Beliefs 3 - Growth And Decline Of Other Beliefs Flashcards
Why have sects (New Religious Movements) grown?
Not happy with what the church is preaching
Weber: when people don’t like the society they are in, e.g Nation of Islam recruited from disadvantaged Afro Americans
World rejecting NRM’s recruit young middle class - Wallis, not a contradiction because its relative deprivation (spiritual, money, authenticity, community, etc.)
Bruce, growth of sects due to modernisation (rapid change with changed norms producing anomie) e.g Methodism after industrial revolution
Niebuhr (1929) and Stark and Bainbridge (1985) on sects lifespan?
Niebuhr (1929) sects decline - 2nd gen leave or leader dies, beliefs diluted
Sects develop - convert people and need a bureaucracy (denomination), beliefs diluted
Stark and Bainbridge (1985) - Schism, initial fervour, denominalisation, establishment, further schism
Why has New Age grown?
Drane (1999) modern world turning against old institutions e.g church, New Age seeks their own spirituality (move towards postmodernity)
Bruce (?) and Heelas (1995) product of modernity e.g eastern influences (globalisation), individualism, personal development (many expressive people believe in it), lack of commitment, etc.
Heelas (1996) people don’t have unquestioning beliefs in religion, etc. so make their own
Gender and Church Attendance?
Miller and Hoffmann (1995) women have more interest, personal commitment and church attendance than men
Ashworth and Farthing (2007) 11% women regular churchgoer to 11% of men
Brierley (2006) between 1989 and 1998, 65,000+ lost from churches each year
1998-2005, 51,000 per year women left (twice the rate of men)
Aune et al reasons for church attendance decline?
Aune et al (2008) - lower fertility levels so congregation aren’t being replaced
-feminist values raise women’s aspirations (helped by media)
-juggling employment and childcare
-family diversity e.g single parents, cohabitation are discouraged by some churches
-churches ambivalence to sexuality
Criticism of declining female church attendance belief?
Greeley (1992) before partner and children their religion is similar to mens, afterwards as you are taking care of people you take responsibility for their ultimate welfare
Miller and Hoffmann (1995) women taught to be obedient which is compatible to religions, women don’t work so much so have more time for it and need for it as identity
Woodhead (2005) explanation for diversity in women’s church attendance?
Home-centered: typically Christian
Jugglers: combine home and work, alternate spirituality
Work-centred: no religion, it doesn’t fit with schedule
Woodhead (2014) each new wave of feminism has a different narrative on religion
Why are women more involved in sects than men?
Glock and Stark (1969) social (lack of power), organismic (physical and mental problems) and ethical (moral decline) deprivation all exist - all of these are more likely to effect women
Why are women more involved in New Age movements?
More power and security in beliefs
Glendinning and Bruce (2006) middle class women use NAMs treatment (yoga, etc.) more than men, younger working-class women more often believe in astrology and fortune telling
Why are women more likely to be in cults?
More status and power (‘private sphere of the cult;private sphere of home)
Self-improvement promised (women more likely to believe in it)
Class and religious participation?
Middle class and upper class more involved
Working class more Roman Catholic, middle class more CofE
Working class more Methodist, middle class more Quaker
Why are middle classes so involved?
Voas and Watt (2014) religious participation can mean more social status (more wanted by middle classes?)
Which class is involved in new age movements?
Bruce (1995) middle class univeristy-educated in ‘expressive professions’
Features of fundamentalism?
Hawley (1994) patriarchal, as conservative values
Believe in exact wording of sacred texts and use it to justify their actions
World-rejecting attitude so isolate themselves
Tend to be sects and claim a monopoly on the truth
Shock population through extreme acts and terrorism
Use modern technology to promote their message
Many await the ‘end of all days’
