organisations, movements and members Flashcards
1
Q
why are older people more religious
A
- disengagement – lonely as friends and family die, religion offers social support
- religious socialisation – more emphasis on religion when they were young, so can rediscover a religiosity they had lost
- ill health and death
2
Q
what did davie find out about age and religion
A
- 15-34 year olds are less likely than those over 54 to believe in God and heaven
3
Q
what age are more likely to join sects and why
A
- young adults
- they dont have children and so can cut themselves off from the world
- young adults experience anomie
4
Q
what age are more likely to join cults and why
A
- middle age
- too much at stake to join a sect
- relatice deprivation – cults promise success
5
Q
what are the general trends for religious participation
A
- under 15s are more likely to go to church because of their parents
- over 65s are more likely to be sick or disabled and thus unable to attend
6
Q
what are voas and crocketts two effects
A
- ageing effect – as we approach death we naturally become more concerned with spiritual matters and the afterlife
- generational effect – as society becomes secular, each gen is less religious than the last
7
Q
what stats about church attendance relate to class
A
- you gov survey 2015 – 60% of ppl are middle class 38 r working class
8
Q
iwhat did ashworth and farthing find
A
- going to church in the Christian church is largely a middle class pursuit
9
Q
what are the trends about young people and religion
A
- catto – young people are less likely to identify with a religion and are more likely to rely on their own consciences rather than religious rules
- young people seem more attracted by new age spirituality but the vast majority do not participate and the majority of NRM followers are middle aged or older
- however this doesn’t mean that young people are lacking at spirituality or religious belief, they may be expressing their belief in new and private ways which are difficult to measure
10
Q
what did brierley find relating to age
A
- 87% of 10-14 year olds thought church was boring
11
Q
what is the rural church project
A
- extensive study of religion in a rural community
- found low numbers of males attending church
- the clergy identified teenagers as the most underrepresented group
- age is a bigger concern for the church, worry about the future
12
Q
which group is the least likely to attend church
A
- manual working class
- those in the poorest social groups including those who are dependent on the state
13
Q
what does halevy argue
A
- the methodist religion was pivotal in preventing working class revolution in the 19th century
- methodism attracted the dissatisfied working class individuals which led them to deserting the CofE due to it being a religion of the ruling class
- methodism distracted them from from their class grievances by encouraging them to seek enlightenment rather than revolution
14
Q
where to sects seem to get their strongest support
A
- the most deprived and marginalised social groups who perhaps use them as a means of coping with their disadvantage
15
Q
why might sects appeal to poorer people
A
- they offer them ‘ultimate salvation’
- as these individuals rarely experience rewards, this is an attractive concept
- this is why world rejecting sects are appealing
16
Q
who do cults most attract
A
- a cross section of society, including deprived and marginalised groups
- bruce – new age cults and world affirming NRMs have greatest appeal for those who are fairly affluent members of society
- this is because followers are customers who have to spend money to buy into the products associated with cults
- they may be hoping to fill a spiritual void in otherwise successful lives
17
Q
who do NAM attract the most
A
- NAM and spirituality such as yoga and meditation appeal mainly to middle class women who can afford it
- astrology and fortune telling appeal more to working class women
- similarly, many new age theories such as aromatherapy and spiritual healing appeal mainly to middle class because of the costs involved
18
Q
what does Bruce say about spiritual growth
A
- spiritual growth appeals to people who have gained material wealth (cars, house, dog, holidays)
- they feel they need more in life
- university educated people, expressive jobs (teachers, authors, artists, social workers)
19
Q
what do bell and dawkins believe
A
- bell – those with higher levels of education and intelligence are less inclined to hold religious beliefs
- dawkins – this inverse relationship between education and religious belief suggests that middle class churchgoers are belonging without believing
20
Q
what has research shown about ethnicity and religion
A
- the major ethnic minority groups in britain are significantly more religious than white people
21
Q
what are the reasons for increased religious participation: ethnicity
A
- community cohesion and identity
- cultural defence
- social identity
- cultural transition
- social deprivation, marginality and status frustration
- family structures
22
Q
why might community cohesion and identity be a reason for an increase in religious participation
A
- davie – higher levels of religiosity help to maintain tradition, group cohesion and community solidarity.
- for example mosques and sikh temples are community centres as well as places of worship
- modood et al – religion was a source of socialisation and as a means of maintaining traditional morality
23
Q
how might cultural defence be a reason for increased religious participation
A
- bird – religion among minorities can be a basis for community solidarity, a way of preserving ones culture and language as well as a way of coping with oppression
- many found that white churches did not actively welcome black families
24
Q
why might social identity be a reason for increased religious participation
A
- religion in MEGs can provide people with markers of identity
- by asserting an identity drawn from religious elements of their cultures, members can resist the denial of status and devaluing of their own culture by racism
- johal – many younger British asians have forged a new hybrid identity, which he calls brasian which involves mixing elements of their traditional religion with personal choice
25
Q
why might cultural transition impact religious participation
A
- religion can be a means of easing the transition into a new culture by providing support and community
- herberg – this is why there is particularly high levels of religious participation among first generation immigrants in the US
