topic 3- secularisation

scientific thinking

E: Weber- protestant reformation led to the disenchantment of society → removed religious explanations and led to the dominance of rational thought

R: Bruce- rise of technology creates scientific explanations for things previously explained by God

C: during covid 19 53 mil in the UK got the covid jab but 59% of UK churches reported an increase in interest

structural differentiation

P: industrialisation leads to functions becoming specialised to specific institutions

E: Parsons- leads to disengagement of religion as its functions are transferred to other institutions and loses its social influence

R: Bruce- religion has become privatised, confined to the private sphere and relying on individual choice

C: Woodhead- religion and spirituality is still prominent in spheres like education and culture

decline of community

P: industrial society means a decline in community and therefore in religion

E: Wilson- in pre industrial communities shared values were expressed through religious rituals

R: Bruce- industrialisation undermines the religious values which hold rural communities together as they have to move to urban areas → geographical mobility and diversity break them up

C: Aldrige- community doesn’t have to be in a particular area → imagined communities which interact through global media 

religious practises

E: Wilson- as society becomes more secular religious institutions and practises lose influence → rise in bogus baptisms to get into faith schools

R: decline in church attendance → 5% of UK adult population attending church on a Sunday in 2015

C: Davie- people can hold religious beliefs without attending church and that religion is experiencing a transformation not a decline

religious diversity

E: Berger- reformation has led to religious diversity → we are no longer unified under the sacred canopy that the catholic church → this undermines a religions claim to have a monopoly truth

R: Bruce- says treating multiple viewpoints as equally valid means there is no truth → becomes more reasonable to opt out of religion

C: Beckford- opposing views can strengthen a groups commitment to their religion

secularisation in the US

E: Hadaway- researched attendance in church services in Ohio and interviewed people on whether they attended church → level of attendance people claimed was 83% higher than the attendance they found

R: Bruce- religion has moved away from worshipping God and has become psychologised → focus on self improvement has allowed it to fit into modern society

C: attendance doesn’t reflect belief → 83% of Americans believe in God from 2025 study