Unit 4: Secularisation

Question 1

Define ‘Secularisation’

Answer 1

The idea that religious beliefs, practices and organisations are becoming less important in society.

Question 2

Examples of secularisation influencing society

Answer 2

• Church on Zoom/YouTube
• 60 minute sermons on Instagram
• You don’t need to go to Church for 30 minutes, you can just watch a quick sermon for 60 seconds on social media

Question 3

What does Max Weber describe secularisation as?

Answer 3

• ‘The disenchantment of the world.’
• He means that as society modernises and becomes more industrialised and scientific in its outlook, people have less need to rely on ideas that can’t be proved.

Question 4

What do Bryan Wilson and Steve Bruce say about secularisation?

Answer 4

• Evident that it’s happening in everyday life
• Religious teachings and organisations are no longer respected
• People can rely on material comforts for happiness and so have less need to believe in supernatural ideas
• Religion has become a private matter and has less influence in public life
• People are less committed to religious practices like prayer
• Religion has become a ‘leisure pursuit’ rather than a deep commitment

Question 5

British Social Attitudes Survey stats

Answer 5

• The COE has suffered the biggest decline, falling from 40% of the population in 1938 to 17% in 2014
• The amount of people who say they are Catholics and other Christians has remained fairly stable at 25%
• The amount of people who are Muslim increased from 0.5% in 1983 to 5% in 2014
• The fastest-growing group consists of those who say they have no religion
• The majority of the population still agrees that ‘The Church of England should keep its status as the official established Church in England.’

Question 6

What is Rationalisation?

Answer 6

People use science to explain the universe and the place of human beings in it. They reject religion, which can’t be proved.

Question 7

What is Differentiation?

Answer 7

The Church used to control or influence large parts of people’s lives (e.g. education or government). Today these are all run by different non-religious organisations.

Question 8

What is meant by ‘decline of community’?

Answer 8

As means of communication have improved, the world seems bigger. People no longer live in small communities, which used to be held together by the Church.

Question 9

How are people more influenced by non-religious institutions, such as the media?

Answer 9

• Fewer people attend church services
• Fewer people are willing to work in the Church
• Many churches are being closed or sold off
• Fewer people get married now than in the past
• The great Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter have lost their Christian significance.

Question 10

What may people who disagree with secularisation say?

Answer 10

• Even though traditional religious beliefs and organisations have lost their appeal, most people do still hold religious beliefs
• Religion is very important in many social groups like Muslims
• Sections of the Islamic world, Latin America and Africa have strong religious beliefs even though there is a decline the Western World
• In the USA, a modern country, religion is still very important