Secularisation Flashcards
Wilson
Western societies have undergone long-term process of secularisation
^ 10-15% of British adults attended church in 1960s
. Now only 4% in 2020
Woodhood
If current trends continue there won’t be enough members in the church to keep it going
Weber
(rationalisation)
= process by which rational ways of thinking and acting come to replace religious ones
^ Protestant Reformation started this - led to disenchantment = rational thinking
Bruce
(Tech worldview)
Replaced religious explanations - now look for scientific/technological explanations in everyday life
^ Don’t challenge religion directly but make it less serious
Parsons
(Structural Differentiation)
= process of specialisation that occurs with development of industrial societies
Disengagement = functions transferred to other institutions, disconnected from wider society
Bruce
Structural Differentiation)
Privatisation = religion is confined to private sphere of home/family
Wilson
(Social and Cultural diversity)
Decline in community = shared values expressed through collective religious rituals now lost its basis in stable local communities
Bruce
(Social and Cultural diversity)
Diversity of occupations, cultures, lifestyles = plausability of beliefs undermined by alternatives
^ Individualism
Berger
(Religious Diversity)
(Plausability Structure)
. Diversity undermines it and creates a crisis for credability for religion
^ most important cause of secularisation
Beckford
(Criticises Berger)
Religious diversity will lead some to question/abandon their religious beliefs - not inevitable
^ can strengthen religious groups commitment
Bruce
(Cultural defence and transition)
Cultural Defence = religion provides focal point for defence of national, ethnic, local/group identity in a struggle against external force
Herberg
(Cultural defence and transition)
Cultural transition = study of religion and immigration to USA
^ religion provides support and sense of community for ethnic groups
