Key Theorists Flashcards
Robert Bellah
He had a strong interest in Islamic studies but is probably best known for developing the idea of civil religion, showing how religious ideas can be prevalent throughout a society, in ways that combine religion and patriotism.
For example, the USA has no official religion, yet political leaders often invoke religious imagery or quote from the bible. The country’s motto, printed on coins and notes, is ‘In God We Trust’ and there is a reference to god in the pledge of allegiance.
Steve Bruce
In his best-known book God is Dead: Secularisation in the West he defends the secularisation thesis against sociologists and others who claim that religious sentiment remains strong. He argues that the West is becoming more secular, despite some signs of religious revival and despite Islamic fundamentalism, and that cultural diversity and values about individualism and equality undermine religion.
Grave Davie
Her best-known work is probably Religion in Britain, published in 1994 with the sub-title Believing Without Belonging, which referred to how many people in the UK said they were religious or believed in God, but did not belong to or attend places of worship.
Twenty years later, Davie published another book with the same title but a different subtitle, A Persistent Paradox. This refers to how Britain had become even more secular since the first book, yet religion had become more talked about in public life. She argues that sociology struggles to explain the significance of religion because it uses theories and concepts developed in Europe, which has secularised to a far greater extent than most of the rest of the world.
