. Sectarian Protestants

18. The evidence presented in the text supports which overarching conclusion about religion and class?

A. Religion both influences and is influenced by social class.

B. Religion primarily influences social class.

C. Social class primarily influences religion.

D. There is little relationship between religion and social class.

19. The enduring legacy of the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is that ______.

A. scholars today agree that Protestantism is the primary factor behind capitalism

B. it showed that Protestants have distinct values compared to Buddhists and Hindus

C. scholars now study how ideas and values can contribute to changes in the economy

D. it predicted the rise of the prosperity gospel

20. To examine the relationship between religion and social stratification, the authors discuss income,

wealth, education, and ______.

A. age

B. occupation

C. immigration status

D. gender

Essay

When it comes to essay questions, students sometimes write poorly because they are guessing about what the instructor wants, even if the question seems to be perfectly clear. For that reason I strongly recommend provision of an audience (so students know how much to assume in use of sociological vocabulary as well as how much must be made explicit) and criteria for evaluation (which is information that any writer needs to know). Below are two sample statements that might be used as part of an essay question.

A. This essay calls for presentation and defense of an informed opinion. You should write for a well-educated reader, but one unfamiliar with sociological approaches to the study of religion. You will be graded on (a) provision of a clearly stated thesis, (b) the clarity and sophistication of your rationale, and (c) the ability to support your argument with strong evidence. Sophistication of rationale refers to awareness of the complexity of the issues. The side of the argument that you support is irrelevant to the grading criteria.

B. Your audience for this essay should be senior sociology majors who know sociological vocabulary, but have never specifically studied the sociology of religion. The criteria for evaluation will be (1) accuracy of explanation, (2) clarity of illustrations or examples, and (3) thoroughness in exploring all dimensions of the issue.

Since some of these questions call for careful reflection, you might consider giving students a list of these and other essay questions in advance.

1. What is Weber’s Protestant ethic thesis? How does he connect religion to the rise of capitalism?

2. What is the status of Weber’s Protestant ethic argument today? What evidence supports and what evidence refutes the theory?

3. Explain the prosperity gospel in your own words. How can this perspective benefit groups in society, and how can it be harmful?

4. Explain the relationship between socioeconomic status and religiosity. How does socioeconomic status affect religion and vice versa?

5. How does religion intersect with work today? Do you think the Protestant ethic still connects? Why or why not?

6. What is the relationship between religion and consumerism today? How does the prosperity gospel connect?

7. Using sociological perspectives and research findings, support or refute the following statement: “Religion has no significant relationship to economic behaviors of church members.” [It is especially important with this kind of reasoned opinion essay for the instructor to provide criteria for evaluation.]

8. Based on what you read in this chapter, how does religion reproduce and/or challenge social stratification in society?