Topic 3 Secularisation

Who and what is the definition of secularisation?

Wilson - “The process whereby religious thinking, practice and institutions lose social significance.”

What is religious thinking?

influence of religion on people’s beliefs and values

What is religious practice?

carrying out religious commitments 

What is religious institutions?

the influence of religious institutions

What was Church attendance in the 1850s?

40% church attendance 

What was church attendance in the 1960s?

10-15%

What was church attendance in 2015?

5%

What has Census data shown?

Census data shows attendances at larger organisations have declined more than smaller organisations. 

How much marriages occurred in churches in 1971?

60%

How many marriages occurred in churches in 2012?`

30% of marriages

Why is it difficult to measure the extent of secularisation in the UK?

1. Definition of religion determines what indicators are used to measure the extent of secularisation. (Substantive/ exclusivist vs functional/ inclusivist) 

2. Reliability and validity: do historical statistics on religion meet contemporary standards of accuracy in data collection? The way questions were asked may have influenced outcomes. Religious organisations may use different methods counting membership.

3. Measuring decline: it is difficult to establish exactly how religious society was due to a lack of records and potentially unreliable methods as outlined above.

Who coined the term ‘believing without belonging’ and what does it mean.

Bellah and Davie argue people are ‘believing not belonging’ meaning a decline in religious practice does not necessarily mean a decline in belief – it may just be that people are practising in private, which is harder to measure. 

How is religious thinking evidence of secularisation?

there has been a decline in the influence of religious morality, a decline in religious knowledge, and Bruce argues that religious thought has been marginalised to a last resort by science and technology.

What is a counter argument to religious thinking being evidence for secularisation?

However, religious thinking and morality still influence both the law and individuals in many countries, such as Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia. 

How are religious institutions evidence of secularisation?

the influence of religious institutions such as the church has also been in decline. The influence of the clergy has declined, and churches are finding it difficult to recruit priests/ ministers, and church buildings are poorly maintained too

What are the 5 explanations of secularisation?

• Modernisation

• Social and cultural diversity

• Rationalisation

• Structural differentiation

• Growth of religious pluralism

How has Modernisation led to secularisation?

Modernisation features the decline of tradition, and the rise of rational and scientific ways of thinking which have replaced religion to an extent. However, this does not explain the growing religiosity of many countries in a modern or post-modern age. 

How has social and cultural diversity led to secularisation + sociologists?

There is a greater diversity in religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds, and this growth in diversity has undermined the authority of religious institutions. Bruce also argues the plausibility of beliefs is undermined by the existence of many alternatives.

How has rationalisation led to secularisation + sociologist for this?

Weber argues the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century undermined the religious worldview of the middle ages and replaced it with the rational, scientific view of modern society. Previously, the Catholic view of the world was like an ‘enchanted garden’ with supernatural being eg angels present who would be influenced and influence human lives, whereas the Protestant view of the world was that God was the creator but left the world to its own devices.

• Humans began to explain events using science, rather than the supernatural, leading to a ‘disenchantment’ of the world – getting rid of the magical and religious ways of thinking and replacing them with rational explanations. Bruce also argues today we have a ‘technological worldview’ so people think first of scientific explanations, rather than religious.  

How has structural differentiation led to secularisation + sociologist?

Parsons argues religion has become less important because the state now performs functions once performed by the church. He argues this has led to the disengagement of the church (loss of influence and detachment). Bruce also argues religion has become privatised – restricted to the private sphere of the home and family life. In modern societies with religious pluralism the church is increasingly separated from the state. However, some argue this has allowed the church and other institutions top focus solely on  

How has growth of religious pluralism led to secularisation?

Berger argues the lack of a sacred canopy provided by one church due to growing religious pluralism has led to the ‘plausibility structure’ of religion being undermined, meaning whether people are religious or not becomes an opinion, and people start to opt out of religion.

• Indeed, Bruce argues: ‘It is difficult to live in a world that treats as equally valid a large number of incompatible beliefs, without coming to suppose that there is no one truth.’

• -However, Berger has since changed his views, and now argues that diversity and choice increases interest and participation in religiosity.

What are 3 evaluation points to secularisation?

• Globally, there are many countries where levels of religiosity is high 

• Religiosity is still high amongst ethnic minorities in the UK 

• Secularisation thesis has been criticised for its Western bias 

• Religion is not declining, but is changing its form 

• Ignores ‘believing not belonging

What concepts does Bruce use to explain higher levels of religiosity among ethnic groups?

• Cultural defence

• Cultural transition

Define cultural defence.

Cultural defence is when religion provides a way to defend national identity in a struggle against an external force eg a hostile foreign power; racism; islamophobia  

Define cultural transition.

Cultural transition is where religion provides support and a sense of community for ethnic groups transitioning from one country and culture to another 

In 1962 how many Americans attended Church on sundays +sociologist?

In 1962, Wilson found that 45% ended of Americans attended church on Sundays. However, he argued this practice was more a part of the ‘American way of life’ than deep religiosity.  

Why does Bruce argue America is becoming increasingly secular?

• Declining Church Attendance

• Secularisation from within

• Religious diversity

Explain declining church attendance in America + sociologists.

• Bruce found an exaggeration of church attendance in opinion polls has led to a stable figure of 40% attending church, masking an actual decline. 

• Hadaway found that churches lie about attendance rates, levels of attendance claimed by interviewees are 83% higher than researches estimate in the country

• it is socially desirable to go to church, sp people who are stopped will say they do go if asked in a survey

Explain secularisation from within and how this has led to secularisation in america.

purpose of religion has shifted from seeking salvation in heaven to seeking personal improvement in this world. Religion as a form of therapy – it has become less religious.  

• Churchgoers are much less strict and there is a decline in commitment to traditional beliefs. Church has changed to fit secular america

Explain religious diversity and how this has led to secularisation in america.

increasing acceptance of religious pluralism and erosion of absolutism

What evidence is there for the erosion of absolutism + sociologist?

• Lynd + Lynd

• In 1925 94% of churchgoing people agreed with the statement that ‘ Christianity is the one true religion and all people should be converted to it’ whereas in 1977 only 41% agreed with this

Explain the erosion of absolutism.

• Erosion of absolutism is where we live in a society where many people hold views that are completely different to ours, which undermines our assumption that our own views are absolutely true