Secularisation Flashcards
What patterns show that the influance of the church has declined?
Less people go to church
Increase in average age of church goers
Fewer church weddings
Greater diversity in religion
What does Wilson argue about Western societies?
They are unergoing a long-term process of secularisation where religious institutions lose social significance
What percentage of the adult population attend church today?
5%
What trends can be found in declining church attendance?
Church attendance has more than halved since the 60s
The attendance of big institutions has fallen more than smller churches which have remained stable
Less baptisims and weddings take place in churches
What percentage of weddings were in a church in 1971?
60%
What percentage of modern weddings are heald in churches?
30%
What are bogus baptisims?
An increase in older children being baptised so that they qualify to attend religious schools which are often better.
Why has the number of Catholics increased slightly?
Eastern European Immigration
Why has the church lost influance over public life?
The state has taken over many of the functions that the church used to perform such as educations so religion is confined to the private sphere of the family and individual.
What pattern is seen with the clergy?
Ageing workforce
Declining members
What percentage of the clergy in the anglican church are below 40?
12%
Wha are some explanations for the decline of religion?
Rationalisation and disenchantment (Weber) Disenchantment Structural differentiation (Parsons) Disengagement Privitisation (Bruce)
What explanation for secularisation did Weber give?
Rationalisation where rational ways of thinking replace religious ones and we can prove that religious beleifs are wrong which undermines them.
This leads to disenchantment where we can explain things with science instead of magic so there is no need for a religious explanation.
What does Bruce say about rationalisation?
Although science doesn’t challenge religion directly, it reduces the scope for religious explanations
What explanation for secularisation did Parsons give?
Structural differentiation: The church has become more specialised as institutions now perform functions that used to be performed by the church. This means the only reason for belonging to the church is religion. This means religion is disconnected from wider society
How does Bruce argue that privitisation causes secularisation?
Religion is only in the home and family and when it performs function in society, it must conform to the rules of the state.
How has industrial society led to a decline in religion?
Decline in community and shared values so less consensus. Indistrial society is more diverse which undemines the idea that religion is the absolute truth.
What are the critisicms of the idea that industrialisation causes secularisation?
Aldridge: Community doesn’t have to be geographical and the religious community can be through the internet and be a source of identity on a worldwide scale
How does religious diversity cause secularisation?
It undermines the plausability of religion as everyone has different beliefs so none of them can be completely true. People then don’t believe in any
What is the sacred canopy?
The idea that if there is a religious monopoly then society is unite under the one religion which is thought to the the absolute truth.
Who came up with cultural defence and transition?
Bruce
What are cultural defence and transition?
Two counter trends that go against secularisation theory and are associated with high levels of religion
What is cultural defence theory?
When religion is the focal point for defence of a national or ethnic identity against an external force such as a foreign power. Its a source of unity and strength
What is cultural transition theory?
Religion provides a sense of support and community for people that move cultures such as migrants and can help them intergrate into the host culture
