Secularisation

• What does secularisation refer to?

  Decline in religion's importance or influence
• What is an example of secularisation in society?

  Fewer couples marry in churches
• What major changes in religion in the UK did Crockett identify since 1851?

  • Decline in church attendance
  • Increase in average age of churchgoers
  • Fewer baptisms and church weddings
  • Decline in traditional Christian beliefs
  • Greater diversity of religions
• What was the church attendance percentage in England and Wales in the mid-19th century?

  40%
• What was church attendance percentage by the 1960s?

  10−15%
• What percentage of the adult population attended church on Sundays by 2015?

  5%
• What does the English Church Census (2006) indicate about church attendance?

  Large organizations declined more than small ones
• What was the percentage of weddings in churches in 1971?

  60%
• What was the percentage of weddings in churches by 2012?

  30%
• What does religious affiliation refer to?

  Membership or identification with a religion
• What trend was observed in religious affiliation between 1983 and 2014?

  Adults with no religion rose from 1/3 to ½
• What caused a slight increase in the number of Catholics in the UK?

  East European immigration
• How has the influence of religion as a social institution changed?

  It has declined and become more private
• What functions did churches provide until the mid-19th century?

  Education
• What does Bruce predict about the future of the Methodist Church?

  It will fold around 2030
• What major social changes are linked to secularisation?

  • Modernisation
  • Industrialisation
  • Increased social and religious diversity
• What does rationalisation refer to in the context of secularisation?

  Replacement of religious thinking with rational thinking
• Who initiated the Protestant Reformation?

  Martin Luther
• What does disenchantment mean in the context of secularisation?

  World explained by natural laws, not supernatural
• How does technological worldview affect religious explanations?

  It replaces them with scientific explanations
• What is structural differentiation according to Parsons?

  Specialisation of institutions in industrial society
• What are the two processes of structural differentiation described by Parsons?

  1. Disengagement

  • Functions transferred to other institutions

  1. Privatisation

  • Religion confined to the private sphere
• How does Wilson describe the decline of community in relation to religion?

  Shared values lost vitality without stable communities
• What effect does industrialisation have on religious beliefs according to Bruce?

  It undermines consensus in small communities
• How does diversity of occupations affect religion?

  It undermines the plausibility of religious beliefs
• What does Aldridge argue about community and religion?

  Community can exist on a worldwide scale
• What is the concept of the sacred canopy according to Berger?

  • In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church had a monopoly
  • Everyone lived under a single set of beliefs
  • Protestant Reformation led to religious diversity
• What is cultural defence in the context of religion?

  Religion as a focal point for group identity
• What is cultural transition in relation to religion?

  Religion supports ethnic groups in new cultures
• How does Wilson describe church attendance in America?

  More an expression of lifestyle than belief
• What discrepancy did Hadaway find regarding church attendance statistics?

  Polls exaggerate actual attendance rates
• What does Bruce mean by secularisation from within?

  Religion adapts to modern secular society
• How has the purpose of religion changed in America?

  From seeking salvation to personal improvement
• What trend does Bruce identify among American Christians?

  Acceptance of differing beliefs among Christians
• What are some criticisms of secularisation theory?

  • Religion is changing, not declining
  • Ignores religious revivals and new religions
  • Overlooks believers without belonging