Secularisation

Question 1

What did Bruce mean by Declining attendance, Self- reported figures and religious diversity ?

Answer 1

• Declining attendance- 40% say they attend BUT Hadaway stated the figure didn’t match attendance

• Self-reported figures masked the decrease as it’s socially desirable to say you attend

• Religious diversity - accepting other views -> erosion of absolutism

Question 2

What are Woodhead & Healas explanations for secularisation ?

Answer 2

• Disappearance thesis - Religion lost significant to individual & society

• Differentiation thesis - individual belief is still strong / but no power in society

Question 3

What are causes for secularisation ?

Answer 3

• Old-fashioned
• Loss of status

• Parsons, structural differentiation - functions done by the church have been taken over by the welfare state

•Weber, Rationalism - science has displaced religion with rational explanations

• Enchantment & disenchantment

Question 4

What are Bruce’s reasons for secularisation ?

Answer 4

• Technological worldview - tech is used to explain events that were explained by church

• Industrialisation - urban communities with diversity undermine the religions value consensus

Question 5

What does Berger mean by religious diversity in secularisation ?

Answer 5

• Sacred canopy gave church a monologue of truth / society no longer united under single canopy / thus diversity undermines the plausibility structure - reason people find it believable