religion in the contemporary world

Question 1

two dimensions of religion

Answer 1

practice and thinking

Question 2

r practice

Answer 2

actively carried out things

Question 3

r thinking

Answer 3

influence of beliefs and values

Question 4

durkheim

Answer 4

religion would last but become slowly less important

Question 5

weber

Answer 5

religion would progressively dissipate

Question 6

marx

Answer 6

religion would disappear when capitalism did

Question 7

ways to measure religiosity

Answer 7

1. attendance
2. religious disengagement
3. religious pluralism
4. desacralisation and rationalisation
5. secularisation of religious institutions

Question 8

measuring attendance

Answer 8

wilson = decline in church attendance, including for weddings

only some churches have increasing membership (jehovah’s witnesses, sikhs)

church attendance remains valued in some places

different churches measure church attendance in different ways

Question 9

evidence against measuring attendance

Answer 9

bad method because

it assumes religion has always been important

believing without belonging

davie = vicarious religion (a small group of people carry out practices on behalf of a larger group)

Question 10

religious disengagement

Answer 10

wilson = churches are losing their materials and prestige

bruce = the church and the state are becoming more separate

the church is no longer the centre of the community

Question 11

evidence against religious disengagement

Answer 11

bad method because

religion has changed to meet individual needs, leaving the state doesn’t mean it makes people less religious

religion remains important in some cultures (asia)

number of faith schools has increased

Question 12

religious pluralism

Answer 12

religion no longer unites society

beliefs are becoming optional

‘spiritual shoppers’ - people are non-commital to religion

Question 13

evidence against religious pluralism

Answer 13

bad method because

religion is being revived

interest and belief in the sacred is coming back

stark and bainbridge - nam and nrm are religious compensators to meet individual needs

Question 14

desacralisation and rationalisation

Answer 14

the world is becoming more rational

Question 15

evidence against desacralisation and rationalisation

Answer 15

bad method because

some people still believe in fate or luck

religion helps people cope with stress

Question 16

secularisation of religious institutions

Answer 16

bruce - some religious beliefs have been watered down (my example: churches embracing the idea of santa as well as the nativity)

religious beliefs are a way of life not necessarily aligned with church attendance

Question 17

evidence against secularisation of religious institutions

Answer 17

bad method because

fundamentalist religions require strong commitment, including churches

Question 18

heelas and woodhead - the kendal project

Answer 18

comparing church attendance to the popularity of spirituality, they found that traditional religion was declining and nam was increasing

spirituality is mostly attractive to women aged 45-60

the rise in nam is too small to compensate for declining church attendance so there is no spiritual revolution

Question 19

evidence for globalisation increasing religiosity

Answer 19

1. cultural defence - some groups turn to religion to protect their culture
2. cultural transition - people use religion as support when moving international
3. interconnectivity - the media helps to connect people to other religions
4. greater choice - postmodernity means more religions are available
5. religious pluralism - picking and mixing religious beliefs
6. westoxification - growing fundamentalism to counteract western impositions
7. marginalisation and material/social deprivation - people living in poverty seek support in religion

Question 20

evidence for globalisation leading to secularisation

Answer 20

1. the spread of western secular ideologies - people challenge religious faith
2. religious plurality - waters down religion
3. postmodernity - social pressure to conform to religion is lacking
4. changing role of women - reject religious ideals for liberation