Alternatives to Secularisation

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RELIGION, RENEWAL, AND CHOICE
arguments against secularisation in the UK
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Why do some sociologists argue new forms of religion are emerging?
changes in wider society such as greater individualism, choice, and consumerism
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What do Postmodernist suggest that religion us in rather than a state of decline?
state of change
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Who comes up with the theory 'From Obligation to Consumption'?
Grace Davie (2013)
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What does Davie think the major change in religion is moving towards and from today's law modern society
towards consumption and choice and away from obligation
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Does Davie believe religion is declining?
no - just taking a different dorm
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Why are people no longer attending church?
because they no longer have an obligation
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Why do people not have an obligation to attend church?
religion services does not necessarily mean believing in God
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Why did the religious attendance not necessarily mean that society is being secular, instead what does Davie believe? special phrase to remember
Believing without belonging
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Who rejects Davies's claim?
Voas and crockett
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What do they believe is clearly shown in 1983-2000 British social attitudes survey?
a decline in both attendance and belief - they believe that if should be higher of Davie was correct
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What is the second theory Davie puts forward?
Vicarious Religion: The spiritual health service
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What is Vicarious religion?
region is practiced b an active minority (clergy and regular churchgoers) on behalf of the great majority
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Where is Vicarious religion the trend?
Uk and Europe
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For example, how much of the Uk population attends church?
5%
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Why is religion a sort of spiritual health service according to Davie?
it is there for everyone to use when they need it eg, Baptism, weddings, funerals and major national events like Public mourning like Diana's death 1997
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Why does Davie describe on religion as an iceberg and argue its supports her idea of 'believing without belonging' ?
because on the tip it appeared to have a very small commitment but underneath, a lot of people rely on it
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Why does Davie criticize the secularisation theory?
Modernization affects every evertda7 society in the same way but this is not true, for example, both the USA and the UK have different patterns in religion eg. church attendance is high in USA but low in UK
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However, what type to religious groups attendance is on the increase challenging Davie's belief without belonging' ?
pentecostal congregation
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For example, what mega church do 1000's attend?
Glory house
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What social group does have high levels of participation that Davie ignores?
ethnic groups
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For example, what is the second biggest religion in the UK where many attend their local ..... ?
Islam
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Who comes up with the idea of Spiritual shopping?
Hervieu-Léger (2000)
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What does Hervieu-Léger see as religion and thus causing the decline of obligation?
Personal choice
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What are the 3 reasons Hervieu-Léger believes there is a dramatic institutional decline in Europe?
Cultural Amnesia, Social Equality, Individual consumerism
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What is Cultural Amnesia?
a loss of collective memory as people have lost the religion that was handed down to each generation through family and church as children are allowed to believe what they want
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What is Social Equality?
Young people are no longer socialized into fixed religious identities as greater equality has undermined the traditional church's power to impose religion from above
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What is individual consumerism?
people have become spiritual shoppers for beliefs as religion is obligatory so continues through individual consumerism as it is now individualized meaning it has to fit into our lives and interests
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What are the new two religious types of religion emerging as religion is now seen as a personal spiritual journey?
Pilgrims and Converts
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What is a pilgrim?
follow an individual path in search for self-discovery
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Provide an example
New age or individual therapy
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What is Converts?
join religious groups that offer a strong sense of community and belonging
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Provide an example
Ethnic minority churches
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HL notes that religion does have some influence on societies values, provide an example
Equality and human rights
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Explain how Hervieu-léger's views can be related to Late modernity?
there was been a growth of personal choice in religion and a number of many things hence the weakening of traditional, institutional religion in religious matters
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However, what does Bruce think about and argue?
secularisation is occurring in society today as the growth as a technological worldview has replaced religious and supernatural explanations of why things happen so they no longer take religion less seriously
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Postmodern religion
David Lyon (2000)
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How does Lyon agree with Davie?
That believing without belonging is increasingly popular
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What is the point of Lyon?
that there has been a number of features that is changing the nature of religion
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What are the 3 changing natures of religion includeces?
1.Globalisation, the media and Religion
2.online religion and religion online
3.Religious consumerism
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Provide an example of golblaisation, the media and religion
Televangelism
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What is Televangelism?
Christian minister wheater offical or self-proclaimed who telvoise theor preaching, Thos relcoates teligon onto the intertnet and TV allowing them to express their faith without attending church
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Online religion and religion online
......
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What does Helland believe about the inrenet and relgion?
That it creats many oppurtunites for religious orginsation and indivduals to expolit
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What does he belive religion online?
religious originations find the use of the internt to find members and poteintial convertys. Electroinc version of tradtional communication churches have with members
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What is Online religion?
a form of 'cyber relgion' taht may have never exsisted outside the internet. It allows a communiyu to form a coomucaition where indivudals explore shared interests and mutural support
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However, what does Hoover (2004) argue?
that mpst isers it is just a supliemnt for church based activities
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Religious consumerism
.....
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What is a postmodern society cause the growrh of?
consumerism, and that we now contruct our own belief taht we choose to consume - which includes religion
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What are we 'spritual shoppers'?
choosinf religious beleifs and practices that meet our indivdual needs, from a vast raner on offer in the relgious marketplace
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What it known as when we pick important parts of our relgious idenity?sweet
pix and mix
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What does Lyon argue about relgion relocating to where?
The sphere of consumption
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Thus, what are people doing that mwans that they are making choices about which element of relgion they dins usweful?
people no longer belong to a particualr relgion but have not abanoded it
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For example, what celeb is a part of the Jewish sect Kabbalah and Catholic?
Madonna
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What does Bruce (2005) think consumerist religion is a weak religion?
it has little effect on the lives of the believers
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What does Bruce argue this shows evidence of rater than evidence of the changing nature of religion?
consumption as evidence of the changing nature of religion
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Religious Market theory
.....
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Arguments against secularisation in the USA
....
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Whi is very critical of seculisation theory and claims that it is too Eurocentric?
Stark and Bainbridge (1986)
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What are the 2 ways, in their view that secularisation theory distorts past and future?
a) there was no past golden age of faith and belief
b) it's unrealistic to predict a future end-point
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What is the 2 assumptions within the religious Market theory
People are naturally religious and religion meets human needs, it is human nature to seek rewards and avoid the cost
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Explain how people are naturally religious and religion meets human needs?
the overall demand for religion remains constant, even though demand for different types varies
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Explain it is human nature to seek rewards and avoid the cost
When people make choices, they weigh up the costs and benefits of different options avialible
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Why does Stark and Bainbridge argue religion is attractive due to compensators?
Religion compensators by promising supernatural rewards when real rewards
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Why in America is religion strong compared to Europe?
because a healthy market exists for religions to grow or decline according to consumer demand due to alot of different sorts of religion for customers to choose from
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Why is religion weal in European countries?
there is a religious monopoly eg. COE because of a lack of choice so leads to a decline
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Provide an example off supply led religion
televangelism 'Hadden and sharpe' responding ti the consumer demand by preaching a 'prosperity gospel'
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However, why does bruce (2001) reject the argument given by Stark and Bainbridge for the USA?
ARGUES THAT STATS SHOW THAT DIVERSITY HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY RELIGIOUS DECLINE IN BOTH USA AND EUROPE
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who found that in Holland and Australia there was high levels of religious diversity but low participation?
Norris and Inglehart (2011)
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Why does this contradict the Religion Market theory?
because it argues the consumers a choice participation will increase
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Why does Beckford argue that religious market theory is 'unsociological'?
people are just naturally religious and can't explain why people may choose to leave a religion and join another
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An alternative view to secularisation.
.....
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Who rejects religious market theory because it only applies to America and fails to explain different religiosity between different societies?
Norris and Inglehart
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What is the Existential security theory?
the reasons in religiosity between societies is not different degrees of religious choice but different degrees of existential security
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Explain what it means by this?
that survival now days is enough so it can be taken for granted so in societies where people feel secure, there is low level demand for relgion
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For example, why is there high levels of poor societies of high levels of religiosity?
People face life-threatening risks such as famine, disease, environmental soceties so have high level of insercuity
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For example, why are rich societies have lower levels of religiosity
Where people have high standards of lovely so are less at risk thus have greater sense of security
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Thus what does the Exsitiential security theory prove stark and Bainbridge and explain secularisation in a global context?
in developing countries shows why religion remains prosperous in relation to western countries becoming more secular
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What is this true in terms of what western society
Europe
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Why is this theory not true in America despite in being a western society
because despite America's wealth it still is one of the most unequal societies on earth with its inadequate welfare safety
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What did Gill & Lundegaarde about religious participation and welfare?
more country spends on welfare, the lower levels of religious participation
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What function has the state taken over from religion that may have contributed to religious decline?
Welfare for the poor - as in undeveloped countries where religiosity is high religion provides this function
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However, what does Vasquez argue about Norris and Inglehart's use of quantitative data?
they do not define of people existential security so qualitative data he argues is needed
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What does Vasquez argue about the negative response to deprivation?
that they ignore the negative effects of religion to the wealthy such as joining cults
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Why do some sociologists argue new forms of religion are emerging?

Back

changes in wider society such as greater individualism, choice, and consumerism

Card 3

Front

What do Postmodernist suggest that religion us in rather than a state of decline?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Who comes up with the theory 'From Obligation to Consumption'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What does Davie think the major change in religion is moving towards and from today's law modern society

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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