RELIGION AND THEOLOGY

Religion and Theology

Religion and Theology

Introduction

Ideology and religion are two very closely linked terms that supports one another. Ideology stems from a group of ideas that not only impacts but also modifies an individual's thoughts, beliefs and actions. (Ingber, Stanley., 1989, pp. 233-333) Once an individual starts to be a staunch believer of their religion it moulds into becoming their ideology.

Ideology is either aimed at bringing about a change within the society or devotion towards a set of ideals where conformity already exists. (Ingber, Stanley., 1989, pp. 233-333)

Discussion

Social Sin can be defined as the situations or series of events or structures which directly or indirectly imposes an attack on the human rights and their dignity hence hampering the social relationships between communities. The American Society in 1950s and 60s is indeed one example of social sin and is clearly depicted within the works of Gregory Baum.

Gregory Baum's description of social sin

Gregory Baum; one of the acclaimed writers of critical theology refers to social sin as collective blindness, group-egotism, and the pursuit of a national life that not only betrays the covenant but also violates the divine command” (Baum 1983) His description of the social sin, collective blindness and how people tend to engage in destructive behavior without even knowing it is obvious in the book, Dead Man Walking, where Prejean as a child is subjected to the 1940s and 1950s racist American society. Here, as Prejean elaborates on the extent of racism in schools where there were different educational institutes for blacks and white, different churches for blacks and white and even the bus reserved separate seats for blacks at the back. During that time, for a white child to go and sit at the back of the bus amongst the black was indeed considered to be a daring ...