Religious Market Theory

Question 1

What is Stark and Bainbridge’s main criticism of secularisation?

Answer 1

Its eurocentric so it fails to explain religion’s vitality outside of Europe

Question 2

What 2 assumptions is religious market theory based on?

Answer 2

1. People are naturally religious and it meets people’s needs
2. It is human nature to seek rewards and avoid costs

Question 3

Why is religion more attractive than other ideologies like humanism?

Answer 3

It provides compensators for when rewards are scarce/unobtainable e.g. immortality is unobtainable so religions promise eternal life after death

Question 4

What is the cycle of growth and renewal? Give an example

Answer 4

Religions go through cycles of growth and decline rather than a perpetual decline

EXAMPLE: when established churches decline, they leave a gap in the market for sects

Question 5

Norris and Inglehart’s criticism

Answer 5

There are high levels of participation in Catholic countries with a religious monopoly e.g. Venezuela but countries with religious pluralism have low levels of participation

Question 6

Beckford’s criticism

Answer 6

Religious market theory is unsociological bevause it assumes people are naturally religious without explaining why they make the choices they do