Secularisation Argument

Question 1

Secularisation has happened - P1

Answer 1

Rationalisation
- evidence logical based way of thinking replaced religious
- Protestant reformation
- society enchanted garden, interventionist god, believe miracles but not disenchantment, no magic or demons, god transcendent
- Bruce, plane Crash, gods punishment, black box

Question 2

Secularisation has happened - P2

Answer 2

Structural differentiation - Parsons
- pre-industrial, small village centre round church, medical care and education
- replaced by gov, disengagement of religion, teach evolution in education, legalised gay marriage

Question 3

Secularisation has happened - P3

Answer 3

Diversity of occupations undermines religion
- Wilson, communities share rituals, industrialisation destroys communities and lose religions base
- Bruce, lose knit urban centres with diverse beliefs

Question 4

Secularisation has happened - P4

Answer 4

Plausibility of beliefs
- Middle Ages Catholic was monopoly, no comp, single sacred canopy, no one questioned church
- Bruce, Protestant reformation, sects broke away, no church is an unchallenged monopoly
- Berger, crisis of credibility, relative not absolutes, opt out of religion

Question 5

Secularisation has not happened - P1

Answer 5

Cultural defence - Iran

Question 6

Secularisation has not happened - P2

Answer 6

Fundamentalism
- unwavering obedience to religious laws
- Almond et al, NCR
- Roof and McKinney, growth of conservative Protestant Christians in us, more likely attend church

Question 7

Secularisation has not happened - P3

Answer 7

Resacrilisation
- continue vitality of beliefs, shift trad religions to individualistic spirituality, not disappearing but reoriented
- pick and mix identity, church to crystal healing
- Lyon found last 4 decades as period of reenchantment, growth of unconventional beliefs, Kendal project

Question 8

Secularisation has not happened - P4

Answer 8

Religious market theory
- secularisation is Eurocentric
- churches operate like firms, comp is good for religion, improve standard of product, if make services attractive will succeed, demand increase
- when religious monopoly, standards lower
- America never monopoly so thrives, Europe state churches where declining

Question 9

Secularisation has not happened - P5

Answer 9

Existential security theory
- Norris and Inglehart, low income groups less secure, risk from famine, disease, third world countries remain religious,
- rich countries have the welfare state act as safety net from economic difficulty, when no safety net turn religion for comfort when weaker welfare state

Question 10

Religion is changing - P1

Answer 10

Davie - belief without belonging
- more privatised form, church attendance matter of choice, not obligation, London internet church,
- increase vicarious religion, where small number of clergy practice religion on behalf of larger no. ppl, experience second hand, baptisms, funerals

Question 11

Religion is changing - P2

Answer 11

Kendal project - Heelas and woodhead
- congregational domain, people who go to church and holistic milieu, crystals and yoga
- 7.9% attend church - decrease
- 1.6% take part in holistic milieu - increase

Question 12

Religion is changing - P3

Answer 12

Bellah - individualised religion
- sheilaism - 333 million religiously in America, own interpretation of what religion means, shows importance of spirituality in people lives today, used to be about collective

Question 13

Religion is changing - P4

Answer 13

Spiritual shopping
- Hervieu-Leger, cultural amnesia, parents let kids choose, greater social equality, don’t have power to impose religion on people
- individual consumerism replaced collective tradition, fit with our lifestyle
- Pilgrims, search for self discovery, and converts, join groups with strong sense of belonging