Religion, renewal and choice

Question 1

Religiosity and social groups - Gender and religiosity (Davie)

Answer 1

-Clear gender differences in religiosity in the UK.
- DAVIE notes, there are gender differences in terms of religious practice, belief, self identification etc.
-For example most churchgoers are female and are more likely to attend church regularly.
-More women say religious is more important to them and practice their faith more

Question 2

Religiosity and social groups - Risk socialisation and roles (Miller and Hoffman)

Answer 2

Three main reasons for women’s higher level of religiosity:
- suggest that gender differences in risk taking are a reason for differences in religiosity, by not being religious people will be condemned to hell.
- Davie notes that the dangers associated with childbirth means women may become religious as a result.
- secondly, women are more religious because they are socialised to be passive, obedient and caring. These qualities are more religious and therefore women may be attracted to religion.
- Thirdly, Miller and Hoffman note that women’s gender roles mean that they will work part time or be a housewife. This means they will have more time to participate in religious activities.

Question 3

Religiosity and social groups- paid work
(BRUCE)

Answer 3

-Bruce argues that women’s religiosity is a result of their lower levels of involvement in paid work.
-links this to secularisation, religion has become more privatised.
- this means men’s religiosity has declined more quickly than women’s.
- 1960’s women had taken on secular more masculine roles in the public sphere of paid work.

-religion remains more attractive to women than men:
1) religion has a strong affinity with values such as caring for others - women have the primary role so it comes naturally for them.
2) men’s withdrawal from religion meant that churches are becoming more feminised spaces.

Question 4

Religiosity and social groups- women and the new age

Answer 4

• women are often associated with ‘nature’ and a healing role, they may be more attracted than men to new age movements.
• I

Question 5

Religiosity and social groups - women, compensators and sects
(Bruce)

Answer 5

-Bruce estimates that there are twice as many women as men involved in sects.
- Stark and Bainbridge argue that people may participate in sects because they offer compensators ethical and social deprivation.
-
Organismic deprivation - stems from physical and mental health problems, women are likely to suffer I’ll health and want healing from sects.

Ethical deprivation- Women tend to be morally conservative, they are more likely to regard the world as being in moral decline.

Social deprivation- sects attract poorer groups and women are more likely to be poor.

Question 6

Religiosity and social groups - Pentecostal gender paradox

Answer 6

Pentecostalism is generally regarded as a patriarchal form of religion: men are seen both as heads of the household and heads of the church.

• Pentecostalism has proved attractive to women.
  BERNICE MARTIN - describes this as the ‘Pentecostal gender paradox’