RELIGIOUS RENEWAL AND CHOICE

Question 1

Discuss how religion has become more privatised

Answer 1

Davie:
-Older traditions are still significant in todays society->Christainity still domimates Europe
-People today ‘believe without belonging’:
Refers to the idea that fewer people may attend church but they aren’t less religous they just choose to practise their beliefs privately
-moved away from the notion of obligation in religion.In the past people were expected to attend church whereas today people can choose what they want to believe in and how they practise it
-People also practise vicarious religion which has become the norm->Refers to when the active minority attend church and practise their belief publicly in society on behalf of the inactive majority who believe without belonging
-Spritual health:rather than accessing the service for the sake it they will use it when the times they need it most.

Question 2

evaluation of privatised religion

Answer 2

Bruce-If people are not willing to invest time going to church, this just reflects the declining strength of their beliefs
Voas+Crockett:found 5750 respondents that both church and belief are declining together.If davie was rught we would expect to see high levels in belief

Question 3

spiritual shoppers

Answer 3

-‘Spiritual revolution’ is taking place
-Traditional Christianity is giving way to a ‘holistic spirituality’:personal development
-increased interest in spirituality can be seen in the growth of spiritual market eg books
undergone cultural amnesia: religion being passed down through the family is outdated
Two groups:
1)Pilgrims: people on a individual journey of self discovery
2)Coverts:more traditional groups which give them sense of belonging to larger groups Eg Evangelism

Question 4

evaluation of spiritual shoppers

Answer 4

-pilgrams pay to access services therefore cant compare to individuals who engage in traditional religion

Question 5

discuss how religion is adapting ti the elopement of post modern society

Answer 5

Lyon:
Globalised religion:countries are interconnected with one another, religion is disembedded-lifted out of countries origin
Online religion-
Top down:organisation which use the media to share services and communicate with other members
cyber religion: Organisations are entirely online
Consumerism:
People today can shop for religion, can choose what they want to believe and practise- ‘pick and mixing’
Self religion:
happened due to individualism, no longer see religion as a form of worship but developing oneself

Question 6

evaluation of post modern society

Answer 6

• online religion isn’t replacing tradition religious practises but more likely to be a supplement for traditional practises
• due to ‘pick and mixing’ it supports securlisation in that there is too much choice of religion so weakens commitment to religion

Question 7

discuss how society is undergoing a spiritual revolution

Answer 7

heelas and woodhead
-people approaches towards spirituality is drastically changing
-relgion is becoming more of a personal matter
-disagree that traditional religion is still privately thriving in the uk, instead point to the growing market place of new spiritual activities which are avoidable for people to enjoy
KENDAL PROJECT:
-growth in holistic milieu:variety of spiritual practices which meet the needs of peoples bodies minds and souls
-people are falling out of love with traditional christian churches as it is outdated EG-christiantity
-people still wanting to engage christianity, newer organisations were more popular,particualrly young people as they are more lively to worship->focused on personal growth
-other people in Kendal took more of a spiritual approach taking interest in new age movements which focused on personal development EG-therapies

Question 8

evaluation of spiritual revolution

Answer 8

new age movements don’t have much influence over wider society