religion, renewal and choice Flashcards
(7 cards)
Postmodernism
Post modernism seeks to explain explosion of religious sects and cults and contemporary capitalist societies, it locates religious movement such as fundamentalism within the conditions of contemporary postmodern living, as it offers ‘certainty in an uncertain’ world and ‘removes risk’.
Post-modernists arguments against secularisation. 1) religious market theory.
-Stark and bainbridge suggest thought there was no golden age of religion in the past as implied by circulation theory. They argue that religion goes through a per petrol, cycle of religious decline, revival and renewal.
- They argue that there are two reasons why religion will always be needed
1) people are naturally religious and religion meets human needs
2) it is human nature to seek rewards and avoid costs. Religion is attractive because it provides us with compensators.
Negatives - Bruce criticises this by arguing that they have misinterpreted secular ation theory he argues that theory does not stress. There was ever a golden age nor does it argue that everyone will eventually be atheist.
2) existential security theory
Norris and inglehart argue that the demand for religion various both within and between society is based on the different degrees of existential security. Existential security is the feeling that survival is secure enough to be taken for granted. This explains why Third World countries remain religious while most western countries have become more secular.
Negatives- Vasquez criticises existential security theory suggesting that Norris and Inglehart only see religion as a negative response to deprivation. This ignores positive reasons for religion participation and the appeal it has for the wealthy.
Postmodernist arguments for religion developing. 1) believing without belonging (davie)
Davi argues that religion has become a private affair where people can be religious without attending a place of worship. He also argues that religion has become more of vicarious which is only using religion when needed.
Negative- Bruce argues that believing without belonging isn’t strong enough for sexualisation even if added up there’s an ultimate decline in religion.
2) spiritual shopping
Nervier-lever argues that in a postmodern society people go spiritual shopping she argues that cultural amnesia has occurred where we have largely lost religion that used to be handed down from generation to generation instead of being born into religion. Parents are allowing children to choose what to believe making them more like consumers. Therefore, they might shop around for a religion that best suits their needs.
Negatives- this idea doesn’t apply to all countries such as those who are recognised as a religious state. For example, people in Iran may not be able to shop around further beliefs allowing the individual to express their faith as it goes against the laws and customs of their country.
3) disneyfication of religion
- Lyon puts forward the idea that religion is becoming ‘disneyfied’ meaning that it has chip market and packaged itself as a consumer product in a postmodern society for example the development of the mass media has resulted in the creation of electronic church on the Internet and televangelism in the media.
- Lyon found that some churches in Los Angeles were hosting religious events such as harvest day crusades in Disneyland. This is an attempt to make religion more appealing.
Negatives - hoover found that resources such as electronic church only supplement the church-based activities it doesn’t replace them.
4) the growth of NRM’s and NAM’s
- NRM a smaller scale religion with not as many followers as traditional religion such as churches
- NAM’s focus spiritually and betterment, not strict rules and members are like clients who take part in a service
Globalisation has led to the spread of religious ideas and new religious beliefs and practices for example practice such as Meditation have been taken from these eastern religions in used in the formation of new practices.
Negatives - Bruce criticises the view of the growth of religious movements replace in traditional religion. he argues NRM‘s and NAM would have to be springing up on a much larger scale to compensate for the number of people leaving traditional Christian faith in the UK.
