secularisation

• religion/non-religion percentages/stats UK

  2011: 25% = no religion; 59% = Christian; 4% = Muslim.

  2021: 37% = no religion; 46% = Christian; 5% = Muslim.

  Average age of church goer (2010) = 61.

  Wilson: 5% of the British population go to church regularly.

  32% of UK citizens pray once a month.

  2022: 17% of marriages happened in a church.

  Churches closed Jan 2014 - Jan 2024: 3,500.

  2001 census: 390,127 put Jedi as their religion, passed some traditional religions in the census.
• Bruce (2002)

  -no matter how religiosity is measured it is declining.

  -by 2030 the methodist church would fold & the Church of England would be a small organisation.
• what is secularisation based on?

  The definition of religion e.g., substantive.
• What does the debate over what should be included in secularisation cause?

  Methodological problems for researchers e.g., validity, reliability, representativeness.
• Reasons for secularisation: structural differentiation

  -process of specialisation that happens via industrial society.

  -Parsons: religion is disengaged in society through industrialisation. Religion was the main source for education & social welfare but no longer is. Religion & state = separate.
• Reasons for secularisation: rationalisation

  Weber: protestant reformation by MLK in 16th century led to rational ways of thinking which replaced supernatural beliefs. Contributed to secularisation as people started to take a more scientific outlook.
• Reasons for secularisation: social & cultural diversity

  -Wilson & Bruce: industrial revolution led to secularisation. It broke up small communities that used religion to express themselves. New religions entered communities which made people question their religion.
• Reasons for secularisation: Herberg (1960); Lyon (2002)

  Herberg (1960): religions go against their own traditions which shows weakness e.g., accept homosexuality.

  Lyon (2002): religion is going through a process of Disneyfication - it is taken less seriously. People want to customise their identity.
• Reasons for secularisation: decline in morality

  -traditional views have little impact on peoples behaviour.

  -Lyotard & Bouman: meta-narratives, like religion, have lost their influence. Religion is fragmented and watered down, people have a do-it-yourself identity/mentality.
• Reasons for secularisation: cultural defence & transition

  -Bruce: culture defence (religion defends cultures under threat) e.g., Polish catholicism was a key part and helped overthrow the state. Cultural transition: can make small communities. Joined religion but not for the religious aspects so it still influences secularisation.

  -use religion for more secular reasons, not the religious ones
• Reasons for secularisation: spiritual revolution

  -Heelas & Woodhead: traditional religion is decreasing and replaced by NAMs. Traditional religion doesn't fit into a postmodern society. The increase in NAM is not equal to the decrease in traditional religion. People don't value traditional religion.
• Reasons for secularisation: religious diversity

  -Berger: catholicism = monopoly of truth. Society used to be under a sacred canopy (one belief system) but people broke from the church after a plurality of worldviews.

  -more interpretations.
• Reasons for secularisation - AO3

  -Berger: diversity & choice increased interest in religion, this increased religiosity.

  -Bruce: Muslims go against the trend - 3rd generations are very traditional, unlike in other religions. Supports that there is not secularisation.

  -Social & cultural diversity: suggests that communities are local areas but communities are more than local areas.

  -Ethnocentric.

  -Stark & Brainbridge: religion is not decreasing gloabally.

  -Ignores believing without belonging.
• religiosity in the US

  -stats: church attendance = 40% since the 1940s but this was found false.

  -Hadaway (1993): did head counts & interviews in Ohio. Interviewees exaggerated church attendance by 83% compared to the interviewers.

  -stats: 71% of adults are religious (2007); 63% of adults are religious (2014); 16% of adults are not religious (2007); 23% of adults are not religious (2014). Shows that religiosity is decreasing.

  -more accepting of abortion

  -more accepting of homosexuality (2007 = 58% of catholics accept it; 2014 = 70% of catholics accept it)
• Against secularisation: Davie

  -postmodernist

  -believing without belonging: people still believe but don't have to go to religious services to show this

  -vicarious religion: experiencing religion through someone else e.g., people preaching

  -AO3: Voas & Crockett: people don't believe or belong, they just say they do
• Against secularisation: spiritual shopping

  -Hervieu-Leger: cultural amnesia: religion used to be taught down generations but rarely is now (socialisation). No longer have the collective memory of religion.

  -people consume religion how they want and when they want.

  -pick and mix: pick and choose what they want to believe.
• Against secularisation: postmodernity

  -globalisation, media & religion: postmodern society is saturated in media. People have constant access to religion.

  -example: televangelism.

  -Helland: online religion: religions use internet to spread messages; religion online: people talk on the internet to share beliefs, create belonging.

  -AO3: Hoover: not an alternative, most RO people are part of traditional religion.

  -Lyons: religion is in the sphere of consumption. People haven't abandoned religion, people pick what and when to follow it. Experience re-enchantment. Criticise rationalism.
• Against secularisation: spiritual revolution (postmodernity)

  -using functional/constructionist definition, secularisation isn't happening.

  -Kendall project - Heelas & Woodhead: holistic meilieu: an environment where NAMs thrive. People move to NAMs. Congregational domain: traditional religion. NAMs increase because of a shift in culture - NAMs don't require obligation or obedience.

  -Evangelical churches are more successful than traditional as they promote spirituality.

  -AO3: Bruce - NAMs have to be happening on a larger scale to fit the gap created by the decrease in traditional religions. The system won't live as it isn't taught through generations and people are not committed.