beliefs: secularisation

weber- rationalisation

• rational ways of thinking replace religious ones

• protestant reformation begun by martin luther in C16 started rationalisation of life in west

• undermined religious worldview of middle ages, replaced with scientific outlook

• medieval catholic worldview saw world as ‘enchanted garden’

• disenchantment:

• protestantism saw god as transcendent

• events now explained as predictable workings of natural forces

• rationality needed to understand them

• no longer need for religious explanations of world

• protestant reformation begins disenchantment of world

• science can thrive

technological worldview

• bruce: replaced religious or supernatural explanations

• leaves little room for religious explanations, only survive where technology is least effective e.g. praying for recovery of incurable illness

• scientific knowledge results in people taking religion less seriously

parsons- structural differentiation

• process of specialisation that occurs with development of industrial society

• separate specialised institutions develop to carry out functions previously done by single institution

• with industrialisation religion has become smaller and more specialised institution

• disengagement of religion- functions transferred to other institutions like state and become disconnected from wider society

• bruce: religion become privatised to home and family - personal choice and religious institutions list influence

berger- religious diversity

• many interpretations of faith

• in MA catholic church held monopoly so everyone lived under sacred canopy

• gave beliefs greater plausibility as had no challenge

• changed with protestant reformation, since then number of religious organisations continued to grow

• religious diversity- no church can claim monopoly of truth

• creates plurality of life worlds where perceptions of world vary

• creates crisis of credibility for religion

• diversity undermines plausibility structure- reasons people find it believable

• religious beliefs become relative rather than absolute

bruce- cultural defence and transition

• cultural defence

• religion provides focal point for defence of national, ethnic, local or group identity in a struggle against an external force

• popularity of catholicism in poland before fall of communism

• cultural transition

• religion provides support and sense of community for ethnic groups

• migrants to a different country and culture

secularisation in america

• bruce: secularisation from within

• trad christian beliefs declined and religion become psychologised

• fits in with secular society

• remained popular by becoming less religious

• from seeking salvation to personal improvement

• churchgoers becoming less dogmatic

• bruce: trend towards practical relativism involving acceptance that others are entitled to hold beliefs that are different to one’s own