Topic 4: Religion, Renewal and Choice:

Question 1

New forms of religion:

How can it be seen that religion is not declining?

Answer 1

There are new forms of religion due to changes in values e.g. consumerism and individualism.

Question 2

Key word:

What does individualism mean?

Answer 2

The emphasis of the individual’s needs

Question 3

New forms of religion:

How has religion moved from being an obligation to consumption? (use sociologist)

Answer 3

Davie (2013) there has been a shift change in religion and therefore being about choice rather than force.

e.g. In England, babies had to be baptised was otherwise the baby wouldn’t go to heaven but now only a minority of babies are baptised whereas there has been an increase in the number of adults getting baptised.

Question 4

New forms of religion:

How can believing but not belonging be seen as a new form of religion? (use sociologist)

Answer 4

Davie argues that religion is taking a more privatised form. People are reluctant go to church however they share the same values religion is much more personal and private.

Davie argues that churches can be used to give comfort and support to the public e.g. foodbanks. They are used like a public service. People know its there but don’t feel like they have to be committed.

Question 5

Key word:

What does vicarious religion mean?

Answer 5

Where a small group of people practice religion, while the majority of people benefit from it without being actively involved.

Question 6

New forms of religion:

How can it be seen that people don’t believe or belong to a religion meaning that society is becoming more secular? (use sociologists)

Answer 6

Bruce (2011) argues that if people aren’t going to church this reflects secularisation. When people don’t believe they don’t want to be part of that community.

Day (2007) found that most people’s reason for being a Christian because it was a way of saying they were ‘White’ rather than sharing same values of them.

Question 7

New forms of religion:

How can spiritual shopping help to show that religion is not declining just changing? (use sociologist)

Answer 7

Léger (2000; 2006) - Due to a change in societies values spiritual shopping is more important as religion becomes more personal.

People are free to pick what parts of religion suits them ‘DIY’ religion to make it fit your interests/lifestyle ‘Pick and Mix religion’.

Question 8

New forms of religion:

How does religion continue to have some influence on society’s values? (use sociologist)

Answer 8

Léger argues that religion does have some influence on society’s values e.g. equality.

e.g. the bible says ‘love thy neighbour as thy self’.

These values create social solidarity as everyone believes in these values regardless of if they’re religious.

Question 9

Key word:

What does globalisation mean?

Answer 9

The process of which countries and societies become closer due to trade and technology.

Question 10

New forms of religion:

How can globalisation, the media and religion help show that religion is not declining just changing its form?

Answer 10

Through globalisation, religious ideas have become ‘disembedded’.

e.g. local churches use the media to spread their ideas allowing people to have faith without regular attendance and therefore means people can use religious ideas for their own purposes.

Question 11

Key word:

What does disembedded mean?

Answer 11

Religious practices that are detached from local communities and traditions.

Question 12

New forms of religion:

How does religious consumerism show that religion is not on the decline (use sociologist)

Answer 12

Lyon’s argues that religion has become about choice.

People make choices about what parts of religion apply to them and include it in their lifestyle (SOLELY BASED ON THEIR CHOICE).

Shows religion is taking on new forms that fit the consumerist society.

Question 13

New forms of religion:

How does religious consumerism show that religion is on the decline (use sociologist)

Answer 13

Berger - Because there is lots of choice he believes it that it causes people to doubt their faith as not all of them can be true.

Religions begin to lack plausibility and traditional churches lose their authority as people become sceptical.

Question 14

New forms of religion:

How does New Age spirituality help to show that religion is not on the decline (use sociologist)

Answer 14

Lyons argues that New Age spirituality disapproves of obedience that is found in traditional religions and argues that individualism is the most important aspect of life.

Everyone is free to decide what is true for them e.g. pick and mix religion - gives them more autonomy.

Question 15

Criticisms of the New Age:

What are the criticisms of the New Age? (use sociologist) e.g. scale

Answer 15

Bruce - In Kendal in 1851, the 270 people involved in New Age isn’t big enough to show that religion is not on the decline.

Therefore shows the world is becoming more secular.

Question 16

Criticisms of the New Age:

What are the criticisms of the New Age? e.g. weak commitment (use sociologist)

Answer 16

Glendinning and Bruce (2006) found that serious commitment to New Age beliefs and practices was very rare.

Shows how religion is on the decline as other alternatives are not a important factor in their lifestyle.

Question 17

Key word:

What is the religious market theory?

Answer 17

People have preferences for certain religious beliefs/practices and choose what they like like a person would while shopping.

Question 18

Religious market theory:

How will there never be an end to people being religious (use sociologists)

Answer 18

Stark and Bainbridge (1986) argue
religion meets human needs e.g. comfort (Malinowski). Therefore religion is always needed even if it changes its form.

Shows how spiritual shopping and believing without belonging and New Age all show religion is not declining.

Question 19

Key word:

What is the cycle of renewal?

Answer 19

Although some religions will decline others will grow but there will always be religion.

Question 20

Religious market theory:

How does the cycle of renewal show that religion is not on the decline (use sociologist)

Answer 20

Stark and Bainbridge argue that religion is attractive because it provides people with supernatural rewards e.g. eternal life).

Even if there is a decline in traditional religions other types will take its place as people need comfort/answers which religion provides.

Question 21

Religion market theory:

How does religious competition help show that religion is not declining? (use sociologist)

Answer 21

Stark and Bainbridge argue that competition between religions leads to improvements in the quality of religious teaching.

Churches make services and teachings relatable and those that aren’t responsive lose members.

Question 22

Key word:

What does religious monopoly mean?

Answer 22

Where one religion controls the religious landscape of a society, leaving little room for other belief systems.

Question 23

Religious market theory:

How does consumer-led religion showing that religion is not on the decline? (use sociologist)

Answer 23

Hadden and Shupe (1988) argue that America has a high rate of religious due to there being lots of choice. Means that churches have to work harder otherwise they will lose followers.

Question 24

Criticisms of religious market theory:

What are the criticisms of religious market theory? (use sociologists)

Answer 24

Norris and Inglehart (2011) show that countries with religious monopolies e.g. Ireland, have high religious participation as everyone share same norms and values.

Question 25

Key word:

What is existential security theory?

Answer 25

The feeling that survival is secure.

e.g. the safer a person feels the less religious they are.

Question 26

Secularisation and security:

How does existential theory explain the West becoming more secular? (use sociologist)

Answer 26

Norris and Inglehart argue that religiosity varies based on existential security (the feeling that survival is secure).

Those poorer are more likely to be religious as they face poverty compared to rich who are secular.

Question 27

Secularisation and security:

How does existential security theory not show that the world is becoming more secular? (use sociologist)

Answer 27

Norris and Inglehart argue although secularisation is growing due countries becoming richer the majority of the countries are poor showing that the world is still highly religious.

Question 28

Secularisation and security:

Why does religion low in Europe and high in the US although they are both rich countries? (use sociologist)

Answer 28

Norris and Inglehart argue that secularisation in Western Europe is due to high security and equality, supported by strong welfare states.

In contrast, the US remains more religious due to greater inequality, weaker welfare, and higher insecurity so people turn to church to help them.

Question 29

Criticisms of secularisation and security:

What are the criticisms for secularisation and security? (use sociologist)

Answer 29

Vásquez (2007) - There are positive reasons people has for religious participation and the appeal to the wealthy e.g. cults appeal to the wealthy as they have the least commitment.