Topic 4 - Religion, Renewal and Choice Flashcards
How does new forms of religion reject secularisation theory?
Some sociologists reject the secularisation thesis that religion is undergoing an inevitable decline in modern Western society. Instead they argue that, while some aspects of traditional religion are in decline, new forms are emerging, often as a result of changes in wider society such as greater individualism, choice and consumerism.
What does Grace Davie (2013) argue about obligation towards religion in modern society?
Grace Davie (2013) argues that in today’s late modern society, we are seeing a major change in religion, away from obligation and towards consumption or choice. In the past, churches such as the Church of England and the Catholic Church could ‘oblige people to go to church, to believe certain things and to behave in certain ways.’
This is no longer the case: religion is no longer inherited or imposed, but a matter of personal choice. As Davie puts it, ‘I go to church because I want to.’
Have England and France kept infant baptism as obligatory? What does this say about consumption of religion?
For example, in England and France, infant baptism was once seen as an obligatory rite of passage, but now only a minority of babies are baptised. By contrast, there has been an increase in the number of adults making an individual choice to be baptised. Religion is no longer inherited or imposed, but a matter of personal choice.
Davie’s view on believing without belonging
In sociology, “believing without belonging” refers to a situation where someone holds certain beliefs or identifies with a particular group, but they don’t actively participate or belong to that group in a formal or organized way.
Davie argues that religion is not declining but simply taking a different, more privatised form. People are increasingly reluctant to belong to organisations, whether these are churches, political parties or trade unions. But despite this, people still hold religious beliefs
Vicarious religion: the Spiritual Health Service - what does this mean
The concept of “vicarious religion” by Grace Davie describes a trend in parts of Europe, notably Britain, where a minority of actively religious individuals, including clergy, practice religion on behalf of the majority. This leads to a situation where many people experience religion indirectly, relying on others for religious practices. Despite low church attendance, people identify with churches as a “Spiritual Health Service” for major life events and national occasionsike the public mourning over the death of Princess Diana in 1997. This signifies “believing without belonging,” where people maintain beliefs and attachment to the institution without regular participation. This challenges traditional secularization theory, suggesting diverse forms of modernity affect religious engagement differently in various societies.
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Voas and Crocket (2005) on criticing Davie’s claim on more believing than belonging
Voas and Crockett (2005) do not accept Davie’s claim that there is more believing than belonging. Evidence from** 5,750** respondents shows that both church attendance and belief in God are declining together. If Davie were right, we would expect to see higher levels of belief.
Bruce (2011) criticing neither believing nor belonging
Bruce (2011) adds that if people are not willing to invest time in going to church, this just reflects the declining strength of their beliefs. When people no longer believe, they no longer wish to belong, and so their involvement in religion diminishes.
2011 Census results show that 63% of people identified themselves as Christian, which supports the “believing without belonging’ view.
Abby Day (2007) criticing believing not belonging
Abby Day (2007) found that very few of the ‘Christians’ she interviewed mentioned God or Christianity. Their reason for describing themselves as Christian was not religious, but simply a way of saying they belonged to a ‘White English’ ethnic group. As Day puts it, they ‘believe in belonging’. Describing themselves as ‘Christian’ was actually a non-religious marker of their ethnic or national identity.
Danièle Hervieu-Léger (2000; 2006) on decline in relgion over generations
his is partly because of what she calls cultural amnesia, or a loss of collective memory. For centuries, children used to be taught religion in the extended family and parish church. Nowadays, however, we have largely lost the religion that used to be handed down from generation to generation, because few parents now teach their children about religion. Instead, parents today let children decide for themselves what to believe.
How was greater social equality weakened the Church’s ability to impose religious beliefs on individuals?
At the same time, the trend towards greater social equality has undermined the traditional power of the Church to impose religion on people from above. In the context of religion, it suggests that the Church’s historical authority and power to enforce religious beliefs and practices on people have diminished. As a result, young people no longer have a fixed religious identity imposed on them through socialisation and they are ignorant of traditional religion.
2 religious types emerging according to Hervieu-Léger (relating to religion being a spiritual journey)
- Pilgrims are like those in the holistic milieu in the Kendal Project. They follow an individual path in a search for self-discovery, for example exploring New Age spirituality by joining groups, or through individual ‘therapy’. The demand is created by today’s emphasis on personal development.
- Converts join religious groups that offer a strong sense of belonging, usually based on a shared ethnic background or religious doctrine. Such groups re-create a sense of community in a society that has lost many of its religious traditions. As in the Kendal Project, these include evangelical movements and also the churches of minority ethnic groups.
owever, Hervieu-Léger notes that religion does continue to have some influence on society’s values. How?
For example, the values of equality and human rights have their roots in religion, she argues. Such values can be a source of shared cultural identity and social solidarity, even for those who are not actively involved in religion.
Define globalisation
Globalisation refers to the growing interconnectedness of societies, which has led to greatly increased movements of ideas and beliefs across national boundaries
Religious ideas have become ‘disembedded’ means -
the media lift them out of physical churches and move them to a different place and time. For example, the ‘electronic church’ and televangelism disembed religion from real, local churches and relocate it on the Internet, allowing believers to express their faith without physically attending church - an example of how the boundaries between different areas of social life become blurred in postmodern society
Thus, religion becomes de-institutionalised means
detached from its place in religious institutions, floating in cyber- space. Removed from their original location in the church, religious ideas become a cultural resource that individuals can adapt for their own purposes.
Religion online means
Religion online is a form of top-down communication where a religious organisation uses the internet to address members and potential converts. There is no feedback or dialogue between the parties. This is an electronic version of the traditional, hierarchical communication of churches to their members, communicating only the officially approved ideas.
Online religion means
Online religion is a form of ‘cyber-religion’ that may have no existence outside the internet. It is a ‘many-to-many’ form of communication that allows individuals to create non- hierarchical relationships and a sense of community where they can visit virtual worship or meditation spaces, explore shared spiritual interests and provide mutual support.
Hoover et al (2004) argues about how while postmodernists might see online religion as a radical new alternative that may be replacing religion:
However, while postmodernists might see online religion as a radical new alternative that may be replacing religion, evidence from Hoover et al (2004) shows that for most users, it is just a supplement to their church-based activities rather than a substitute for them.
Meaning of becoming ‘religious consumers’
As Hervieu-Léger emphasises, this is also true of religion, where we act as ‘spiritual shoppers’, choosing religious beliefs and practices to meet our individual needs, from the vast range available in the religious marketplace.
Example of religious consumerism of churches
For example, the American Christian fundamentalists in Nancy Ammerman’s (1987) study made use of a number of churches without giving strong loyalty to any of them. One family attended services at a Methodist church and bereavement counselling at a Baptist church, while taking their children to another church for day care.
One effect of having a great variety of religious products to choose from is a loss of faith
The abundance of diverse religious choices erodes belief in all-encompassing “meta-narratives,” including traditional religions. With access to conflicting beliefs, people grow skeptical of singular truths. This weakens religions asserting sole authority, like traditional churches, causing their decline.
