Stark

Question 1

Stark - What does he say about numbers of religious people?

Answer 1

Stark says that the number of religious people in Europe has not declined since the 1700s, when the decline was said to have started

Question 2

Stark - Describe the difference between rulers and the masses

Answer 2

Stark says that only the rulers were made religious, rather than the masses, which created a level of religious ambivalence - many people in PWEC countries were not as religious as we presumed

Question 3

Stark - Explain Stark’s religious subjectivity

Answer 3

Stark said that many people still had subjective religious beliefs such as in magic or the supernatural, rather than church-based religiosity

Question 4

Stark - What did Stark say about science and religion?

Answer 4

Stark notes that 41% of scientists were religious, which rebuts the theory of the positive philosophy and modernity affecting secularisation

Question 5

Stark - Why did the Christianisation of Europe fail?

Answer 5

Religion was difficult to spread to the masses, who didn’t have access to literature or accommodating churches, therefore there was very little commitment to Christianity

Question 6

Stark - What did Stark say about secularisation?

Answer 6

He said that it cannot be claimed, as there has never been an absolute religious dismissal by the transition into modernity