Explanations for secularisation
- Created by: charl_w
- Created on: 22-02-16 13:07
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- Explanations of secularisation
- Max Weber: Rationalisation
- Rationalisation is the process by which rational thinking and acting replace religious ones.
- Max Weber (1905) argues western societies has undergone a process of rationalisation in the last few centuries.
- The 16th century protestant reformation undermined the religious worldview of the middle ages, replacing it with a modern rational, scientific outlook.
- The medieval catholic worldview saw the world as 'enchanted' in which God changed the course of events through supernatural powers.
- Disenchantment
- The protestant reformation brought a new worldview that saw God as existing outside the world but not intervening in it.
- The world had become disenchanted- left to run according to the laws of nature.
- Events were no longer explained as unpredictable supernatural beings but as predictable workings of natural forces.
- Through reason and science, humans could discover the law of nature, and understand and predict how the world works.
- Religious explanations were no longer needed.This enabled science to develop giving humans more power to control nature.
- This further undermining the religious worldview.
- Religious explanations were no longer needed.This enabled science to develop giving humans more power to control nature.
- The world had become disenchanted- left to run according to the laws of nature.
- The protestant reformation brought a new worldview that saw God as existing outside the world but not intervening in it.
- A technological worldview
- Bruce argues that a technological worldview has replaced religious explanations of why things happen.
- Religious worldview only survive in areas where technology is least effective. e.g praying for a incurable illness.
- Social and cultural diversity
- Wilson argues that in pre industrial societies, local communities shared religious rituals that expressed their shared values.
- But Industrialisation destroys these stable local communities and so it destroys religions base.
- Bruce see's industrialisation as undermining the consensus of religious beliefs that hold small rural communities together.
- Small, close knit communities give way to large, impersonal loose knit urban communities with diverse beliefs and lifestyles.
- Social and geographical mobility not only breaks up communities but brings people together from different backgrounds.
- This creates more diversity in culture and lifestyles which undermines religion. Even when people continue to hold religious beliefs, people around them hold different views.
- Bruce argues that the believability of beliefs is undermined by alternatives and individualism.
- This creates more diversity in culture and lifestyles which undermines religion. Even when people continue to hold religious beliefs, people around them hold different views.
- Wilson argues that in pre industrial societies, local communities shared religious rituals that expressed their shared values.
- Berger: Religious diversity
- Berger argues another cause of secularisation is the trend towards religious diversity.
- In the middle ages, catholic church had an absolute monopoly- it had no competition. As a result everyone lived by a set of shared beliefs.
- This gave these beliefs greater believability because they had no challengers and the church version of the truth went unquestioned.
- This changed in the 16th century with the protestant reformation when protestant churches broke away from the catholic church.
- Since the reformation, the number and variety of religious organisations has grown, each with a different version of the truth.
- So society is no longer unified by a single canopy provided by one church.
- Since the reformation, the number and variety of religious organisations has grown, each with a different version of the truth.
- Berger argues this religious diversity undermines religions believability.
- Alternative versions of religion enable people to question all of them and erodes absolute certainties of traditional religion.
- Bruce sees the trend towards religious diversity as the most important cause of secularisation.
- because it is difficult to live in a world containing a large number of incompatible beliefs without concluding that none of them are true.
- Cultural defence and transition
- Bruce identifies two counter trends that seem to contradict the secularisation theory.
- 1. Cultural defence: Religion provides a focus for the dance of a national or ethnic group identity in a struggle against external force.
- 2. Cultural transition: Religion provides a sense of community for ethnic groups living in a different country or culture.
- However Bruce argues these examples don't disprove secularisation but show religion is most likely to survive where it performs functions other than relating individuals to the supernatural.
- 1. Cultural defence: Religion provides a focus for the dance of a national or ethnic group identity in a struggle against external force.
- Bruce identifies two counter trends that seem to contradict the secularisation theory.
- Spiritual revolution
- Some sociologists argue that that 'spiritual revolution' is taking place, with traditional christianity giving way to New Age sprituality that emphasises personal development and experience.
- The spiritual market place is growing- huge number of books about self help and spirituality and therapies from meditation to crystal healing.
- Heelas ans Woodhead studied kendal to investigate whether traditional religion has declined and how far the growth of spirituality is compensating for.
- They distinguish between: 1. The congregational domain of traditional and evangelical churches. 2. The holistic milieu of spirituality and new age.
- Heelas and Woodhead found in a typical week in 2000, 7.9% population attended church (the congregational domain) and 1.6% took part in spiritual activities (the holistic milieu)
- Within the congregational domain, the traditional churches were loosing support, while evangelical churches were holding their own.
- Although fewer people were involved in the holistic milieu, it was growing.
- Within the congregational domain, the traditional churches were loosing support, while evangelical churches were holding their own.
- H+W explain these trends:
- New age spirituality has grown because there has been a shift in todays culture towards exploring your inner self by following a spiritual path.
- Evangelical churches are more successful than traditional ones because they emphasise spiritual healing and growth through personal experience of being 'born again'.
- Within the congregational domain, the traditional churches were loosing support, while evangelical churches were holding their own.
- Although fewer people were involved in the holistic milieu, it was growing.
- Within the congregational domain, the traditional churches were loosing support, while evangelical churches were holding their own.
- In the spiritual marketplace, the winner are those who appeal to personal experience as the genuine source of meaning and fulfilment, rather than commandments of traditional religion.
- Max Weber: Rationalisation
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