Secularisation

stats

-decline in church attendance, 2015 5% attended church

-methodism will die out by 2030

-less than 1/2 population don’t see themselves as religious

weber

rationalisation theory - 500 yrs ago people believed more in religion becuase they thought god controlled everything. Believed god was reposnsible for natural distaters + unexplained deaths. Protestant religion changed opinion on gods control so people looked for other explanations e.g science + rational thought.

parsons

structural differentiation - religion is no longer omportant part of ‘organic analogy’ because not as important as it used to be in society e.g. church pn sunday + hospitals,laws. Gov replaced church.

berger

sacred canopy - used to be one single belief system which was sacred. Now we have a plural society with more religions so choice leads to people questioning idea of one god.

evaluation

-other religions still growing e.g islam 6.3% (bruce cultural transition/cultural defence)

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economic development and secularisation

Nanda’s study of hinduism - globalisation came to india which led to rapid economic growth + fast growing middle class. Nanda revelaed a large increase in religiosity for new middle class. Nanda claims that as indians become richer they donate money to their temples and go on pilgrimages to thank god for their sucess.