Secularisation- Factsheet

Resources used: tutor2u

Theories of secularisation:

Weber- movement towards rational and scientific thinking

  • Changes in wider society e.g. industrialisation have led to religion having less significance in society

  • PROCESS OF RATIONALISATION

  • Greater scientific understanding reduces reliance upon religion for answers

  • Protestantism>DISENCHANTMENT

  • Non-intervention by God removes the belief in the supernatural and leaves rationality to provide answers

  • Science is the dominant source of knowledge, replacing religion

Evaluation: Particularly outside of Europe, globalisation and technology has seen renewal in some religious practices, while the ability to practice religion has moved into different forms of worship in the Western world, offering alternatives to more traditional religion

Wilson- decline in the influence of the church

  • 1960s great social change UK AND US-

  • The declining influence of the church in the UK in guiding the moral principles of individuals- social attitudes changed rapidly and religion remained conservative so it couldn’t give answers

  • Identified declining trend in church attendance and participation in rituals in the post-war era in the UK

  • Superficial nature of religion in the USA- lacked spiritual meaning for individuals

Parsons- the role of structural differentiation

  • Secularisation was a response to structural differentiation

  • This changing structure of society leads to other institutions fulfilling the functions (e.g. education, welfare and political guidance) religion would perform e.g. school

  • Religion becomes disengaged from wider society, having the sole function of fulfilling spiritual needs because the other institutions fulfilled the old functions the church once did

  • DISENGAGEMENT

Evaluation: Religion remains influential in US society, particularly In education and the government. Politicians focus on reinforcing traditional Christian values as part of their appeal to be electorate

(KEY FIGURE) Bruce- individualism and changing worldview (contemporary approach)

  • Argued that there was a long-term secularisation in society

  • Developed a framework for explain the growth of it from the Protestant Reformation and Calvinist movement (Bruce’s 2011 secularisation paradigm)

  • Social and economic changes lead to secularisation

  • Argued that the growth of individualism (1970-) has led to the decline in communities

  • The decline of close-knit communities weakens the ties that religion has to the community

  • Increased individualism leads to the privatisation of religion, practised at home rather than in public

  • Increased knowledge of science and technology has reduced the influence of religion (rationality idea)


Evaluation of secularisation:

  • Long-term declining attendance in religious ceremonies and rituals (particularly in Western Europe) supports Wilson, Weber and Parsons. Also Bruce (increasing choice)


  • Growth of alternative view of spirituality - decline in religion or movement to other forms and

    Globalisation and technology have seen a renewal in some religious practices, while the ability to practise religion has moved into different forms of worship. For example, Eastern Asia and it’s meditation on the Western world


Targets:

To consider the arguments and evidence put forward by sociologists who support the theories of secularisation

Look at how secularisation theory has been applied to both UK AND USA