Beliefs 6 - Class, Gender, Ethnicity Flashcards
Class and religion evidence?
Lawes (2009) working class people more likely to be lifelong theists, university-educated middle class lifelong atheists
Ashworth and Farthing (2007) those most dependant on benefits least likely to attend church
YouGov 2015 survey, 62% regular church attendance middle class
Religion and Ethnicity?
O’Beirne (2004) ethnic minorities see religion as a central element of their identity (e.g Muslims and African Caribbean)
Goodhew (2012) half a million black people involved in Pentecostalism in UK
2011 census white British only 32% active Christians, 80% active muslims from that background, black people over 3% population and 10% of church population
Modood et al (1997) decline religious participation in ethnic groups who have been in Britain for a while
Why are ethnic minorities more religious?
Steve Bruce (2002) cultural defence to unite a community against change from wider society
Bird (1999) Anglican churches in 1950s largely white and didn’t welcome other cultures, and African Caribbean Christians set up their own churches in response
Bruce (2002) cultural transition to help them assimilate into British society (networking)
Bellah (1991) civil religion, unite a group of people (give people let value consensus)
Marxists attracted to religious teachings because it says inequality is natural and justified
Max Weber (1922) Pentecostalism attract ethnic minorities because they feel marginalised by society, and also because they offer a way out with a ‘work ethic’
Explanations for class and religion results?
Voas and Watt (2014) middle class may attend church to get children into best state schools
Ahern and Davie (1987) working class mistrust traditional religion and prefer things like Methodism
Martin (1990) middle class see church-going as an opportunity to network (secular)
Marx (1844) ‘opium’ for proletariat as they believe in something better
Weber (1905) attracts lower classes as religion says poverty is justified and will be rewarded
Age and religion evidence?
Brierley (2015) only group to rise in church attendance is 65+
1980 amount of <15s attending church decreased
202 2.5% regular church attenders 15-19 years olds
1/2 English churches no <20s in congregation
Age and religion reasons?
Voas and Crockett (2003) as people get closer to death, interest in spirituality increases (forgiveness, hope, etc.) and elderly have had religious upbringing and have lived through WW2 and poverty
Arweck and Beckford (2013) collapse of religious socialisation, lack of Sunday schools, multi-faith parents
Brierley (2015) 87% of 10-14 years olds said church is boring and old-fashioned (didn’t relate to their lives)
Collins-Mayo (2010) religion is personal choice, not expectation, even faith based schools more liberal
Criticism of age and religion trends?
Islamic youth clear exception to rule
Samad (2006) Pakistani and Bangladeshi children in Britain, behind Muslim is more important than their nationality as it honours their heritage whilst also letting them integrate into UK
