Secularisation

Question 1

Religious Practice - Evidence of Secularisation in UK

Answer 1

Less people attending churches, sunday schools & weddings & baptism all declining.

Question 1

Secularisation

Answer 1

When religious thinking, practice & institutions lose signifcance

Question 2

How do we know that secularisation is happening - Evidence FOR secularisation

Answer 2

> Popularity
Plausability
Power

Question 3

Why has secularisation happened? Evidence FOR

Answer 3

> Rationalisation
Structural Differentiation
Social & Cultural Diversity
Religious Diversity

Question 4

Rationalisation - Weber

Answer 4

> Due to industrialisation, people use science, logical and evidence based ways of thinking not religion & supernatural, move from medieval Catholic worldview to modern Protestant worldview

Question 5

Disenchantment - Weber

Answer 5

> ‘Magical’ element of religion has disappeared

> People have stopped believing in ‘magical’ figures like angels

Question 6

Technological Worldview - Bruce

Answer 6

> No longer see bad events as God’s punishment, but scientific explanations, reducing scope for religious explanations

> Religion only used when technology ineffective e.g prayer for incurable cancer

Question 7

Parsons – Structural Differentiation

Answer 7

Church performed variety of functions eg. education, caring for sick & poor, but replaced by NHS & Education, provided by the state

Question 8

Disengagement - Structural differentiation (Parsons)

Answer 8

> Church now disconnected from wider society

> People no longer engage with it on a daily basis

Question 9

Privatisation - Structural Differentiation (Bruce)

Answer 9

> Religious belief privatised in home & family is now matter of personal choice

> Traditional rituals & symbols have lost meaning.

Question 10

Controlled by State -Structural Differentiation (Parsons)

Answer 10

> Even where religion is involved in education/welfare, needs to conform to state controls

> e.g. teachers must have qualifications recognised by state

> Church lost political power, separate from state in modernity

Question 11

Social & Cultural Diversity - Wilson

Answer 11

Decline of Community & Industrialisation
Diversity
Individualism

Question 12

Decline of Community & Industrialisation - Wilson

Answer 12

Local communities shared rituals, reinforcing social solidarity. Industrialisation destroyed stability & religious basis for society.

Question 13

Sacred Canopy

Answer 13

In pre-industrial society, Catholic Church had no competition, all lived under same unquestioned shared beliefs.

Question 14

Plausibility Structure - Berger

Answer 14

> Plausibility of all religious views are undermined with multiple versions of the ‘’truth’’

> People fearful of choosing wrong truth so chosen none or create pick n mix of beliefs

Question 15

Evidence Against Secularisation - Secularisation is not happening

Answer 15

> Cultural Defence
Cultural Transition
Fundamentalism
Resacrilisation & Reenchantment
Religious Market Theory
Existential Security Theory

Question 16

Cultural Defence - Bruce

Answer 16

> Religion gives a focal point for defence of national identity in struggle with external forces e.g. hostile foreign power.

> Using religion to defend against a racist, hostile environment.

> e.g. the resurgence of Islam before the revolution in Iran in 1979.

Question 17

Cultural Transition - Bruce

Answer 17

Gives sense of community and support for Black, Asian and minority ethnic people living in a different country & culture e.g. Muslims in UK

Question 18

Fundamentalism

Answer 18

Taking the literal approach to following religious texts

Question 19

Examples of growth of religious fundamentalism

Answer 19

New Christian Right in USA

Question 20

Resacrilisation

Answer 20

A renewal and continuing vitality of religious beliefs - shifting from traditional religions to a more individualistic spirituality centered on the self.

Question 21

Reenchantment

Answer 21

People are now starting to believe in the magical elements of some forms of new religious movements

Question 22

Religious Market Theory

Answer 22

> Demand for religion increases when there are more different religions to choose from.
Where there is a religious monopoly, it leads to a decline in religion.

Question 23

Existential Security Theory

Answer 23

> The presence of a strong welfare state acts as a safety net for them to turn to.

> When there is no such safety net, they turn to religion for comfort and support.

Question 24

Belief without Belonging

Answer 24

Where people have religious views, but do not attend church/places of worship.

Question 25

Vicarious Religion

Answer 25

Where a small number of professional clergy practice religion on behalf of a much larger number of people.

Question 26

The Kendal Project

Answer 26

A study which found traditional religion is declining and spirituality is growing.

Question 27

Sheilaism and Individualised Religion

Answer 27

Religion can be whatever you want it to be such as following the voice in your head in order to do right things.

Question 28

Spiritual Shopping

Answer 28

A do it yourself belief to be able to pick and choose whatever religion is best suited for you.