Beliefs- Topic 3(Paper2))

Question 1

4 changes in religion in the UK since 1851.

Answer 1

-An increase in the average age of Churchgoers.

-Fewer baptisms and church weddings.

-Greater diversity, including more non-christian religions.

-A decline in the numbers holding traditional Christian beliefs.

Question 2

Define secularisation.

Answer 2

Wilson 1966- The process whereby religious beliefs, practices and institutions lose social significance.

Question 3

How does Chuch attendance today show that Britain has become a secular society?

Answer 3

Wilson, By 2020 about 4% of the adult population attended chuch on sundays. Churchgoing in Britain has since halved since the research in the 1960s. Attendances at organisations have decline more than small organisations.

Question 4

How does religious affiliation today show that Britain has become a secular society?

Answer 4

A persons religious affiliation refers to their membership of or identification with religion. The evidence indicates a continuing decline in the number of people who are affiliated to a religion. 1983 and 2018 this identifying as Christian fell by 40%.

Question 5

How does religious belief today show that Britain has become a secular society?

Answer 5

Evie hex about religious beliefs from 80 years of survey research shows that religious belief is declining along with the decline in church attendance and membership.

Question 6

How does religious institutions today show that Britain has become a secular society?

Answer 6

Religious beliefs and practice have declined, so has the influence of religion as a social institution. The church has some influence on public life however this has declined masses since the 19th century.

Question 7

How has modernisation affected religious belief?

Answer 7

The decline of tradition and its replacement with rational and scientific ways of thinking that tend to undermine religion.

Question 8

What is the effect of industrialisation on small communities?

Answer 8

Leads to the break up of small communities that were held together by common religious beliefs.

Question 9

What is the impact of religious diversity on religious institutions and on religious beliefs?

Answer 9

People are diverse in term of their occupational and cultural backgrounds but religious institutions are much more varied.

Question 10

Define rationalisation.

Answer 10

The process by whixh rational ways of thinking and acting come to replace religious ones.

Question 11

What is the medieval Catholic view?

Answer 11

That dominated Europe saw the world as an ‘enchanted garden’. God and other forces present and active, human trued to influence them.

Question 12

How did the Protestant worldview differ from that of Catholicism?

Answer 12

God transcendent (Calvinism) doesn’t intervene in the world, God as nothing more than a creator.

Question 13

What does Weber mean by the ‘disenchantment’ of the world?

Answer 13

Religious ways are squeezed out by rationality.
Religion caht explain things so rational thinking replaces it.

Question 14

How did the Protestant Reformation lead to the ‘disenchantment’ of the world?

Answer 14

Protestantism- believed in rationality and laws of nature so religion wasn’t as prominent in explaining the world.

Question 15

What did Bruce mean by the technological worldview?

Answer 15

Technological explainations have replaced religious ones. Technology and science have only undermined religion. Religion only maintained in areas that science can’t explain.

Question 16

Jay is the impact of scientific knowledge on people’s attitudes towards religion?

Answer 16

Less of a need for religion.

Question 17

Define structural differentiation.

Answer 17

A process of specialisation that occurs with the development of industrial society.

Question 18

What is menat by disengagement?

Answer 18

Functions of religion transferred to other institutions such as the state.
Eg, Edycation, Law or Welfare.

Question 19

According to Bruce, in what sense has religion become privatised?

Answer 19

Confined to private sphere of home and family.

Question 20

How has the decline of community lead to a decline in religion?

Answer 20

Wilson- In pre-industrial societies shared values were expressed through rituals integrated individuals, industrial society sees decline in communities.

Question 21

How has industrialisation lead to a decline in religion?

Answer 21

Bruce- industrialisation undermines the consensus of religious beliefs that held communities together- now loose knit urban communities with diverse beliefs.

Question 22

How has diversity of occupations, cultures and lifestyles lead to a decline in religion?

Answer 22

Bruce- diversity undermines the plausibility of belief as others around you hold different beliefs so you are aware of alternatives.

Question 23

Give 3 criticisms of the view that the decline of community cusses the decline in religion.

Answer 23

-Aldridge- community doesn’t have to be in a particular area. Religion can be a source of identity on a global scale.

-Some religion use global media and so are ‘imagined community.’

-Pentecostal and other groups flourish in ‘impersonal’ urban areas- so may be no need for a specific community.

Question 24

Define the sacred canopy.

Answer 24

Religious monopoly (all one faith) everyone shares the same beliefs.

Question 25

According to Berger, how did the protestant reformation lead to religious diversity?

Answer 25

Group broke away from Catholic Church, starting the variety of religious beliefs. This is a plurality of world views.
Society is no longer unified under 1 church.

Question 26

How does religious diversity create crisis of credibility for religion?

Answer 26

Undermines religious plausibility leaving to a crisis of credibility.

Question 27

Explain cultural defence.

Answer 27

Religion provides a focal pint for the defence of an identity against an external force.

Question 28

Explain cultural transition.

Answer 28

Religion provides support for ethnic groups such as migrant.

Question 29

According to Bruce, why does religion survive in these situations?

Answer 29

In these situation religion gives a focus for group identity.

Question 30

2 criticisms of secularisation theory.

Answer 30

-Bruce has changed his views and now argues that diversity actually stimulates participation.

-Beckford- diversity may lead to questioning or belief but it isn’t inevitable.

Question 31

According to Wilson, why is America a secular state despite relatively high church attendance?

Answer 31

Because it’s superficial attendance rather than a reflection of faith. American society is becoming more secular.

Question 32

How does Hadaway’s research question the statistics for church attendance?

Answer 32

He did headcount’s of chuch attendees in Ohio and from this he concluded that self- reported statistics overestimate attendance by almost twice as much as the reality.

Question 33

What reason does Bruce suggest for the difference in actual and reported church attendance?

Answer 33

Because church attendance is still seen as desirable, people claim to still attend church regularly seven if this isn’t true.

Question 34

What did Bruce mean by secularisation from within?

Answer 34

He sees religion in America as de-traditionalising itself- rather than adopting old-fashioned rituals it has modernised its practices.

Question 35

What did Bruce mean by practical relativism?

Answer 35

Acceptance that other people are entitled to different religious beliefs from your own.

Question 36

Explain the erosion of absolutism.

Answer 36

The decreasing likelihood that you will see your religion as absolutely true.

Question 37

Criticisms of secularisation theory

Answer 37

-Religion isn’t declining, just changing its form.

-One sided ignore the growth of new religions.

-Church attendance stats tell us nothing about belief.

-Secularisation isn’t universal (just Europe).

-Religious diversity encourages participation as it offers choice.