Social Class and Religion

Question 1

What does the traditional marxist approach suggest?

Answer 1

Religiosity and religious participation should be greatest among most deprived social classes to deal with oppression and poverty.
Weber: theodicy and disprivilege
However neo-marxists argue can be used to fight oppression like 1960’s liberation theology in South America

Question 2

Churches and denominations

Answer 2

U/C and M/C tend to be overrepresented in churches, although members of all social classes attend.
YouGov 2015 survey found over 60% regular attendees were middle class and drops to 38% for W/C. 
Denominations have more appeal to W/C

Question 3

Sects, cults and New Age

Answer 3

Sects: Strongest support from most deprived and marginal groups; opium of the people.
Cults: Attract a cross section of society, including deprived and marginalised groups. However New Age client cults and world-affirming new religious movements have greatest appeal to fairly affluent members as followers are like customers
New Age and spirituality: Heelas- mainly appeal to to M/C women, whilst astrology and fortune-telling appeals more W/C