religion, renewal and choice

Question 1

what is globalisation?

Answer 1

• the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and barriers are disappearing
• has led to a great increase of movements, ideas and beliefs across national boundaries
• in our postmodern society, media and technology provide us with images and messages around the world

Question 2

globalisation and religion

Answer 2

• this allows us to learn about ideas and beliefs of religions around the world
• the media has lifted society out of physical churches
• the ‘electronic church’ means people can explore their faith without going to church
• religion has become de-institutionalized

Question 3

what is postmodernism?

Answer 3

• since the late 1980s onwards society has entered a new ‘postmodern phase’
• postmodern society has 2 key characteristics:
  1. diversity and fragmentation
  2. rapid social change

Question 4

postmodernist view on religion

DANIELE HERVIEU-LEGER : spiritual shoppers

Answer 4

• DANIELE HERVIEU-LEGER says we act as ‘spiritual shoppers’ by choosing religious beliefs to meet our specific needs
• we can pix and mix elements of different faiths to suit our personal taste

Question 5

postmodernist view on religion

DAVID LYON: religious ‘consumers’

Answer 5

• DAVID LYON says we have become religious ‘consumers’ - making conscious choices about which element of religion we find useful
• therefore argues religion and spirituality are not disappearing, they are evolving to fit the consumerist nature

Question 6

PETER L. BERGER - the problem with multiple religions

Answer 6

• says having a variety of religious products to choose from has led to a loss of faith in traditional religions
• he claims it weakens traditional religions that claim monopoly over the truth - and that exposure to many competing versions makes people skeptical of all of them
• traditional mainstream churches have lost their authority

Question 7

what is the new age movement?

Answer 7

• the new age movements include a very diverse range of beliefs and practices that have grown rapidly since the 1980s
• reject external authority and traditional sources of religion (such as churches, priests etc)
• NAMs hold the view that we can discover the truth for ourselves by following a personal spiritual path and exploring ones inner self
• they focus on individualism: every individual is free to decide what is true to them by engaging in spiritual shopping or picking and mixing ideas
• because of this, new age beliefs are often referred to as ‘self-spirituality’ and ‘self-religion’

Question 8

DAVID LYON and the new age movement

Answer 8

• new forms of religion (that DAVID LYON refers to as new age beliefs and practices) reject obligation and obedience to an authority
• increased focus on individualism
• DAVID LYON does not believe society is becoming more secular
• he argues we are in a period of re-enchantment
• he points out the growth of unconventional beliefs, practices and spirituality
• although traditional forms have declined, DAVID LYON points to the importance of non-traditional religion in the west, and its appearance elsewhere in the world