Topic 3 - Secularisation Flashcards
1
Q
What is secularisation ?
A
- Refers to the decline in the importance of religion
2
Q
What does Wilson argue?
A
- That western societies had been undergoing a long term process of secularisation where religious beliefs and institutions lose social significance
3
Q
What is a statistic to support secularisation?
A
- Church attendance in the UK fell from 40% in mid 19th century to 10-15% by the 1960s
- by 2020 only 4% of the adult population attended church on sundays
4
Q
What does a persons religious affiliation refer to ?
A
- Refers to their membership of a particular religion
5
Q
How does Weber explain the reason for secularisation?
A
- He uses the concept of Rationalisation which refers to the shift from traditional, religious ways of thinking to rational and more scientific approaches.
- Argues that western society has undergone a process of rationalisation in the last few centuries.
6
Q
What example does Weber use to support his arguement?
A
- uses the example of the protestant reformation begun by Martin Luther in the 16th century, which undermined the religious worldview of the middle ages and replaced it with the rational scientific outlook
- previously there was a Catholic worldview that dominated europe which saw the world as a magical garden and that God and other spiritual beings were believed to be present on earth
- uses the concept of disenchantment to describe how modernity has stripped the world of supernatural explanations.
7
Q
What is an example of disenchantment used by Weber?
A
- When the protestant reformation bought a new world view and a new view on God
- Their view on God was that although he did create the world he did not intervene in it and he left it to run according to its own laws of nature
- This as a result led to an increased amount of people relying on scientific explanations rather than religious ones
- because it meant that events were now explained by natural forces rather than supernatural beings
- Thus in Weber’s view the Protestant reformation squeezes out the religious thinking and starts the rationalisation process and undermines the religious world view
8
Q
What is criticism of Weber’s explanation of secularisation ?
A
- Does not explain religious revivals or why people continue to find meaning in their faith
- Overemphasises the decline of supernatural beliefs as there are still people who believe in miracles
- Focuses mainly on western society and ignores how other societies may have undergone different paths of secularisation
- Fails to explain why religion still stay strong in some modern societies
9
Q
What is Bruce’s explanation for the reasons for secularisation?
A
- argues that technological and scientific advancements have reduced space for religious explanations
- When problems arise people now turn to scientific and medical solutions rather than religious or supernatural ones
- For example if a plane was to crash and people died , people are more likely to believe it is a mechanical error rather than a punishment from God.
- Bruce concludes that scientific knowledge itself does not make people into atheists but it encourages people into taking religion less seriously
10
Q
What is criticism of Bruce’s view?
A
- Fails to explain why some religious movements
- Some people integrate religious beliefs with scientific knowledge
11
Q
What is Parsons explanation of secularisation?
A
- Parsons uses structural differentiation to explain it
- He defines it as a process in which specialised institutions emerge in modern societies
- So religion which dominated all aspects of life has become specialised and its functions such as education and healthcare is now being performed by other secular institutions
12
Q
According to Parsons what does structural differentiation lead to?
A
- Leads to the disengagement of religion, as its functions are transferred to other institutions such as the state and it becomes disconnected from wider society
- Leads to privatisation, religion has become privatised meaning confined to the private sphere of the home and family
13
Q
According to Wilson why does secularisation occur
A
- Argues that in pre- industrial communities shared values were expressed through collective religious rituals that integrated individuals andr regulated their behaviour. And that urbanisation and geographical mobility expose individuals to diverse beliefs which thus makes maintaining religious consensus harder to maintain
14
Q
What does Bruce say to agree with Wilson?
A
- Sees industrialiasation as undermining the consensus of religious beliefs that hold small rural communities together.
- and that social and geographical mobility not only breaks up communities but brings people together from many different backgrounds, creating even more diversity
15
Q
What is Berger’s explanation for secularisation?
A
- Argues that the cause of secularisation is the trend towards religious diversity where there is more than one
- Also argues that this creates a crisis of credibility, and that diversity undermines the reasons why people find it believable
- because when there are alternative versions of religion to choose from it makes people question them all
16
Q
What example does Bruce use to support his argument ?
A
- Uses the example of a single secret canopy in the middle ages, the european Catholic Church held absolute monopoly and it had no competition, as a result everyone lived under a single set of beliefs
- However this changed with the protestant reformation, when protestant Churches and sects broke away from the catholic church in the 16th century
- Since the reformation, the number and variety of religious organisations has continued to grow, each with a different version of the truth
- Thus this mean society is no longer unified under the single sacred canopy provided by one church
17
Q
What is critics of Berger?
A
- Religious diversity does not directly cause secularisation, some argue that it can lead to greater religious engagement, as people have more religions to choose from
- In some cases, competition between religions strengthens religious commitment rather than undermining it
18
Q
What 2 counter-trends that go against secularisation theory?
A
- Cultural defence, is where religion provides a focal point for defence of a nation, ethnic or group identity against an external force
- Cultural transition, which is where religion provides support and a sense of community for ethnic groups such as migrants to a different country and culture
19
Q
What did Wilson find and argue about secularisation in the US?
A
- in 1962, he found 45% of american attended Church on Sundays
- However he argued that Churchgoing in America was more of an expression of the American Way of life rather than actually holding strong religious beliefs
20
Q
What did Hadaway find?
A
- That opinion polls research had been asking people about Church attendance and it was said to be around 40%
- However Hadaway found that this figure did not match the Church’s actual attendance , as if 40% were attending Church, the Churches would be full which they were not
21
Q
What is a weakness of Hadaways findings?
A
- Does not necessarily prove secularisation, as people may still hold religious beliefs even if they do not attend church.
22
Q
What does Bruce say about American Religion?
A
- That it has adapted to the modern world by becoming psychologised by shifting to personal self improvement and therapy
- And this changed has allowed it to fit in with secular society
