Beliefs In Society- Secularisation

Question 1

What is secularisation?

Answer 1

Secularisation is the process whereby religious beliefs, practices, and institutions lose their importance.

Question 2

What does Wilson highlight about church attendance in the 20th century?

Answer 2

There has been a decline in the number of people going to church.

Question 3

What does Wilson say about Sunday school attendance?

Answer 3

Sunday school attendance has rapidly declined.

Question 4

What does Wilson note about church weddings and baptisms?

Answer 4

Church weddings and baptisms are more popular than Sunday services, but they too are in decline.

Question 5

What does Wilson observe about belief in God, Jesus, and the afterlife?

Answer 5

There has been a significant decline in the number of people who say they hold a belief in God, Jesus, and the afterlife.

Question 6

How have religious institutions lost influence, according to Wilson?

Answer 6

Religious institutions have lost influence as the state has taken over many functions the church used to perform, such as education and welfare.

Question 7

What does Wilson say about the number of clergy?

Answer 7

There has been a decline in the number of clergy.

Question 8

What does Wilson note about church buildings?

Answer 8

Today, church buildings are in ruins or being converted for other uses.

Question 9

What does Wilson say about relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation?

Answer 9

Relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation, and massage are not new alternative religions but an extension of health care.

Question 10

What does Wilson observe about third-generation immigrants and religion?

Answer 10

Third-generation immigrants tend to become more indifferent to their religion as a result of being integrated into mainstream culture.

Question 11

What is one criticism of viewing the 19th century as a “golden age” of religion?

Answer 11

It is an exaggeration to see the 19th century as a “golden age” of religion, as many people were opposed to the church even then.

Question 12

What is one criticism of secularisation statistics regarding New Age movements?

Answer 12

New Age movements are on the increase, and their significance should not be underestimated.

Question 13

What is one problem with measuring secularisation through attendance?

Answer 13

Attendance statistics may lack reliability, as religious organisations may over- or under-estimate attendance.

Question 14

What is one problem with surveys on religiosity focusing on Christian beliefs?

Answer 14

Surveys may lack validity for non-Christian religions, as questions about heaven and hell may misclassify Hindus or Buddhists as atheists.

Question 15

What is one example of respondents not taking surveys seriously?

Answer 15

In the 2001 census, 0.7% of respondents listed their religion as Jedi Knights.

Question 16

What is Weber’s argument about rationalisation and secularisation?

Answer 16

Weber argues that rationalisation—the process by which rational ways of thinking replace religious ones—has caused secularisation.

Question 17

What does Weber say about the Catholic worldview before the 16th century?

Answer 17

The Catholic worldview saw the world as an enchanted garden full of supernatural beings that could affect people’s lives.

Question 18

How did the Protestant Reformation contribute to rationalisation, according to Weber?

Answer 18

The Protestant Reformation started the process of rationalisation by using scientific principles to explain the world, reducing the need for religious explanations.

Question 19

What does Weber mean by the “disenchantment of the world”?

Answer 19

Disenchantment refers to the removal of supernatural ways of thinking and their replacement with rational thought.

Question 20

What is one evaluation of Weber’s theory?

Answer 20

Weber highlights the influence of scientific developments on the decline of religiosity.

Question 21

What is another evaluation of Weber’s theory?

Answer 21

Despite rationalisation, there are still religious people in the 21st century, and fundamentalism is on the rise.

Question 22

What is Bruce’s argument about the technological worldview and religion?

Answer 22

Bruce argues that the development of the technological worldview has replaced religious explanations, such as understanding floods as effects of global warming rather than divine punishment.

Question 23

How does Bruce reinforce Weber’s argument?

Answer 23

Bruce reinforces Weber’s argument by showing how scientific knowledge results in people taking religion less seriously.

Question 24

What is one evaluation of Bruce’s theory?

Answer 24

Bruce highlights the influence of scientific developments on the extent of religiosity.

Question 25

What is another evaluation of Bruce’s theory?

Answer 25

There are still many religious people, and fundamentalism is on the rise.

Question 26

What is Parsons’ argument about structural differentiation and secularisation?

Answer 26

Parsons argues that religion has lost many of its functions, such as education and welfare, to the state, contributing to secularisation through structural differentiation.

Question 27

What does Wilson say about the move from pre-industrial to industrial society?

Answer 27

The move to industrial society led to a decline in communities as people moved from rural to urban areas, reducing the influence of collective religious rituals.

Question 28

What does Bruce add to Wilson’s argument about urban areas?

Answer 28

Bruce argues that cities are diverse with religious plurality, which undermines the influence of any single religion.

Question 29

What is Aldridge’s criticism of Wilson and Bruce’s arguments?

Answer 29

Aldridge argues that communities can exist without being location-based, such as global online communities on social media.

Question 30

What is Berger’s argument about religious diversity and secularisation?

Answer 30

Berger argues that religious diversity undermines the plausibility of any single religion, leading to secularisation.

Question 31

What does Berger mean by the "plausibility structure"?

Answer 31

The plausibility structure refers to the shared set of beliefs that provide answers to life’s questions and cannot be questioned because they are based on faith.

Question 32

What does Berger mean by the "sacred canopy"?

Answer 32

The sacred canopy is a set of beliefs shared by all, which gives religious beliefs plausibility and legitimacy.

Question 33

How does religious diversity affect the sacred canopy, according to Berger?

Answer 33

Religious diversity means no single religion can claim a monopoly on truth, leading to a plurality of life worlds and undermining the sacred canopy.

Question 34

What does Berger say about modernity and rationalisation?

Answer 34

In modernity, rationalisation makes the world cold, bureaucratic, and impersonal, leading to disenchantment and a sense of meaninglessness or anomie.

Question 35

What does Berger argue about religion’s role in modernity?

Answer 35

Religion, which once shielded people from anomie, has become redundant as it no longer provides meaning to life.

Question 36

What is one evaluation of Berger’s theory?

Answer 36

Religious diversity may increase religiosity by offering people a choice of beliefs rather than discouraging it.

Question 37

What does Bruce argue about church attendance in the USA?

Answer 37

Bruce argues that church attendance in the USA is declining, as head counts in churches are low despite opinion polls showing high attendance.

Question 38

Why do Americans over-exaggerate church attendance in opinion polls, according to Bruce?

Answer 38

Church attendance is seen as socially desirable, so people over-exaggerate their attendance in polls.

Question 39

What does Bruce mean by "secularisation from within" in the USA?

Answer 39

Churches in the USA are becoming more secular, moving from preaching strict Christian dogma to promoting self-improvement and secular ideas.

Question 40

What does Bruce say about religious diversity in the USA?

Answer 40

Religious diversity in the USA is eroding absolutism, as Christians adapt practical relativism and accept that others are entitled to their own beliefs.

Question 41

What is one criticism of Bruce’s focus on church attendance?

Answer 41

Bruce ignores the fact that many people believe in religion but do not attend church, focusing only on attendance as a measure of religiosity.