Secularisation

Question 1

secularisation

Answer 1

religion is less important than it was in premodern societies

Question 2

WILSON

Answer 2

argues that secularisation can be examined in terms of:
- religious thinking
- religious practise
- religious institutions and the extent to which churches have maintained their social influence and wealth

Question 3

Church attendance

Answer 3

Wilson argues there has been a decline
- in 1851, 40% attended church, 2010 attendance was 6%
- ceremonies are decreasing, 32% of weddings now take place in church, less than 20% of babies are baptised

Question 4

Against decline in church attendance

Answer 4

• Davie argues you can be religious and not attend- ‘ believing without belonging’
• church membership is important in some areas areas, e.g. Northern Ireland 70% attend, 40% in US
• different churches measure participation in different ways

Question 5

DISENGAEMENT (for secularisation)

Answer 5

refers to the increasing separation of the institutions of the church from the state and government and their reduced influence in wider aspects of social life

Question 6

Wilson and disengagement

Answer 6

argues that religious beliefs are no longer central to our values and personal goals, he argues that the media has become more influential

Question 6

Hamilton and disengagement

Answer 6

suggests that churches themselves have secularised in an attempt to compromise with those who have rejected traditional beliefs

Question 7

Structural differentiation

Answer 7

Parsons argues that the church has lost it’s functions, structural differentiation has occurred, religion is more specialised and performs less functions

Question 8

Social differentiation

Answer 8

Bruce sees social differentiation as the separation of institutions and individuals from one another. religion confines itself to spiritual issues and loses significance on non-religious spheres of social life

Question 9

Religious pluralism

Answer 9

the fragmentation of monolithic religion into hundreds of religions competing with each other (Wilson)

Question 10

Bruce and religious pluralism

Answer 10

argues that industrialisation, fragmented society into a market-place of religions- greater choice of religions

Question 11

Wilson and religious pluralism

Answer 11

• argues that competition between religions undermines their credibility because they can no longer take loyalty for granted as they compete for ‘spiritual shoppers’
• religion can no longer promote value consensus or social solidarity, so no longer acts as an integrating force in society

Question 12

Resacralisation

Answer 12

AGAINST RELIGOUS PLURLAISM
- Interests and beliefs in the sacred are coming back, religious revival

Question 13

Religion as a compensator

Answer 13

AGIANST RELIGIOUS PLURALISM
- NAMs and SMRs are becoming important in meeting the needs of individuals (Stark and Bainbridge)

Question 14

Internal secularisation

Answer 14

implies that religion itself has become secularised- watered down

Question 15

Desacralisation

Answer 15

process by which supernatural forces are no longer seen as controlling the world

Question 16

Ratioanlisation

Answer 16

replacing traditions and values as concepts of behaviour, with rationality and reason

Question 17

Disenchantment

Answer 17

the cultural rationalisation and devaluation of religion apparent in modern society

Question 18

Religion in the USA

Answer 18

• Between 90 and 95% of Americans claim to believe in God
• Herberg argues that religious content of churches have been watered down

Question 19

International

Answer 19

• Davie- Europe is the exceptional case, vitality of churches
• Religion isn’t declining but changing
• Norris and Inglehart- agrarian societies are still religious

Question 20

Postmodernism and secularisation