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Religion and postmodernity - Coggle Diagram
Religion and postmodernity
Daniele Hervieu Leger
Spiritual shopping:
collective amnesia due to greater social equality
'do it yourself' beliefs
'Pick n Mix' faiths
2 new religious types:
1) Pilgrims, individual path to self discovery, New Age, personal development
2) Coverts, sense of community/belonging, evangelical movements, churches of ethnic minorities
Internal evaluation:
religion no longer the source of collective identity...but the values of equality have their roots in religion and create social solidarity
Grace Davie
Believing without Belonging:
Religion more privatised and church attendance is a personal choice
Vicarious religion:
a small number of clergy practice religion on behalf of a larger number of people, church a 'spiritual health service'
compares to an iceberg, small commitment at the tip but below with wider
Bibby:
25% of Canadians in church but 80% religious beliefs
Criticism:
Voas and Crockett, 6000 respondents, Britain & other European countries both believing and belonging falling
Religious market theory - Stark & Bainbridge
Secularisation theory is Eurocentric & has distorted view of a 'golden age' of religion
2 assumptions of theory:
1) people are naturally religious, religion meets human needs
2) it is human nature to seek rewards and avoid costs
The cycle of renewal:
alternative to secularisation theory
cycle of revival and renewal throughout history of religions, some decline some grow
Religious competition (market):
churches operate like companies selling goods in market
opposite of secularisation theory, competition between religions leads to improvements in religion & what it 'offers'
churches have to have good product to attract 'customers' or will decline
USA:
religion thrives here because there has never been a religious monopoly as constitution requires separation of church and state, whereas most European countries have official state church e.g. Church of England
participation increases when there is greater supply
Evaluation:
strength of most American sociologists using this theory as it helps understand growth of new religions
Critique, Bruce, rejects that diversity increases demand, misrepresents secularisation theory it doesnt say long-term decline nor that secularisation is universal
Existential security theory - Norris & Inglehart
'the feeling that survival is secure enough that it can be taken for granted':
variations in religiosity in society = different degrees of existential security
societies where people feel secure = low demand for religion
demand for religion varies within societies
this explains why poor developing countries remain religion, whist prospering Western countries become more secular
However,
they note how poorer countries have much larger population growth thus the majority of the world is becoming more religious
Europe vs America:
Western Europe, increasing secularisation, strong welfare and social services, low levels of poverty
America, more religious, m inadequate welfare, dog-eat-dog, high levels of poverty & insecurity
Evaluation:
Gill and Lundegaarde:
the more a country spends on welfare, the lower the religious participation, in the past & in poorer countries religion provides welfare for the poor, state welfare links to decline but doesnt answer 'ultimate' questions
Uruguay, religious diversity, low levels of participation, generous welfare
Criticism:
Vasquez:
they only use qualitative data about income levels, not their own definitions about 'existential security'
they ignore positive reasons people have for religious participation and appeal for wealthy
David Lyon
Globalisation & the media:
religion has become disembodied, media lifts religious ideas out of physical churches & move them to a different place & time
example of televangelism
as a result, religion is de-institutionalised
Online religion:
no existence out of internet
Cowan
, pagans, feelings of work due to global network
Hoover et al
, online religions are a supplement to church based rather than a substitute
Religious consumerism:
religion related to the 'sphere of consumerism'
example of American Christian Fundamentalists in
Nancy American's study
used many churches without loyalty to one
religion is not ending many new religious movements springing up that the religious consumer can 'sample' to construct their own belief system
Berger
disagrees, argues this weakens traditional religions that claim monopoly of the truth
New Age religions:
New age religions reject obligation and obedience, emphasising connecting with 'inner self' and discovery journey
Re-enchantment:
Criticises secularisation for assuming religion is declining & being replaced with a rational worldview, instead we are in re-enchantment with growth of spirituality
Spiritual revolution - Heelas and Woodhead
Evidence of growing spirituality e.g. crystal shops
'traditional religion' vs 'spirituality':
Heelas and Woodhead:
religion conforms to external authority, requires self sacrifice, upholds traditional values
spirituality is inner self, personal development, bonds and self expression
Traditional christianity decline and New Age religion rise:
Heelas and Woodhead:
2 groups: congregational domain and the holistic milleu
2000, typical week, 7.9% population attended church, 1.6% took part in holistic milleu
in congregational domain, traditional losing support but evangelical holding well, fewer in holistic milieu but growing
1) new age spirituality, grown because of subjective turn in culture & self-exploration
2) as a result traditional which demand duty & obedience decline
3) evangelical better as duty & obedience but spiritual healing and personal growth, 'born again'
Evaluation:
Bruce, religion is declining as new age movements fail to socialise the next generation and tend to have weak commitment. In Kendal only 32% of parents in new age say parents share beliefs.