Topic 6 - Organisations, movements and members ( 2 )

Question 1

What are some gender differences in religiosity?

Answer 1

• Most Churchgoers are female and they are more likely than men to attend Church regularly
• More women than men believe that religion is important to them
• Fewer women than men are atheists

Question 2

According to Miller and Hoffman what are the reasons for women’s higher religiosity than men??

Answer 2

• They argue that there are three reasons for higher religiosity
• First one being gender differences in risk taking, men are more risk taking than women thus they are more likely to take a risk of not being religious, where as women are less risk taking so do not take the risk as they will believe that they will go to hell if they do not conform
• Secondly, women are more religious because they are socialised to be passive and obedient, and these are the qualities valued by most religions, thus women would be more attracted to religion than men
• Thirdly, they note that women’s gender roles mean they are more likely than men to work part time or to be full time housewives , this means they have more time on their hands and thus more opportunities for religious involvement

Question 3

What does Davie say the reason for higher religious involvement is?

Answer 3

• Davie notes that women are closer to birth and death through child bearing and caring for the elderly and the sick) , thus this brings them closer to ultimate questions about the meaning of life that religion is concerned with

Question 4

According to Bruce and Brown why is women involvement in religion higher ?

Answer 4

• Bruce argues it is because of their lower levels in paid work
• Over the past 2 centuries, religion has been driven out of the male dominated public sphere of work to the private sphere of family and personal life , which is the sphere that women are most concerned with
• As religion has become privatised, men’s religiosity has declined more quicker than women’s
• However by the 1960s, Brown notes that more women were taking on the masculine roles in the home and this led to “the decline of female piety” where women were also withdrawing from religion
• However religion still remains attractive to women more than men because it aligned with their caring values and men’s rapid withdrawal from church meant that they became feminised.

Question 5

What is evaluation of Bruce and Brown?

Answer 5

• Focuses too much on traditional outdated gender norms
• generalises women’s experiences

Question 6

What is an example of increased religiosity involvement from women?

Answer 6

• Heelas and Woodhead found that 80% of the participants of New age movements in Kendal were women
• This may be due to the fact that New age movements emphasise healing and self development and this may be appealing to women due to their nurturing roles
• New age movements are also more attractive to women because it emphasises on the importance of being genuine rather than acting out roles such as gender roles, this may be more attractive because women because they are more likely to see their own roles as restrictive
• New age movements may be more attractive to women as they act as a third sphere for women, Woodhead calls this the individual sphere which emphasises on personal growth

Question 7

Why is Pentecostalism attractive to women?

Answer 7

• Despite being patriarchal as it sees men as head of the house and head of the Church - - Pentecostalism it is still very attractive to women
• Brusco’s study in Columbia shows how Pentecostalism offered women a disciplined lifestyle that countered male dominated behavior
• Thus these women were able to utilise these ideas to combat men and gain control over the household finances and decisions

Question 8

What are reasons for ethnic differences in religious involvement ?

Answer 8

• One is the idea that most minority ethnic groups originate from poorer countries with traditional cultures, which produces higher levels of religious beliefs.
• Cultural Defence, Bruce argues that religion can act as a defence mechanism against oppression or the loss of cultural identity. Thus religion amongst minorities can be a basis for community solidarity and a way to preserve one’s culture and a way to cope with oppression in a racist society for example Black Africans found that white Churches were not welcoming with them so they would form black led churches instead

Question 9

According to Sociologists how is Cultural transition a reason for ethnic differences in religion?

Answer 9

• Religion can help immigrants adapt to a new society by providing support and a sense of community for minority groups in their new environment
• For example Bruce found that religion provided a focal point for African, Caribbean and muslim communities
• however once a group has made the transition, religion may lose its role and its importance may decline