Explanations of Secularisation

Sociologists - Explanations of Secularisation

• Weber

• Berger

• Wilson

• Bruce

• Parsons

Weber

• modernity and rationalisation

• desacralisation and disenchantment

Modernity and Rationalisation - Weber

The process in which mysterious and superstitious beliefs became replaced with scientific scrutiny and reason.

Desacralisation and Disenchantment - Weber

• Modern societies abandoned sacred texts and beliefs.

• As technology and medicine improve our lives, science becomes more valued therefore we reject supernatural beliefs.

Berger

religious diversity as a cause of secularisation

• the church as a sacred canopy

• crisis of credibility (due to the decline of the plausibility structure)

Wilson - 4 key factors explaining why rational mode has replaced religious beliefs

• scientific discovery

• bureaucracies

• rational ideologies

• societalisation

(1) Bureaucracies - Wilson

Organised on a rational basis, such as industrial organisations.

(2) Scientific discovery - Wilson

Led to breakthroughs in our understanding of disease, evolution and the universe.

(3) Rational ideologies - Wilson

These provide practical solutions to problems such as welfare, healthcare and housing.

Bruce

social & cultural diversity leading to secularisation

• technological worldview

• religious pluralism and disengagement

• social differentiation (developing parsons structural differentiation theory)

• social fragmentation

(A) Technological worldview - Bruce, Developing on Wilson

Explanations and solutions are sought via science and technology rather than faith and prayer. E.g Covid pandemic societies looked to scientists/doctors rather than religion.

(B) Religious pluralism and disengagement - Bruce

Disengagement is partly due to religious pluralism (emergence of multiple religions), making it harder for the state to maintain one official religion. This explains the decline of the role of religions as institutions.

Structural Differentiation - Parsons

The process of institutions becoming separated and specialised.

(C) Social differentiation - Bruce developing on Parsons

The process of individuals' roles also becomes separated and specialised.

(4) Societalisation - Wilson

Argues that the result of social differentiation is because of small close-knit communities of pre-modernity, have been replaced with large impersonal cities/bureaucracies (where religion cannot be firmly embedded).

(D) Social Fragmentation - Bruce

Weak religions replacing stronger religions resulted in a decline of strong religions (which had a requirement of membership of society and so needed strict compliance). This is also due to increased diversity.

Sacred Canopy - Berger

Where a monopoly of belief was held by one religion and the entire community had to comply.

Plausibility structure - Berger

The social/cultural frameworks that make certain beliefs credible within a society.

Crisis of Credibility - Berger

As religious diversity increases, the plausibility structure is weakened, leading to a crisis of credibility where people aren’t sure what is true, or if anything is true. Meaning less people stay/become religious, leading to secularisation.

Bruce (overall)

Religion is becoming privatised and is a matter of choice due to the undermining of the plausibility structure. These religions are what he calls "weak religion".