Topic 4: Religion, Renewal and Choice:

Question 1

New forms of religion:

How can it be seen that religion is not declining?

Answer 1

Some sociologists argue that although some parts of traditional religion are declining, new forms are emerging and this is due to wider changes in society as well as a change in values such as greater individualism, choice and consumerism.

Question 2

New forms of religion:

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

Answer 2

Davie (2013) argues that in late modern society there has been a major change in religion (coming away from it being obligation (forced into believing) and towards consumption (choice).

In the past, churches would force people to go to church, behave in a particular way and believe in certain things. However, religion is no longer forced but is seen as a personal choice.

e.g. In England and France, 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 3

New forms of religion:

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

Answer 3

Davie argues that religion is not declining but simply taking a different, more privatised form.

Although people are reluctant to go to church, they hold the same values (this is called believing but not belonging) .

Question 4

Key word:

What does vicarious religion mean?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

New forms of religion:

How can vicarious religion (Spiritual heath service be seen as a new form of religion)? (use sociologist)

Answer 5

Davie argues that churches are used as public utilities in which people can use them whenever they want to e.g. funeral, weddings, baptisms. As well as this, people use churches for national mourning e.g. Princess Diana and the Queen 2022.

Davie argues that believing without belonging and vicarious religion to be similar as although most people don’t regularly go to church/pray they remain attached to the church as an institution that provides ritual and support when needed and they continue to share at some level its beliefs.

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 the declining strength of their beliefs. When people don’t believe they don’t want to be part of that community e.g. going to church.

Day (2007) found that very few of the ‘Christians’ she interviewed mentioned God or Christianity. Their reason for being a Christian was a way of saying they belonged to a ‘White English ethnic group’. As that is the stereotype of Christians - helping to show that religion is declining.

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) - argues that while traditional religion has declined it has not disappeared as individual consumerism has replaced collective tradition.

People today now feel they have a choice as consumers of religion and become spiritual shoppers as religion has become individualised.

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

Question 8

New forms of religion:

What 2 types of religion have formed due to spiritual shopping? (use sociologist)

Answer 8

Léger argues that since spiritual shopping came about it has brought two kinds of religious people e.g. pilgrims and converts.

Pilgrims follow an individual path in a search for self-discovery e.g. New Age spirituality. This demand is created by today’s emphasis on personal development.

Converts join religious groups that offer a strong sense of belonging (based on ethnic background or religious teachings). These groups create a sense of community in a society that has lost many of its religious traditions.

This helps to show that religion no longer acts as the source of collective identity that it once did showing that society s becoming more secularised?

Question 9

New forms of religion:

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

Answer 9

Léger argues that religion does continue to have some influence on society’s values e.g. the values of equality and human rights have their roots in religion (such as the bible which says ‘love thy neighbour as thy self’.

These values create social solidarity, even for those who are not actively involved in religion as everyone still believes in the same values.

Question 10

New forms of religion:

How can Post-modern religion help show that religion is not declining? (use sociologist)

Answer 10

Lyon (2000) argues that believing without belonging is increasingly popular. He argues that there has been a shift from traditional religion to having a variety of religions showing that religion is not on the decline it is just changing its form.

Question 11

Key word:

What does globalisation mean?

Answer 11

The growing interconnectedness of societies, which has led to greatly increased movements of ideas and beliefs across the world e.g. through the technology and the media.

Question 12

New forms of religion:

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

Answer 12

Through globalisation, religious ideas have become ‘disembedded’ (the media lift them out of physical churches and move them to a different place and time) .

e.g. the ‘electronic church’. Local churches have been relocated to the internet allowing believers to express their faith without physically attending church showing how the boundaries between different areas of social life become blurred in postmodern society and because of this, people can use religious ideas for their own purposes.

This is because the media compresses time and space to give us instant access to the ideas and beliefs of previously remote places and religions.

Question 13

New forms of religion:

How can online religion show that religion is not declining? (use sociologist)

Answer 13

Religion online is when religious organisations uses the internet to address members and potential converts.

This is an electronic version of traditional, hierarchical churches communicating only the officially approved ideas. This appeals to an older audience as it is more traditional and conservative .

Question 14

New forms of religion:

How can online religion show that religion is not declining? (use sociologist)

Answer 14

Online religion is a form of ‘cyber-religion’ that may have no existence outside the internet.

It allows people to create non-hierarchical relationships and a sense of community where they can visit virtual worship and explore shared spiritual interests and provide mutual support.

Question 15

New forms of religion:

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

Answer 15

Lyon’s argues that religion has relocated to the sphere of consumption. While people don’t necessarily belong to a religious organisation they have not left religion.

Instead they have become ‘religious consumers’, making conscious choices about which elements of religion they find useful.

This help to show that religion is not disappearing, religion it is just evolving, taking on new forms that fit the consumerist modern society.

Question 16

New forms of religion:

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

Answer 16

Berger - By having lots of choice with religions, it causes people to doubt their faith as all of them claim to be absolute true and not all of them can be. Religions begin to lack plausibility and traditional churches lose their authority as people become sceptical.

Question 17

New forms of religion:

How does self-religions and the New Age help to show that religion is not on the decline (use sociologist)

Answer 17

Lyons argues that New Age spirituality rejects the idea of obligation and obedience to external authority found in traditional religions.

Instead it argues that individualism is the most important aspect of life e.g. everyone is free to decide what is true for them such as engaging in spiritual shopping, picking and mixing ideas found online and so on.

Question 18

New forms of religion:

How does re-enchantment of the world help show that religion is not declining? (use sociologist)

Answer 18

Lyon argues that we are now in a period of re-enchantment, with the growth of unconventional beliefs, practices and spirituality e.g. New Age spiritualism and spiritual shopping.

Although traditional forms of religion have declined in Europe, Lyon argues that in the West there has been a growing of non-traditional religions and this has also spread to other countries.

Question 19

Criticisms of the New Age:

What are the criticisms of the New Age? e.g. scale

Answer 19

Bruce - the amount of people who do New Age spiritualism is too small to show that religion is not on the decline e.g.
in Kendal in 1851, 38% of the population attended church every Sunday. The 270 people involved in New Age doesnt cover the shortfall that it needs to prove that religion is not on the decline.

This shows how religion is on the decline and the world is becoming more secular.

Question 20

Criticisms of the New Age:

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

Answer 20

Glendinning and Bruce (2006) found that although many people dabbled in New Age spiritualism serious commitment to New Age beliefs and practices was very rare.

Which also shows how religion is on the decline as other alternatives are not a poignant factor in their lifestyle.

Question 21

Key word:

What is the religious market theory?

Answer 21

The idea that people have preferences for certain religious beliefs and practices similar to how people choose products in a market.

Religious groups can be influenced by the competition among different religions and denominations.

Question 22

Religious market theory:

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

Answer 22

Stark and Bainbridge (1986) propose religious market theory.

People are naturally religious and religion meets human needs. Therefore the overall demand for religion remains constant, even though the demand for particular types of religion may vary.

It is human nature to seek rewards and avoid costs.
When people make choices, they weigh up the costs and benefits of the different options available.

Question 23

Religious market theory:

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

Answer 23

Stark and Bainbridge argue that religion is attractive because it provides compensators (supernatural rewards e.g. immortality) when real rewards are unavailable.

They claim only religion can offer such promises, while non-religious ideologies like humanism and communism lack supernatural compensators.

The cycle of renewal - although some religions will decline others will grow but there will always be religion.

e.g. when established churches decline, they leave a gap in the market to attract new followers through other types of religions.

Question 24

Religion market theory:

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

Answer 24

Stark and Bainbridge argue that churches operate like companies selling goods in a market.

They argue that this competition between religions leads to improvements in the quality of religious ‘goods’ on offer.

The churches that make their product the most attractive will succeed in attracting customers meaning churches that aren’t responsive will lose its members.

Question 25

Key word:

What does religious monopoly mean?

Answer 25

A situation where one religion dominates or controls the religious landscape of a society, leaving little room for other belief systems or practices.

Question 26

Religious market theory:

How does religion differ from America to Europe? (use sociologist)

Answer 26

Stark and Bainbridge believe that religion thrives in the USA because there has never been a religious monopoly there.

In America there has always been a great variety of denominations to choose from. This has encouraged the growth of a healthy religious market where religions grow or decline according to consumer demand.

Most European countries have been dominated by a church which had a religious monopoly meaning that competition has been held back and the lack of choice has led to decline.

(More choice of religion means more people are religious)

Question 27

Religious market theory:

How does supply-led religion show that religion is not on the decline? (use sociologists)

Answer 27

Stark and Bainbridge suggest that the demand for religion is shaped by the variety and quality of religious options available, as well as how well they meet people’s needs.

Hadden and Shupe (1988) argue that religious participation in America is driven by the variety of available options, with the rise of televangelism in the 1960s creating competition - means that churches have to work harder otherwise they will lose followers.

Finke (1997) argues that the lifting of immigration restrictions in the 1960s allowed Asian religions like Hare Krishna to establish themselves in the U.S., offering more religious choices to people.

Question 28

Criticisms of religious market theory:

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

Answer 28

Bruce argues that Stark and Bainbridge misinterpret secularisation theory, it doesn’t say that everyone will become atheists just says that religion is on a long term decline.

Norris and Inglehart (2011) show that countries with religious monopolies, like Ireland have high religious participation, while countries with religious pluralism, like Holland, have lower participation (because everyone shares same norms and values)

Question 29

Key word:

What is existential security theory?

Answer 29

The feeling that survival is secure.

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

Question 30

Secularisation and security:

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

Answer 30

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

Poor societies and people face more insecurity, leading to higher religiosity, while rich societies, with greater security, tend to have lower religiosity.

This explains why poor countries remain religious, while wealthier, more secure societies become more secular.

Question 31

Secularisation and security:

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

Answer 31

Norris and Inglehart argue that global population growth undermines the trend towards secularisation.

Rich Western countries have low levels of population growth, whereas poor countries have high rates of religion.

As a result, while rich countries are becoming more secular, the majority of the world is becoming more religious as there are more countries that are poor than rich.

Question 32

Secularisation and security:

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

Answer 32

Norris and Inglehart argue that the trend towards secularisation in Western Europe is due to the high levels of security and equality in these societies, supported by strong welfare states that reduce poverty and insecurity.

In contrast, the United States remains more religious because it is more unequal, with a weaker welfare system and individualistic values, leading to higher levels of poverty and insecurity, which increases the demand for religion.

Question 33

Criticisms of secularisation and security:

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

Answer 33

Vásquez (2007) - Norris and Inglehart only see religion as a negative response to deprivation. They ignore the positive reasons people has for religious participation and the appeal that some types of religion have for the wealthy.