Social class and religiosity Flashcards
The working class are more likely to have ‘belief without belonging’
Bruce found that even though the middle classes are less likely to believe in God than the working classes, the m/c are more likely to practice their religion and be more involved with church. This view is also supported by the results of Lawes study who, in a social class survey of religion in the UK, found ‘lifelong believers in God’ came disproportionately from lower social class groups.
Moreover, a study by Voas (2014) on Church of England attendance found rural churches to have much higher attendance than urban churches and, as the middle classes are dominant in rural areas, these finding would seem to support the class patterns of earlier studies.
However, it is interesting to note that there is evidence of increased church attendance in deprived inner city areas. This is because these areas have high numbers of ethnic minorities who have a deeper religious faith than the majority white population.
There is a social class divide in membership of the main Christian churches in the UK
Participation in the Church of England has tended to be dominated by the middle classes. Members of the Anglican Church, for example, are more likely to vote Conservative
The Church of England has always had a close relationship with the state
One reason for this pattern of behaviour in different social classes is the relationship between religious participation and social status - the idea that people participate in religion because they see it as a desirable social characteristic. ie they see church membership as being ‘respectable ‘ and ‘decent’ in the community. This can also be important when parents have children in church schools or wish to enrol their children in high performing church schools.
The Roman Catholic Church in Britain, on the other hand, attracts greater working class participation. Working class Catholicism has its roots in Irish working class immigration into the UK and a study by Ahern (1987) found working class people are generally distrustful of the Church of England. Ahern also noted how the working class in the past were also attracted to denominations such as the Methodist Church
The middle class are more likely to join cults and New Age movements
The class composition of New Age cults is overwhelmingly middle class. Cults appeal far more to middle class women. These middle class women can afford the cost of participating in New Age activities
Bruce argues that New Age movements appeal to the middle class because their material and financial needs have been satisfied, but they feel there may be more to life than material possessions and money. Whereas working class mothers have issues related to family life and poverty, and cannot afford the time or money to pursue abstract interests.
Therefore, for reasons of expense, time, education (cultural capital) and the desire for self-improvement, members of New Age cults tend to be middle class.
A03
Little in depth research has been conducted on social class and religion. Moreover, religions in the UK do not collect data about the social class composition of their members.
However, from the data that does exist, it seems apparent that the middle classes are the most religiously active in society, and whilst the white working class may have been involved with the Roman Catholic Church and denominations such as the Methodists in the past, today they have little involvement with religious practice.
