Patterns & Trends in Religious Belief & Practice

Question 1

Traditional Views of Social Class Differences in Religious Belief

Answer 1

religiousity = stronger among WC - Weber & Theodicy of Dispriviledge & trad M idea of opium of masses
M - relig performs dif roles for dif soc classes - RC legits pos & success for WC = hope of afterlife reward

Question 2

Contemporary Society View of Religious Belief & Class

Answer 2

= some evi relig = higher in MC - 2015 survey 62% ch goers = MC = opps for social networking etc which MC make use of X nec inc relig faith

Question 3

Anglican Church

Answer 3

m MC = established ch seen as religion of RC
often takes anti estab pos on soc issues

Question 4

Roman Catholic Church

Answer 4

m WC in UK - predom in some well-estab & newer migrant coms - areas trad pop w/ Irish Ims = large indust cities - Liverpool
Cath trad seen as m conserv but in UK m likely to vote Labour

Question 5

Methodism

Answer 5

m WC than CofE - geo areas where faith = well estab - indust N Eng & history as a sect & issues around sects appeal to WC indus

Question 6

New Age Movements & Cults

class

Answer 6

appeal to MC - sense of spiritual dep
Bruce (1995) spiritual needs become m NB to those w/ fewer material needs
MC indus can still feel rela dep - seek answers for why not as successful

Question 7

Gender & Religiousity

Answer 7

women m likely to attend ch & report = relig
2005 ch census - 57% women 43% men - 1990 = 84% & 64%

Question 8

Tradtional View of Women & Religiousity

Answer 8

expressive role = good match for relig
raising children in relig & taking to ch = part of role
proximity to childbirth & caring for sick & elderly = reason to pray & seek spiritual sup & guidance
women trad marg in dom roles - gave m time to devot to relig - men little time away from work m likely = leisure

Question 9

Modern View of Women & Religiousity

Answer 9

women live longer - older ppl sig m relig
soc - women = compliant & passive - fits w/ relig - men = dom - take Lship pos = less happy to accept what told in ch
Simone de Beauvoir - women sold false ideology - encour to believe will get reward in heaven

Question 10

Women & Sects

Answer 10

Glock & Stark (1965) - due to m dep - mat spiri & rela bc of patri

Question 11

Women, Cults & NAMs

Answer 11

Woodhead - men have drifted away from trad religs faster but have not replaced spirituality - MC women esp attracted to holistic millieu
NAMs may = conciously female-orien / women don’t seen as religion = therapy, weightloss & exercise & = m attracted than men

Question 12

Miller & Hoffman - Gender

Answer 12

men m willing to take risk than women - inc levels of religiousity in risk averse - risk = X going to heaven - convinced atheists would not consider it a risk

Question 13

Feminised Churches

Answer 13

Woodhead (2005) sec has had bigger impact on men - Bruce - religion becomes m priv than public appeals m to women partic those w/ dom role

Question 14

Evaluating Gender

Answer 14

data can = ? women appear to attend ch m X mean m likely to believe - may = other reasons - friendship - men may X attend & have faith
may be reasons women m likely to respond to survey about faith - see as soc desireable & so answer accordingly bc of history - young men may think uncool
some sects = male dom - extreme conserv views of women - fewer women - New Christian Right

Question 15

Age & Belief

Answer 15

older ppl m relig = ethnocentric view - in UK applies to christianity
2011 census - 22% christians over 65 = 3.9% muslims 88% muslims under 50 - no belief = mainly younger 1/3 under 25
Christianity = rapidly ageing pop - Islam = younger age profile

Question 16

Brierley (2005)

Answer 16

av age of ch goers inc 37 - 49 - 1979 - 2005
lowest attendance = 15-19

Question 17

Why Older People = More Religious

Answer 17

aware of own mortality - afterlife
relig pracs m common when = young = soc into
relig orgs offer soc life & sup network for those m iso & disengaged from soc

Question 18

Why Younger People = Less Religious

Answer 18

relig insituts seen as boring
greater competition - spiritual & sec sources of inspiration - sub culs can = funcs - sport, celeb, music - Lynch (2008) Durkheim - sacred & profane - may hold sec heros as sacred
Bruce - dec in relig edu = revival of faith schools 1990-2000s = dec in Sunday schools = 1/2 attended now = almost extinct

Question 19

Voas & Crockett (2005)

Answer 19

ch census = m complex findings - young children = highest attendance dec in teens & inc late middle age
young children may not have much choice about attending

Question 20

Church Attendance

Answer 20

reason peak isn’t elderly = struggle to attend - health & mobility issues / lack of transport

Question 21

Alternative Religious Organisations

Answer 21

= m mixed ages
sects appeal to young adults for same reasons to WC & women - offer companionship & commun - may chime w/ counter cul ideas - same for NAMs & cults - appeal m to MC & middle age women

Question 22

Evaluation of Age & Belief

Answer 22

census data on no relig likely to underesti scale of issue - small sig group of young ppl opted for comedy relig - jedi knights / heavy metal - some iden as Christian w/o much relig belief - label of eth
data for muslims may = ? - relig faith & observance = v NB to fams - may = assump about relig beliefs by fam mem in census

Question 23

Ethnicity & Belief

Answer 23

Modood (1997) - almost all EMGs = m relig - W Brit maj
trends since suggest not outdated = m apparent - P & B seeing Muslim as primary identity
evi = young muslims know m about relig than parents
Modood - some dec relig amoung asian men eg sikhs less likely to wear turban

Question 24

Cultural Transition

Answer 24

Bruce - EMGs can use relig & relig institus to assist immigration
new country w/ v dif belief systems & unfam trads relig coms help sup & dec shock of trans - Hs built temples & Ms mosques
but if = corecct then would see sec in coms as 2nd & 3rd gen need relig less = little evidence

Question 25

Cultural Defence

Answer 25

Bruce - use relig to defend from hostility of maj pop = safe com away from racism
eg A-C = predom christian - relig insitus = firmly estab so easier transition than Muslims post war - but set up own chs in reponse to racism in congre - 7th Day Adventists
could explain why young muslims = m relig = defence from islamophobia

Question 26

Johal (1998)

Answer 26

relig iden = inc NB in multi cul & faith soc - Modood & Davie (1994) - relig iden = sense of belonging & cul iden

Question 27

John Bird

Answer 27

1. greater levels of religiousity in home country = less sec bring faith w/ them - w/ m estab coms ppl maintain connection w/ c of origin thro fam - relig can = part of this
2. membership of relig group provides sense of commun & iden
3. maintains cul iden & trad
4. relig soc of children - under pressure to maintain relig
5. way to deal w/ oppression - cul def

Question 28

Chryssides

Answer 28

new immigrants can choose:
* apostasy - aban belief to try & fit into hostile environ
* accom - adapt beliefs to make m in tune w/ values of new environ
* renewed vigour - inc religiosity & observance in response to environ - can = fundemen

Question 29

Evaluating Ethnicity & Belief

Answer 29

stat date = convin - could = soc construc - relig seen as NB in some EMGs - lack of faith = dev - could disguise atheism/agnosticism - relig orgs carry greater soc sig in some EMGs = com hub & service provider than just place to pray
Bruce - suggest high levels of religiosity not due to relig belief but other soc factors
don’t neglect m recent migrant coms - predom EU RC migrants - polish im = inc in congre size