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Secularisation (Criticisms of secularisation theory (Religion isn't…
Secularisation
Criticisms of secularisation theory
Religion isn't declining its just changing form
Secularisation theory is one-sided and focuses on the decline and ignores revivals and the growth of new religions
Evidence of falling church attendance ignores people who believe but don't go to church
Religion may have declined in Europe but not globally so secularisation is not universal
The pas was not a 'golden age' of faith from which we have declined and the future will not be an age of atheism
Religious diversity increases participation as it offers choice so there is no overall downwards trend (just in individual religions)
Explanations of Secularisation
Weber (1905): rationalisation
Rational ways of thinking and acting come to replace religious ones
Argued that the protestant reformation begun with Martin Luther in the 16th century which started a process of rationalisation of life in the west
This process undermined the religious worldwide view of the Middle Ages and replaced it with the rational scientific outlook found in modern society
Disenchantment
The world was previously dominated by a religious view of magic, angles, devils, etc but with science and reason people started believing that events occured by natural forces not supernatural ones
Technological worldview
Bruce (2011) argues that the growth of the technological worldview has largely replaced religious/supernatural explanations of why things happen
A technological worldview thus leaves little room for religious explanations so we will only resort to religion when something occurs that cannot be explained by science/reason
Structural differentiation
Parsons (1951) defines this as a process of specialisation that occurs with the development of industrial society
Previously religion was a single institution that carried out multiple functions but after industrialisation it has become a smaller more specialised institution
Disengagement
Parsons argues - The functions of religion are transferred to other institutions such as the state and as such religion becomes more disconnected from society
Privatisation
Bruce argues - Religion has become separated from wider society and lost many of its former functions and has become more privatised - confined to the private sphere of the home and family
Religious beliefs are now largely a matter of personal choice and religious institutions have lost most of their influence in wider society
Even when religion continues to perform functions like education and welfare it must conform to the confines of the secular state - e.g faith school teachers need qualifications recognised by the state
Social and cultural diversity
Decline of community
Industrialisation brings about the decline of community which contributes to the decline of religione
Wilson argues that in pre-industrial communities, shared values were expressed through collective religious rituals that integrated individuals and regulated their behaviour h/e when religion lost its basis in stable local communities it lost its vitality and hold over others
Industrialisation
Bruce sees industrialisation as undermining the consensus of religious beliefs that hold small rural communities together
Mobility of labour breaks this through brining more diversity into community
Diversity of occupations, cultures and lifestyles undermine religion
Even when people continue to hold religious beliefs they cannot avoid knowing that many of those around them hold very different views
Plausibility declines due to plurality
Criticisms - Aldridge
Religion can be a source of identity worldwide not just in small areas
Some religious communities are imagined communities that interact through social media
Pentecostal and other religious groups often flourish in 'impersonal' religious communities
Religious diversity
Berger (1969)
The sacred canopy when the catholic church had an absolute monopoly in the middle ages
Plausibility structure
Crisis for the credibility of religions
Cultural defence and transition
Cultural defence
Where religion provides a focal point for the defence of national, ethnic, local or group identity in a struggle against an external force like a hostile foreign nation
Cultural transition
Where religion provides support and a sense of community for ethnic groups such as migrants to a different country and culture
Doesn't disprove secularisation, says that it will not die as needed as a focal point for identity in those situations
Secularisation in Britain
Decline in church attendance and belonging
Increase in average age of chruchgoers
Fewer baptisms and church weddings
A decline in the numbers holding traditional christian beliefs
Greater diversity, including more non christian religions
Secularisation in America
Wilson found that 45% of people went to church - said its because of the american way of life not commitment to faith and america was a secular society because religion had become superficial
Bruce (2002; 2011) shares this view and views 3 reasons for this
Declining church attendance
Hadaway (1993) found that the church attendance figures of 40% of americans didn't mach the actual attendance rates as churches were not full
Secularisation from within
The previous christian beliefs and glorifying god has declined and become more 'psychologised' and turned into a form of therapy
Religion in america has remained popular by coming more religious and fitting in with a more secular society
Religious diversity
Trend towards practical relativism where american christians are more accepting of the view that others are entitled to their own beliefs
The erosion of absolutism