Organisations, movements and members pt3.

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Religiosity and social groups 

  • Gender and religiosity 
    • More churchgoers are female and they are more likelt than men to attend church regularly 
    • More women than men (55% versus 44%) say they have a religion 
    • In all major faithrs in the Uk except for Sikhs, women are more likely than men to practise their religion 
    • Women express greater interest in religion and have a stronger personal commitment 
  • Reasons for gender differences 
    • Risk, socialisation and roles 
      • Women are more risk averse than men, and by not being religious they risk being condemned in hell
      • Women have been socialised to be more passive, obedient and caring - these are all qualities valued by most religions, so it follows that women are more likely than men to be attracted to religion 
      • Women are closer to life and death as their roles are usually concerned with caring - therefore, this brings them closer to 'ultimate' questions about the meaning of life 
      • Men see a God of power and control, while women tend to see a God of love and forgiveness
    • Paid work
      • Womens gender roles mean they are more likely than men to work part time or be full time carers - so they have more scope for organising their time to participate in religious activities 
      • Many women have also taken on masculine roles in the public sphere and this is what led to what Callum Brown calls 'the decline of female piety': women too were withdrawing from religion 
      • Mens withdrawal from religion meant that the churches gradually became feminised spaces that emphasises womens concerns such as caring and relationships 
    • Women and the New Age 
      • Such movements often celebrate the 'natural', which gives women a higher status and sense of self-worth
      • New Age emphasises the importance of…

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