Religion and Age Flashcards
Age differences
The under 15’s and over 65’s are more likely to be religious.
Voas and Crockett (effects)
Identify 2 reasons for age differences: the ageing effect and the generational effect. These are the views that people turn to religion as they get older because as we approach death we become more concerned with spiritual matters and the afterlife. The other view being that as society becomes more secular, each new generation is less religious than the one before, thus there are more old people than young people in church. The generational effect is more significant, they claim each generation is as half religious as their parents.
Older people and religion
This is because of disengagement: as you get older you are less integrated into society within jobs and other institutions therefore increasing social isolation, religion provides a form of social support. Religious socialization, and this is likely to have a greater emphasis on older people as they experienced this when they were younger and may refind this. Ill health and death; comfort, coping, meaning and support.
The declining attraction of religion
Mainstream organizations are very unattractive to most young people, finding services boring, repetitive and old-fashioned, full of old people and out of touch with styles and attitudes of this generation. Controversial issues like abortion, contraception and ordination of women priests, gay priests and gay rights.
Lynch and Roof
Expanded spiritual marketplace, this involves growing exposure and accessibility to a wide diversity of religious and spiritual ideas. Immigration and new age spirituality and movements have led to greater significance of other religions: more sources to build religious and spiritual beliefs, identities and lifestyles.
‘Believing not belonging’
Davie believes that young people may be choosing to treat their religion as a private matter. Not making public display of what they believe through involvement of religious organizations.
Secular spirituality and the sacred
Develops Durkheim’s conception of the ‘sacred’. When people become particularly attached to objects, experiences, other people or things: this becomes sacred. Lynch suggests young people are just finding new forms which are more accepted within the secular and non-religious society.
Lyotard (secularization)
Religion has less of an impact to influence how people think. Metanarratives don’t provide the explanations wanted and young people often pick and choose different beliefs.
Declining religious education
Bruce believes that the Church of England is unable to recruit young people because of the lack of socialization within schools and religious education. This evidence is shown in the decrease of Sunday schools (by 2000 has reduced to just 1 in 25 children).
Pragmatic reasons
Leisure has become more important, shops, clubs and pubs. Young people have more demand on their time; have more interesting things to do. Its ‘uncool’ to be religious: social pressure condones this.
