Against secularisation Flashcards
The pro secularisation argument is too ‘Eurocentric’
Stark and Bainbridge criticise the secularisation argument as being very ‘Eurocentric’, as it just focuses on the decline of religion in the UK and the rest of Europe and it fails to recognise the continuing vitality of religion in USA and around the world
Stark and Bainbridge’s view is based on their Market Theory which has 2 basic assumptions:
• People have a natural inclination to be religious as religion meets people’s human needs; therefore the overall demand for religion remains constant, even though demand for particular types of religion may vary.
• Religion satisfy’s people’s need for rewards in life eg only religion provides people with compensation for the rewards that are unobtainable in life such as supernatural intervention and immortality.
When different religious organisations compete with each other this leads to an improvement in the quality of religious ‘goods’ on offer so that more people will be attracted to that particular religion. Therefore religion thrives in the USA because ‘consumers’ needs have more chance of being met as there is so much choice available.
Stark and Bainbridge conclude that religion declines not because there is a fall in demand but when there are restrictions in the supply of religious organisations in a country.
The pro secularisation argument is too ‘Eurocentric’ A03
Bruce rejects religious Market Theory and the idea that diversity and competition amongst religions increases demand. He argues that despite an increase in the number of religions available the statistics show that religious decline has continued in the USA.
Bruce also argues that Stark and Bainbridge misrepresent secularisation theory. The theory never claims that everyone will become atheists nor does it claim to be universal, it just claims that secularisation is occurring in Europe and America.
Religion thrives in parts of the world where people feel threatened
Norris and Inglehart agree that the secularisation theory is Eurocentric as they say religion thrives in the world where people feel threatened.
They claim that variations in religiosity between countries is because of existential security; if people feel secure they have a low level demand for security and religion, as in rich societies, but if people’s survival is threatened then they have a high demand for the security offered by religion. This is seen in poor societies suffering from environmental problems, famine,
In any society they argue that demand for religion is greatest from low income groups because they are less secure. In the world as a whole it can be argued that the greater religiosity of the Third World is because of their poverty
Norris and Inglehart also argue that the USA has increased religiosity because it is also the most unequal of rich societies and has an inadequate welfare system
Religion thrives in parts of the world where people feel threatened A03
Norris and Inglehart only see religion as a negative response to deprivation; they do not appreciate the positive reasons people have for religious participation and the appeal that religion has for some wealthy people in society. For example, religion remains popular amongst the privileged high income groups in the USA.
Statistics provide an invalid measurement of religiosity
David Martin argues that statistics on religious practice lack validity. He says the religious participation of people in the past overestimated as people went to church at a time when church attendance was considered correct behaviour and so this did not signify a belief in God but a social obligation.
People can be religious without church attendance as they may simply choose to express their beliefs in different ways. In today’s postmodern age, people are said to have ‘belief without belonging’ according to Grace Davie, as there is also a growing trend for people to have a ‘privatised’ belief
Questionnaires on religious beliefs lack validity. Martin argues that It is difficult to express belief in a closed questionnaire. For example, when people were asked to state their religion in the 2011 census questionnaire, they were being asked a complex question, but they were only given space for a one- or two-word answer. This made it impossible for people to express the meaning of their belief in this closed questionnaire. This is because religion is about more than belief
Statistics provide an invalid measurement of
religiosity A03
The statistical claims of secularists are supported by the fact that many churches are being closed down in the UK. As congregation sizes fall, the Church of England announced in 2015 that thousands of churches could be closed down. It revealed that Sunday worshippers in many rural areas are in single figures.
