Secularisation

Secularisation

The decline in the social significance of religion.

What did Wilson find out?

Wilson found that Church attendance in the UK had fallen from 40% of the population in the nineteenth century to 10-15%. This is due to a decrease in the influence of religion as a social institution. For example, the church influenced public life; for example, we had bishops who would sit in the House of Lords, so they influenced law-making. Churches also provided education; however, now they have both been taken over by the state.

Max Weber’s Rationalisation

Rationalisation refers to the process by which rational ways of thinking have replaced religious ones, the process of rationalisation was started by the protestant reformation, in the Middle Ages there was a catholic world view, that saw the world as enchanted and believed that God and other spiritual beings and forces, were believed to be present in the world and intervening in the world. Therefore, they would use religious explanations; however, the protestant reformation brought a Protestant view that God was transcendent and out of this world, as he did not intervene in this world, he could not be an explanation for things. This brought in the disenchantment of the world; it squeezes out magical ways of thinking and introduces rational ways of thinking. As events were no longer explained as supernatural beings, they used rational explanations, including reason and science.

Bruce’s Technological World View

Bruce argues that the growth of a technological world view has replaced religious explanations of why things happen. When a plane crashes, people would not explain this event as the work of the devil, instead, they would see it as a technological explanation, such as engine failure. People look for a scientific and technological explanation rather than a religious explanation. Religion only survives in areas where technology is least effective, we may pray for help if we are suffering from an illness, for which scientific medicine has no cure.

Religious Diversity by Berger

A cause of secularisation is religious diversity. In the Middle Ages, the catholic church held an absolute monopoly, meaning it had no competition. Because of this, everyone lived under a sacred canopy. This also means a set of beliefs shared by everyone. These beliefs were more convincing because they had no challenges and were seen as the truth. The protestant reformation brought in a variety of religious organisations. As each of these religions had a different version of the truth, the church no longer holds a monopoly. People are no longer under the sacred canopy (people no longer live under the same set of beliefs). Berger argues that this creates secularisation, due to many different religious beliefs, there are many different truths, and this creates uncertainty; people are likely to question all of them. And religious beliefs are now seen as your point of view.

Criticism: Berger says that diversity and choice should actually stimulate interest and participation in religion, for example, having lots of religions and asking people to pick out which religion is best suited for them. This gives more scope for people

Sociological and Cultural Diversity by Wilson

Wilson argues that the move the preindustrial society to industrial society brings about the decline of community. In pre-industrial society, there were tight-knit communities, and so they had collective religious rituals that integrated the individuals however, religion lost its basis due to society becoming industrialised. This is because stable local communities were lost, therefore, religion could hold over the communities. Bruce adds that geographical mobility breaks up communities and brings people together from many different backgrounds, creating more diversity.

Cultural defence and transition

Religion provides a focal point for the defence of a group identity (national, ethnic, or local). In a struggle against an external force, such as people in power. American Civil Rights movement (see topic two). Cultural transition, religion provides support when ethnic groups migrate to another country, it provides a sense of community for ethnic groups, and it provides comfort for them when they are in a society that they are unfamiliar with. (please see notes)

Secularisation from within by Weber

Bruce argues that American religion has adjusted to the modern world, showing how there’s secularisation from within. The traditional Christian basis of glorifying God has declined, and religion in America has become psychologized or turned into a form of therapy, so the purpose of religion has changed to seeking salvation (getting a place in heaven), to seeking personal improvement. American Religion has remained popular by remaining less religious.