Beliefs - Religion, Renewal & Choice - 5.6 Flashcards
Davie - Believing w/out Belonging
> People now express belief in privatised way, church attendance increased in past due to social pressure - that no longer exists
> People still use it for special events e.g. Spiritual Health Service - available when needed
> e.g. death of Princess Diana
Davie - Vicarious Religion
> Decreased number of religious leaders practice religion on behalf of an increased number of absent people
> People now happy not attending - aware someone’s doing rituals on their behalf
Davie - Differences in Impact of Modernisation
> Doesn’t affect all nations - some groups e.g Islam & Hinduism have increases in membership
> Differences between the UK & US with high church membership in US vs low membership in UK - existence of multiple modernities
A03 - Criticisms of Davie (Key study)
> Voas & Crockett
Bruce
Voas & Crockett - Criticisms of Davie
> British Social Attitudes Survey: church attendance & belief in god are declining, if Davie were right we would see increasing levels of belief
Bruce - Criticisms of Davie
> People not willing to go church reflects low strength of beliefs
> When people don’t believe, they don’t wish to belong, so less involvement with religion does not equal a religious revival
Hervieu-Leger - Cultural Amnesia
> Loss of collective memory in west e.g. kids use to be taught religion in extended family & Church
> Parents don’t teach kids about religion so no longer inherit fixed religious identity
> Still influences equality & human rights
Hervieu-Leger - Spiritual Shopping
> Religion still alive due to individual consumerism
> Now spirituals shoppers with increased choice. More elements we want to explore & groups we want to join.
Hervieu-Leger - Two religious types as result of Spiritual Shopping
> Pilgrims
Converts
> Converts
Pilgrims - Hervieu-Leger
> Follow own path for self-discovery
> Due to emphasis on personal development
Converts - Hervieu-Leger
> Join religious groups with a strong sense of belonging/community
> e.g. evangelical movements or Black, Asian and minority ethnic churches.
Lyon - Postmodern Religion & Globalisation
> Religion now disembedded e.g. electronic churches, relocate onto internet
> Allowing us to express faith without going church.
> So deinstitutionalised & removed from original location.
Lyon - Postmodern Religion & Consumerism
> We haven’t rejected religion but become religious consumers.
> Pick & Mix parts of religion suiting us & make them part of our identity.
> Religions work harder to attract & retain members
Bruce - Criticisms of Lyon - PM Religion & Consumerism
> New consumerist reg is weak - little effects on our lives
>
- of secularisation, not continuation of reg.
Growth in Media & Communication (Helland)
> Can be religious without going to place of worship, internet changed the way people interact with the religious community
> So religious belief now disembedded.
> Religion Online
Online Religion
Religion Online - Helland
> Religious organisations use internet to communicate message to followers
> No feedback or dialogue
Online Religion - Helland
> Like-minded people interact in forums & discuss beliefs in unstructured format
> Allows for social solidarity & mutual support
Hoover et al - Rejection of Online Religion as evidence of a religious revival
For most users it’s addition to church-based activities, not a substitute.
Lyon - Re-Enchantment
> Rejection of Weber, increase of unconventional beliefs & practices
> New period of increased religiosity
Spiritual Revolution
> Increase of spiritual market e.g. books on self-development
> Practitioners offer therapies e.g. meditation & crystal healing
Self Religions & New Age - (Key Study)
> Heelas & Woodhead (Spiritual Revolution) (decline of traditional religions & compensation through spirituality)
Holistic Milieu (HM) - Heelas & Woodhead
Spirituality & the New Age
Heelas & Woodhead - Spiritual Revolution (Decline of Traditional Religion & Compensation through Spirituality)
> Traditional churches lost support, (increasing people are part of the holistic milieu, due to move to focus on exploring inner self - decline in belief in God)
> Evangelical churches increasing success over the traditional churches due to focus on spiritual healing & revitalisation
> Winners in spiritual marketplace, appeal to a personal experience over the traditional rules associated with the traditional churches
Criticisms of Heelas & Woodhead
Doesn’t mean spiritual revolution taken place, small increase in people making up the holistic milieu doesn’t account for the larger decline of traditional religion.
Socialisation of next generation - General Criticisms of the New Age
> Only minority of New Age children shared parents belief in the holistic milieu, increasing numbers of people involved in the New Age are likely to be childless
> Belief system not passed to next generation
Structural Weakness - General Criticisms of New Age
> New Age spirituality causes secularisation due to individualism
> Lacks cohesion - free to believe whatever - people not joined together.
Criticisms of New Age - Weak Commitment (Bruce)
Though many took part in meditation, astrology etc, proper commitment to New Age beliefs was rare.
Two Assumptions based on Religious Market Theory
> People are naturally religious and religion meets their needs
> People make rational choices based on the numbers of religious options available to them
Cycle of Renewal - Stark and Bainbridge
> Historical cycle of religious decline, revival & renewal,
> Decreasing numbers of churches leave gap in market for new sects and cults to attract followers.
> Religion is changing, not disappearing.
US v UK - Stark and Bainbridge
> UK is dominated by one religion, lack of choice results in decline in religion
> US has many religious groups to choose from and these groups compete for survival
> These groups want to give the best religious experience - healthy competition means religion thrives
Finke - Impact of Asian Immigration on Competition in America
Allowed Asian religion to set up permanently in US, becoming popular with consumers in a religious marketplace.
Jesus in Disneyland - Lyon
> Denominations hold service in theme parks - this attracts followers
> Spiritual shoppers are looking for a magical experience, which was lost after the enlightenment (growth in scientific thinking)
A03 - Criticisms of Religious Market Theory (Key thinkers)
> Bruce
Norris & Ingelhart
Beckford
Bruce - Criticisms of Religious Market Theory
> Statistics show religious diversity is accompanied with religious decline in Europe & US
Norris & Ingelhart - Criticisms of Religious Market Theory
> Increased levels of religious participation only exist in countries with a church with a monopoly (one main church) e.g. Venezuela
> Countries with religious pluralism (many religions) have lower levels of participation e.g. Australia
Beckford - Criticisms of Religious Market Theory
Unsociological, assumes people are naturally religious, doesn’t explain why they make choices they do.
Existential Security Theory (Key Study)
> Norris & Ingelhart (Distinguish between poor & rich Societies, EU vs US
Existential Security
Feeling survival is secure so can be taken for granted, religion meets need of security
Norris & Ingelhart (Distinguishment vs Poor & Rich Societies)
> Poor: Life threatening risks e.g. famine & disease equal lower levels of security, but increased levels of religiosity. Therefore, poor people in rich societies face insecurity
> Rich: Higher standard of living, less risk so more security, so lower levels of religiosity.
Norris & Ingelhart (EU vs America)
> EU increasingly secular as societies have welfare so the working class feel more secure
> US inadequate welfare & individualism poverty & insecurity therefore increasing need for religion
Criticisms of Existential Security Theory (Key Study)
> Vasquez (Problems with Quantitative Data & Religion as a response to deprivation)
Vasquez - Criticisms of Existential Security Theory
Uses only quantitative data on income levels doesn’t look people’s own definitions of existential security, need for more qualitative research
Vasquez - Criticisms of Existential Security Theories
Ignores positive reasons people have religious participation & the appeal some religions have for the wealthy.
