secularisation

Question 1

secularisation - weber - rationalisation

Answer 1

rationalisation - process where rational ways of thinking and acting replace religious ones

catholic worldview saw world as enchanted garden full of supernatural beings but protestant worldview started process of rationalisation - using science to understand how the world works

as people developed rational understanding, need for religious explanations declined - caused disenchantment

Question 2

weber rationalisation critcism

Answer 2

still religious people in even more advanced, rationalised 21st century

Question 3

secularisation - wilson and bruce - industrialisation

Answer 3

wilson - move from pre industrial to industrial society led to loss of communities as people moved from rural to urban areas in search of employment, in rural areas sense of community was maintained through collective religious rituals but these declined as people moved to cities

bruce - cities are diverse with high religious plurality, undermining influence of religion and plausibility of beliefs

Question 4

wilson and bruce industrialisation criticism

Answer 4

aldridge - communities can exist without being based in a particular location - imagined communities on social media give people sense of belonging

Question 5

anti secularisation - hervieu leger - spiritual shoppers

Answer 5

decline in traditional religion due to cultural amnesia and parents not passing religious beliefs onto children

however although religious institutions are declining, religion itself is not - people have become spiritual shoppers - individualised consumers who chose elements of religion they’re interested in pursuing

2 types of religious people have emerged:
pilgrims - follow individual path of self discovery through NAMs
converts - join religious groups that offer sense of belonging

Question 6

hervieu leger criticism

Answer 6

multi faith society doesn’t mean one religion is not dominant, over emphasises importance of individual identity

Question 7

anti secularisation - heelas and woodhead

Answer 7

spiritual revolution - new forms of religiosity replace traditional religion

carried out research in Kendal, Cumbria to investigate extent to which traditional religion is replaced with NAMs found there were 2 religious groups in existence:
congregational domain - traditional & evangelical christianity
holistic milieu – NAMs.

NAMs growing due to move from obeying traditional religious authority to exploring inner self by following spiritual path - caused decline in traditional religion

Question 8

heelas and woodhead criticism

Answer 8

NAM followers tend not to pass spiritual interests to children so NAMs will not survive