Religious Dialogues Flashcards
What are some parts of society based in Christianity?
School terms are based around Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter
The Christian calendar influences other British traditions e.g. Valentine’s Day and Shrove Tuesday
The week has seven days, possibly reflecting the biblical creation story
Until recently shops could not open on Sundays
Popular names such as Daniel and Sarah come from the Bible
What are the percentages of different religions in the UK from the 2011 Census?
Christianity - 59.4% No religion - 24.7% Not stated - 7.2% Islam - 5% Hinduism - 1.5%
What does Census data say about trends in Christianity’s popularity?
The number of Christians had fallen 12% since 2001
The number of people with no religion had risen 10%
The number of Muslims had risen 10%
What does establishment mean?
The Church has strong links with the State; for example, the Monarch is both Head of State and Supreme Governor of the Church of England
What does the Monarch do as Supreme Governor of the Church of England?
Crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of the CofE
Vows at coronation to maintain the Church
Approves the appointment of senior clerics, who take an oath of loyalty to the Monarch
Opens sessions of the General Synod and gives Royal Assent to Measures
What is the history of the Church in Wales?
When Wales was absorbed into the UK the Anglican Church in Wales was part of the CofE
During the nineteenth century, Welsh Anglicans and other Protestants felt the CofE was marginalising the Church in Wales, so it was disestablished in 1920
What is the history of the Church in Scotland?
The Church in Scotland is the national established Church in Scotland. It is Presbyterian not Anglican. The Anglican Church, the Scottish Episcopal Church, never had any connection with the CofE.
What is the history of the Church in Northern Ireland?
The Church of Ireland was the established church, but in 1870 the UK Parliament disestablished the Church of Ireland and separated it from the CofE. It is Protestant.
What are the roles of religion in public life?
Bishops in the House of Lords
Christian services to mark key events
Public holidays based on Christian celebrations
Church schools
What are Lords Spiritual?
26 Lords in the House of Lords who are senior bishops of the Church of England
What are some Christian services to mark key events?
Baptism - celebrates a birth and welcomes them to the Church
Marriage - marks the coming together of two people to start a family
Funerals - dead people are remembered and loved ones can say goodbye
National Service of Remembrance - held in November in London to remember service personnel in Wars. Includes Christian prayers and hymns
What are public holidays based on Christian celebrations?
Half of the eight public holidays in England and Wales mark Christian occasions:
Good Friday - the death of Jesus
Easter Monday - celebrates belief of the resurrection of Jesus
Christmas Day - the birth of Jesus
Boxing Day
What are faith schools?
Schools with income coming from public funds but with a religious character, meaning they have formal links with a faith organisation. They may appoint a large proportion of school governors, who may appoint teachers and leaders who share their faith. About one third of state schools in England and Wales are faith schools; 98% of them have a Christian character.
How are schools meant to deal with religion?
All pupils must be taught religious education. RE should reflect thar English traditions are mostly Christian. All schools should provide a daily act of worship - more than half of acts of worships should be Christian.
What are arguments for and against faith schools?
For:
Religious groups contribute 10% of the costs of some faith schools
Parents should be able to choose schools for their children that share their values
Against:
Churches should completely fund schools if they want to influence them
Schools should not be able to choose governors or pupils based on religion
Faith schools often select the wealthiest pupils so do not represent their communities
What is secularisation?
The idea that religious beliefs, practices, and organisations are becoming less important in society
How did Max Weber describe secularisation?
The disenchantment of the world
What is the evidence for secularisation?
Religious teachings and organisations are no longer respected
People can rely on material comforts for happiness so have less need for supernatural ideas
Religion has become a private matter with less public influence
People are increasingly less committed to religious values and practices like prayer and worship
Religion has become a ‘leisure pursuit’ rather than a deep commitment
What do the sociologists Bryan Wilson and Steve Bruce say are the causes of secularisation?
Rationalisation: People use science to explain the universe and reject religion, which cannot be proved
Differentiation: The Church used to control or influence large parts of people’s life (e.g. education, hospitals and government) which are now run by non-religious organisations
Decline of community: The rise of the internet has made the world seem bigger; people no longer live in small communities, which used to be held together by the Church
What is other, more empirical evidence of secularisation?
Fewer people attend church services
Fewer people are willing to work in the Church
Many churches are being closed or sold off
Fewer people are getting married
Fewer people are getting baptised or confirmed
Most people do not go to church at Easter and Christmas
What is evidence against secularisation?
Most people still hold religious beliefs
Religion is very important in the lives of many social groups, especially minority groups e.g. Muslims
Some new religious movements and eastern religions have considerable popularity
Religion is still very strong in other parts of the world e.g. Latin America and the Middle East
Religion is still important in some modern countries e.g. the USA
What is humanism?
A way of seeing and reacting to the world using science, logic and reason, and rejecting religious beliefs and ideas
What are the three central principles humanists share?
A scientific view of the universe that rejects supernatural beliefs
A concern for the welfare of other human beings and animals based on reason
The need for each person to create meaning in their own life without a belief in life after death
What does the National Secular Society say about faith schools and the teaching of education?
They say that non-religious and humanist world views should be taught alongside religions and that no religion or world view should have greater importance than any other.
What are some clashes between secular and Christian views on marriage?
Civil marriage is a legal ceremony, which goes against Christian views that marriage is a spiritual bond that must take place in a church
Same-sex marriage is legal in most of the UK, which is against Christian teaching. The Catholic Church does not recognise them
Divorce is legal, which is not recognised by the Catholic Church
