Buddhism and Secularisation Flashcards
what is secularisation
process where things become less religious –> sociological term
Berger and the liberation movement
- ‘believers are likely to be found only in small sects…to resist a worldwide secular culture’
- ‘is as furiously religious as it ever was, and in some places more than ever’
- secularisation thesis: the world would become more secular in 21st century
- not proven as time progressed
wilson defining secularisation
- the process whereby religious thinking, practices and institutions lose social significance’
Bruce defining secularisation
social condition manifest in
- declining importance of religion for the operation of non-religious roles and institutions such as the state and economy
- a decline in the social standing of religious roles and institutions
- decline in the extent to which people engage in religious practices, display beliefs of a religious kind, and conduct other aspects of their lives in a manner informed by such beliefs
evidence of secularisation (census)
- woodhead 2016
1983: 30% no religion
2013: 50% no religion
western secularism
- no differentiation between religion and life in past
- dharma: politics, social institutions, and piety
- no greek or latin word corresponds to religion: oxford dictionary
woodhead rise of the nones
- children decreased carrying on religious beliefs of parents
- children brought up christian have a 45% of ending up as nones
- no religion children: 95% stay non religious
- non religion is proving ‘sticky’
Damien Thompson and decline in Christianity
- numbers of Anglicans fell from 40% of population in 1983, to 17% in 2004
- predicted at current rate, no Christians in Britain by 2067
rise of materialism
- sec promotes a materialistic worldview focused on wealth and possessions
- Martin: individual wealth attachment can replace conventional religion –> capitalistic religion
- overconsumption = strain on natural world
- religious leaders like pope francis and rowan williams have criticised materialism: life of sharing and consideration for vulnerable preferred
- christian prosperity gospel in US challenges this
- however: rise of alternative spiritualities and secular pilgrimages as evidence of non materialistic pursuits without religion
- BUDDHISM: anatta and anicca –> craving and dukkha
what is militant athiesm
belief that there isnt a God and religion is harmful as:
- violence
- enemy of progress and development
- suppressive force
rise of militant athiesm
- Dawkins vs McGrath
- religious faith is irrational and juvenile vs adult conversions
- god of the gaps, not needed after further scientific progress vs evidence of design requires divine explanation
- science and religion as fundamentally at odds vs coexistence (believer scientists, overlap between faith and reason, religion as a form of societal behaviour)
- violent history of christianity vs complex narratives
- origins of religion (needed as comfort when we evolved but has become an evolutionary virus) vs complex psychology in religion and its effect on families
- most secularising people are not MA: 40% of non rel are MA
rise of militant atheism and effect on buddhism
- BUDDHISM: no belief in God so is it relavant
- violence is condemned with ahimsa
- progress is stunted by archaic views on the role of women
- religions are suppressive: laity ignored on the path of nirvana but are a part of the sangha structure (below monks)
- buddhist progress in the west can be attributed to the decline of christianity due to militant athiesm
rise of relegation of religion to the personal sphere
- churches increase charitable role: faith based organisations and food banks
- liberation theology: preference for the poor –> impacted christian focus on charity
- environmentalism: A of Cant, taking part in climate change negotiations and addressing colonialism (BLM)
- church involved in education: secondary and primary schools
- BUDDHISM: not as reliant on public institutions like church, but need financial support from laity
rise of religion as irrational
- non religion becoming more ‘sticky’ –> usually from christian backgrounds
- many have positive views on God, but reject the religious affiliations and hierarchal authority
- people seek personal meaning and autonomy –> resist structured religious organisations and preferring individual authority over existential/moral issues
- controversy in church: scandals and sex abuse, and discrimination against women and lgbtq+
- BUDDHISM: rational way, ‘come and see’ - the buddha
- however: mythological elements of birth and enlightenment (upaya and conventional understanding?)
