3.1 Religion is in Decline

Question 1

Davie - problems with church ______ _____

Answer 1

Attendance stats

Question 2

Martin - Attending church as a means of _____ social ____

Answer 2

gaining, statues

Question 3

Shiner- ____ in developing _____

Answer 3

disengagement, countries

Question 4

Wilson - Growth of ___ - rationalisation/____

Answer 4

Science, Disenchantment

Question 5

Shiner - this is where religious institutions disengage from political power. This happens with democracy

Answer 5

Disengagement

Question 6

Explain + Evaluate Davie’s argument that there are problems with church attendance stats

Answer 6

Religious stats are unreliable . Comparing stats from the past is always problematic

why?

1. Methods of collecting stats change so much over time which makes it difficult to compare.
2. A system open to abuse; Catholic church the priest is paid for each person attending.

Question 7

Explain + Evaluate Martin argument that people attending church as a means of gaining social status

Answer 7

In the Victorian times, British ppl attended church to gain social status, also it was socially expected for you to attend church on Sunday

This questions the intention of ppl attending for religious reasons or for social status.
So it became very difficult to say.

Question 8

Explain + Evaluate Wilson’s argument of Growth of science - Rationalisation/Disenchantment

Answer 8

Over the last 300 yrs science has overtaken religion as an explanation of events from big bang to evolution. in 2014 Richard Dawkins says that science ‘works’ and ppl trust science. Advancement of tech and medicine

More recently the fightback of Evangelic Christianity in USA getting intelligent design on the school science curriculum next to biological explanation of evolution.

Question 9

Explain + Evaluate Shiner’s argument of Disengagement

Answer 9

Religion is no longer part of the political system in western democracies like Britain and France and Germany

HOWEVER Tony Blair is a catholic and he claimed that his religious views affected his political views.
+
George Bush Christian claimed that n a dream God ordered him to invade Iraq.

Question 10

Explain + Evaluate shiner’s argument that religion is declining due to disengagement in developing countries

Answer 10

Outside the western world and in countries like Iran and Saudi Arabic - Islam forms the Government and the law are religious.

However ; recently 2013 there were public protests against the Islamic regime in Iran - Demanding more western style freedom