Secularisation Flashcards
Wilson (1966)
sec = process whereby relig thinking, pracs & insitus lose soc sig = less relig
Berger
sec = process where sectors of soc & cul = removed from dom of relig instus & symbols - concepts of insitus relates to way relig is soc org in any soc while ref to symbols = partic relig belief & their presence/ relative absence in any soc
Problems w/ measuring religion
operationalisation of relig so can measure
how do we define relig activity bc if are trying to measure if has declined need to know previous level but if both innac does it matter - yes could be m inacc now - privitisation
Measuring Secularisation
lacks definition
Berger - sec = ideo concept to define means suspect is occuring - to eal need to have means of measuring extent of sec across & w/in dif socs - need historical comp - means must be able to define relig prac org & belief
Wilson 3 Levels of Analysis
relig prac - extent to which involve selves in ch membership & attendence
relig org - extent to which ch = involv in day to day sec order in soc
relig thought - extent to which ppl believe in concepts like god, good & evil, sin level = sig for sec bc relig activity dec in prac may still = power in personal belief
Ways Secularisation is occuring
Woodhead & Heelas (2000)
disappearence thesis - mod brought death of relig has lost sig for indu & soc - dec will contin until disappears
differentiation thesis - relig in soc dec but X indu relig X longer NB role in soc but indu still strong ppl choosing dif forms of belief over trad ch atten
Arguements Secularisation is Occuring
Decline in relig belief
desacralisation - Weber explained bc of rationalisation & disenchantment - MAs = world of angels demons etc - englight sci & philos ppl sought rational expls X divine intervention
tech world view - Bruce ppl have develop m rational ways of thinking & a technological world view - sci replaced relig
Arguements Secularisation is Occuring
Dec in religion prac
Crockett - eng ch census - 50% adults attended church 1850s = 7.5% 2000
dec in mar & bap - fewer than 1/2 all mars in UK involv relig & less than 1/4 babies = bap = 2/3 1950
Arguements Secularisation is Occuring
Dec in influ of relig orgs
ch has little influ over soc pols eg legal civ p’s & abortion
religion insitus command dec respect for maj festivals - Xmas & Easter = £ making empty festivals
Jesus in Disneyland - Lyon - relig = disneyfication = trivalised & less serious - in PM market world ppl customise idens & can bc religion = commodity
Validity
Problems Measuring Secularisation
bc = probs defining = dif to determine validity of research - historical docs = sparse & = dif to find trends
results = open to interp high ptp X = high belief
Martin (1969) vic soc required ch atten for respectability
Reliability
Problems Measuring Secularisation
historical docs on religiousity may not meet contemp standards of reliability = too many variations in wording of ?s if ?s = avaliable
Arguements Secularisation is Not Occuring
X dec in religion belief
resac - Heelas - world going thro spiritual rev ppl getting m involv in NAM & HM - rediscovering relig in personalised forms - ‘p&m’ & tailoring relig iden = m choice in mod soc
Arguements Secularisation is Not Occuring
X dec in relig prac
Davie (2002) - believing w/o belonging & privitisation of relig prac - believing in God X ned mean atten relig insitu - can express belief & worship at home in privatised way - TV radio - ch atten may = higher in past bc of soc pressure
Arguements Secularisation is Not Occuring
power of relig orgs X dec
ethnocentricity - some faiths dec but others - Mormons & Islam inc some researchers may = accused of ethno - only focus on trad W christian relig - ppl still attend for religion events - mar
relig still NB in USA - Bruce US relig adapted to mod soc - X = trad belief & glorification of God now m psychological/ theraputic belief system - allowed relig to remain pop in m sec soc - X seeking sal = self improvement
