age and religion

Question 1

Brierley - patterns of age and religion

Answer 1

• over 65s are most likely to attend church
• below age of 15 higher participation due to parental pressure
• lowest rates between 15-44
• young people are more likely to join sects as they are free to withdraw from the world
• middle aged more likely to join cults as they offer mainstream success

Question 2

Voas - why the elderly are more religious

Answer 2

• religious socialisation and secularisation
• disengagement with wider society and family
• higher levels of deprivation
• more time
• life crisis of death and illness

Question 3

why are young people less religious?

Answer 3

• declining attraction of mainstream religion due to attitudes towards sex, homosexuality, contraception, abortion etc
• decline in religious education/pluralism is the spiritual market
• secularisation

Question 4

criticisms that young people are becoming less religious

Answer 4

• not less but different (attracted to cults/sects instead due to low levels of commitment and consumer culture)