Religion Is Changing (Post Modernism)

Question 1

What are the 4 reasons why religion is changing

Answer 1

Belief without belonging

Kendall project

Spiritual shopping

Sheilaism and individualised religion

Question 2

Ap1 belief without belonging

Answer 2

Davie believe that religion is not declining, but taking a more privatised form
For example, church attendance was declined because attendance is now personal choice
This results to believing without belonging where people have religious views, but do not attend church

Question 3

Ao3 belief without belonging

Answer 3

Bruce states that if people are not given up time to attend, then this represents a decline in the strength of their belief

Question 4

Ao1 Kendal project

Answer 4

Heelas and woodhead investigated whether traditional religion has declined and how much spirituality is compensating for this

They distinguished between two groups
Traditional Christianity
Holistic Milieu spirituality and new age

They found out there is a decrease in the churches attend
And they have been increased of holistic milieu activities

Question 5

Ap1 Spiritual shopping

Answer 5

Institutional religion has declined for two reasons
This is cultural amnesia, where parents no longer teach their children about religion
And greater social equality, meaning that church no longer has power

Religion is now individualised
And two type of new religions are emerging
Pilgrims
And converts

Question 6

Ao3 spiritual shopping

Answer 6

Bruce argues that consumer is religion, is weak, and has little effect on the lives of its followers
He sees it as evidence of secularisation

Question 7

Sheilaism an individualised religion

Answer 7

Bellah used the example of sheilaism to illustrate the idea of individualised religion
This is a response from Sheila who was interviewed about her beliefs

Sheila states that she’s not religious, but she believes in God and that she believes everyone should try to love themselves and be gentle, and that God would want us to take care of each other

Bella comments that if everyone took this view, there would be 220 million religions in America

When people have their own interpretations, they may believe without belonging