Religiosity & Social Groups - Gender and Religiosity

What did research by (Davie 1994) find about gender differences on religious beliefs?

Believing in God: Men 75% | Women 84%

Believing in Sin: Women 72% | Men 66%

Believing in Evil: Women 76% | Men 58%

Believing in the Devil: Women 42% | Men 32%

Believing in Life after Death: 57% | Men 39%

What other indications are there for Gender differences in Religion? (1)

• Most churchgoers and they are most likely than men to attend church regularly. Bierley, 2005 states that female churchgoers outnumber by almost half a million.

• From British Social Attitudes Survey (2012) more women than men (55% versus 44%) say they have a religion.

• According to Miller and Hoffman, 1995 women express greter interest in religion and have a stronger personal commitment to it.

What other indications are there for Gender differences in Religion? (2)

• In all major faiths in the UK (except Sikhs) women are more likely to practise their religion according Ferguson & Hussey, 2010.

• Also from the British Social Attitudes Survey more women (38%) than men (26%) say religion is important to them and more women (40%) describe themselves as ‘spiritual’ compared with 28% of men.

• Voas (2015) claim that fewer women are agnostics or atheists compared with men (34% & 54% respectively).

What are the Reasons for Gender Differences in Sociology? (1)

1. Miller & Hoffman suggest that women are less likely to take risks than men. Not participating in religion could be viewed as risky which might led to being condemned to hell.

2. Miller & Hoffman also claimed that women are more religious because they are socialised to be more passive, obedient and caring. These qualities are valued by many religions so it is more likely that women will be more involved.

3. Miller & Hoffman suggest that because women are more likely than men to work part-time or to be full-time carers, so they have more opportunity to organise their time to participate in religious activities. Tripe Shift - Ducan & Marsden.

4. Greeley (1992) argues that women’s role in taking care of other family members increases their religiosity because it involves responsibility for their ‘ultimate’ welfare as well as their everyday needs. They also help children with their morals and ethics, helped by taking their child to church.

What are the Reasons for Gender Differences in Sociology? (2)

5. Davie (2013) argues that women are closer to birth and death (through caring for elderly, sick, and dying relatives, and through child-bearing) and this brings them closer to ‘ultimate’ questions due to their involvement in the creation of life.

6. Women are less involved in paid work and operate more in the private sphere. Over time religion has become more privatised and therefore more women are likely to be involved according to Bruce

7. Churches have become more feminised over time, emphasising caring etc and is therefore more attractive to women. The ordination of female clergy in the 1990s as well as women bishops in 2015 may also have an effect. E.g. Sarah Mulally, Archbishop of Canterbury.

8. Miller and Hoffman argue that religion an identity and roles for wolmen in societies in which they traditionally have low status.

9. Due to women’s greater life, women may seek religious organisations for support and company.