Beliefs - CAGE/Marxism/Feminism/Functionalism/NRMs/New Forms of Religion/Social Change

CLASS

Churches and denominations

-Tend to consist of the middle/upper classes.

-Working class sees religion as a way to promote the ruling class and reinforce inequality in society.

            -however, Davie suggests ‘believing without belonging’ practices.

-Subject class are religious as they believe their oppression will be relieved in heaven.

-Ruling class is religious as they believe God has rewarded them in life and thus acceptance into heaven.

-Middle class – believe or don’t (all or nothing), will travel.

-Developing countries – MC/UC attend as it justifies their wealth.

                                    - WC attend as a compensator.

New Religious Movements

-Difficult to measure attendance numbers as they don’t publish them

-Working class join world-rejecting NRMs.

            -relief from deprivation, overcome marginalisation, compensation.

-Middle class join world-affirming NRMs.

            -try to attract MC as they have most money.

                        -MC found it doesn’t necessarily make them happy.

-basic needs met in life but feel spiritually deprived = join.

            -provide spiritual enlightenment.

AGE

Older people are more religious due to:

1. Disengagement with society (no longer working) – may just attend to be part of a social group.

2. Religious socialisation – greater emphasis on religion via education/socialisation when younger.

3. Ill health/death – religion provides comfort/coping/support/meaning.

Young people less religious due to:

1. Declining attraction of religion – controversies over alcohol/sex.

2. Expanded spiritual marketplace – Lynch 2008 – more sources to draw spiritual beliefs from.

3. Declining religious education – Sunday school.

4. Pragmatic reasons – shops/hobbies/friends – leisure.

5. Sects/cults/NRMs more attractive – freedom/less commitment.

6. Socialisation – how they’ve been brought up.

7. Ethnicity

   -Modood et Al (1997) – 67% young Pakistani/Bangladeshi valued importance of Islam.

   -1/3 of young Indians saw their religion as important.

   -Young Afro-Caribbean – 18%.

   -Young whites – 5%.

HOWEVER

-Believing without belonging.

-Finding spirituality in other forms, privately.

-Hard to measure.

-Socialisation of kids – parents still emphasise spiritual/moral ethics.

GENDER

Although generally patriarchal, women are the biggest consumers of religion.

1. Socialisation

   -Miller and Hoffmann (1995) – gender socialisation means females brought up to be more co-operative due to 1) guardians of family life, 2) visions of God, 3) nurturing.

   -however – increase in dual burden = women have ‘less time’ for religion.

       2)    Life expectancy

                        -women live longer = widowed – religion is a source of comfort and support

-women more likely to feel socially deprived/marginalised – religion source of comfort and support.

       3)    Life/death/changes in life

-Davie (1994) - women have close association with birth/death – major within religion.

-however, Woodhead argues that rise of feminism has caused women to turn away from religion as it is oppressing their femininity

            -turn to alternatives e.g. NRMs.

      4)    New Age Movement

-Heelas and Woodhead found 80% of participants in holistic practices are females – emphasis on ‘natural’ and ‘feeling’.

-however, NRMs have historically exploited young female recruits.

     5)    Future of females in religion

                        -women are leaving the church at a…