Beliefs in Society: Secularisation and Religion Flashcards
what is secularisation?
the process of society becoming less religious.
how to measure secularisation
Dissapearance thesis: modernity has brought about the death of religion. the importance of religion to society and individuals is declining. it is believed that this will continue until religion disappears.
Differentiation thesis: religion is declining in social significance. it is no linger plays an important part in society e.g. no longer influences social structure. it has become separated/differentiated from the wider social society.
measuring secularisation: what are the 4 ways to measure secularisation?
statistical
pluralism
disenchantment
rationalisation
measuring secularisation: statistics
2005 over 18 attendance: 41000. 2009: 36,000
church membership has fallen by 1 million in the last 20 years.
the British social attitudes survey shows that the number of people not following a religion has increased from 6% in 2010 to 11% in 2010. this suggests that there is an increase in atheism, evidence for secularisation.
- however, there are no reasons given as to why people aren’t attending church,h for example, retail work on Sundays. it only collects quantitative data, not understanding why.
- Davie identified vicarious religion: others worshipping on their behalf, therefore, it is difficult to measure religiosity using statistics as some people are religious, but do not attend services for varying reasons.
measuring secularisation: pluralism
this is the idea that people can decide whether they wish to follow a religion or ignore it all together. pluralists may argue that the growth of NRMs may have been overestimated.
- however, due to the wide variety of religious organisations that now exist, established churches are loosing their influence and ability to integrate individuals and to encourage shared values.
measuring secularsation: disengagement
this is when the church becomes separate from the state.
Martin argues that the church has a decline in power, wealth, influence and prestige, therefore supporting secularisation.
Bruce argues traditional churches have lost their power due to becoming separate from the state.
- Parsons argues disengagement hasn’t taken place, instead, religion has become specialised, providing fewer functions (structural differentiation)
measuring secularisation: rationalisation
this is the growth of scientific thought and the decline of religious explanations, due to the enlightenment.
Weber argues modern society is disenchanted due to the lack of magic and mystery. People turn to God as a last resort when scientific thought has been exhausted.
Postmodernists argue society has moved beyond the scientific logic of modernity. there is a rising distrust in science due to the awareness of failures in science.
- however, irrational practices still take place such as tarot cards, palm reading, tea leaves
structural differentiation
this refers to societies sre seen as moving from the simple to the complex through a process of social change based on structural differentiation.
Parsons sees this happening to religion - it dominated a pre-industrial society, but with industrialisation, it has become a smaller, more specialised institution.
structural differentiation leads to disengagement with religion. the functions have been transferred to other institutions. For example, the church lost its influence that it had over education, social welfare, and the law.
+ Bruce agrees that religion has become separate from society and lost its former functions. it has become privatised, confined to the private sphere of the home and the family.
social and cultural diversity
this refers to the move from pre-industrial to industrial society, which brings about he decline of the community, contributing to the decline of religion.
Wilson argues that in the pre-industrial communities, shared values were expressed through collective religious rituals. these integrated individuals and regulated their behaviour. When religion lost its basis in stable societies, it lost its hold over individuals.
diversity of occupations, cultures, and lifestyles undermines religion. even where people continue to have religious beliefs, they cannot avoid knowing that many of those around them hold different views.
religious diversity
Berger argues that another cause of secularisation is the trend toward religious diversity where instead of there being one religious organisation and only one interpretation of the faith, there are many.
In the Middle Ages, the catholic church held the absolute monopoly - it had no competition. everyone lived together under a ‘single canopy’. this gave beliefs greater plausibility because they had no challengers.
secularisation in America
wilson 1962: 45% of Americans attend church on Sundays. He argued that churcgoing was more of an expression of the American way of life, instead of belief.
Bruce provides 3 different pieces of evidence to support America as a secular society:
declining church attendance: church attendance has been around 40% since 1940. Hadaway argues that if this was the case, churches would be full, but they’re not. Hadaway carried out interviews asking people if they attended church, attendance was claimed to be 82%. the widening gap (actual attendance VS reported attendance) may be because it’s seen to be desirable/normative to go to church.
Secularisation from within: American religion has adapted to modern society. Christian beliefs and glorifying God has declined, but religion in Americsa has become ‘psychologised’ (become a therapy). therefore, religion in America has remained popular by becoming less religious.
Religious diversity: churchgoers are less dogmatic in their views.
criticisms of the secularisation theory
- secularisation theory ignores the religious revival and the growth of new religions e.g. sects, cults etc.
- religion may have declined in Europe, but not in America, or on a global scale, so secularisation is not universal.
