Secularisation

Question 1

Theories if secularisation?

Answer 1

-Weber suggest that there is more of a movement towards scientific explanations and thinking
-Wilson suggests it’s due to the decline in the influence of Church
-Parsons focused on the changes to our belief that accompay the process of structural differentiation
-Bruce examine the extent which individuals utilise tech to develop new world views

Question 2

What people believed in the 1900s?

Answer 2

•They saw the world as an ‘enchanted garden’
•Angels were thought to be present in the world that changed the course of action in the world
•Humans try to influence these beings and forces by prayer and spell e.g. wearing charms to make sure they had a good crop

Question 3

Weber rationalism?

Answer 3

Rationalisation means process by which rational ways of thinking and acting come to replace religious beliefs.

Question 4

What is Disenchantment?

Answer 4

•They saw God not within this world but outside of this world
•God created the world but does not intervene because he allows it to happen by nature-‘Gods will’

Question 5

Bruce view on secularisation?

Answer 5

developed Weber concept of rationalisation thinking of technological world e.g. science is taking over religion as the predominant belief system in society

Question 6

Decline in the power of religion in society?

Answer 6

• The Church as little influence over social policies, e.g. Civil Partnership are legal now despite opposition from some religions
• People look toward new knowledge systems and ways of viewing the world – particularly with the advent of the Internet within the Globalised World

Question 7

Religious thinking is NOT in decline?

Answer 7

•Resacrilisation- Heelas argues that the world is going through a ‘Spiritual Revolution’. People are getting more involved in New Age ‘Holistic Milieu’ –Mind Body Spirituality. People are rediscovering religion in personalised forms ‘pick n mixing’ their religious and spiritual self and tailoring their religious identities as there is more choice in modern society.

Question 8

Religious practice is NOT in decline?

Answer 8

Davie-‘Believing Without Belonging & the Privatisation of Religious Practice’ - Believing in God does not necessarily mean attending a religious institution or service. People can express their beliefs and worship at home in a ‘Privatised’ manner – helped by TV, Radio & the Internet. Also church attendance may have been higher in the past because there was a social pressure to attend if you wanted respectability. That social pressure is no longer there.

Question 9

Evidence of Secularisation In UK?

Answer 9

•Less people now attend church and less people go to church ceremonies such as baptism
•Religion no longer has influence in politics so our lives no longer revolve around it

Question 10

Arguments against secularisation in the UK?

Answer 10

•Believing without belonging-Davie: religious belief has become privatised but this does not necessarily mean a decline in personal religious belief.
•Online religion Helland: globalisation and the media means many people now express religious beliefs online, and attendance can no longer measure religiosity

Question 11

What is Religious fundamentalism?

Answer 11

people who are fundamentalists seek to return to their basics of their religions they believe sacred words and those who do not follow it word for word are not worthy they take the truth and take the texts literally e.g. Christian fundamentalists is the new right movement

Question 12

Features of Fundamentalism?

Answer 12

• Literalism-believe in exact wording of sacred text
• They have us and them mentality.Separate themselves from the rest of world “worthy” and “saved” from “sin”
• Aggressive reaction
• use modern Technology to spread there idea and get a point across for ‘tainting’ people
• They aim to have have control over women-e.g. their sexuality,divorce, reproductive powers and social and economic roles
• Prophecy-there will be a final day when Christ returns and all sins will be counted.

Question 13

What is Conspiracy theories?

Answer 13

.Many Islamic and Christian fundamentalists hold onto antisemitic views that Jews are conspiring to secure world domination

Question 14

Types of Fundamentalism?

Answer 14

• Western (Christian) (Bruce)-attempt to battle their community to bring back traditonal values
• Third world (Islamic) (Bruce)- use religion as cultural defence to protect there belief system from external influences erode their way of life
• Secular (Davie)- triggered by increasing globalisation and secularisation can be applied to certain movements

Question 15

What is Christian Fundamentalists (New Right Christians)?

Answer 15

are also against reproductive rights and freedom condemning abortion and contraception and lobbying against the provision of these services
Many supporters of the New Christian Right movement hold homophobic and transphobic views and are against this

Question 16

Islamic Fundementalist?

Answer 16

oppose all forms of secularisation and Westernisation and seek to eliminate all ‘corruption non Islamic forces from their lives’ similar to other fundamentalist religion followers they have deeply conservative view and go as far to treat women and minority groups as second class citizens e.g. Taliban

Question 17

What are Fundamentalism causes?

Answer 17

• Giddens globalisation has triggered recent rise in fundamentalism due to rapid promotion of cosmopolitan values
• Bauman uncertainty caused by globalisation has led to rise in fundamentalism as they use religion as a source of truth in a postmodern society where media outlets lies in order to make profit

Question 18

Castells-Postmodernity led to responses?

Answer 18

1)resistance identity-turn to fundamentalism to protect conservative values
2)Project identity-embrace change by joining NAMS of progressive environmentalist or political groups

Question 19

What does Huntington mean about clashed of civilisation?

Answer 19

he says the problem is not Islamic fundamentalism it is Islam itself.
He believes that the west is under threat especially from Islam and urges the west to reassert their identity as christian civilisation

Question 20

Evaluation of Huntington?

Answer 20

-World values survey found sexuality was causing the conflict
-Casanova -argues that Huntington ignores important religious divisions WITHIN civilisations such as between Sunni and Shi’a Islam.

Question 21

What is Cosmopolitanism?

Answer 21

being tolerant to other people views and modifying beliefs in light of new information

Question 22

What does Davie said two phases of modernity?

Answer 22

•1960-This was the year of enlightenment where science was explored more
•1970-Globalisation started to happen this was when people questioned
communism which fundamentalist promoted