gender and religion

Question 1

women’s participation in religion

Answer 1

even though in religious terms women are unequal to men, studies consistently show women are more religious than men

Question 2

Miller and Hoffman - evidence women are more religious

Answer 2

• more likely to show a stronger interest in religion
• stronger religious commitment
• more likely to attend church
• more likely to participate in sects/WRNRMs
• more likely to participate in cults/NAMs

Question 3

why are women more religious?

Answer 3

• roles of care giving (Greely)
• differential socialisation
• gender roles
• deprivation (Glock and Stark)
• self improvement

Question 4

Greely - role of care giving

Answer 4

women’s roles as carers of children may make them more religious and more concerned with their spiritual and physical wellbeing

Question 5

Glock and Stark - deprivation

Answer 5

women are more likely to join sects or be religious as they are more likely to experience social, organismic or ethical deprivation

Question 6

women and fundamentalism

Answer 6

• the resurgence of Islamic and Christian fundamentalism means women experience a resurgence of patriarchal oppression
• forced into adopting traditional home based/mother roles
• many western women are happy with this as it eliminates complexities of postmodern society

Question 7

Brierley - churchgoing decline

Answer 7

found women’s churchgoing had dropped amongst women by 16.4% between 1990 and 2005

Question 8

Aune - 5 reasons for women’s declining participation

Answer 8

• fertility levels declining
• growth of feminist values (Brown)
• paid employment/dual burden
• increase in family diversity
• open sexuality