age

• according to the 2011 census young people are much less likely to report they have no religion
• Eileen Barkers study of the moonies shows that membership of world rejecting sects are relatively young 18-30
• new age movements tend to be made up of middle aged people
• biological effect of aging:

  as people get older and closer to death they become more interested in what happens after they die and religion offers answers

  the thought of an after life is comforting

  fits in with the post modern view that people pick and choose aspects of religion
• older people are more detached from society:

  they are more socially isolated, they have witnessed their friends dying and are more likely to have serious health issues which prevent them from interacting with friends and family

  especially the case with women because they live longer

  turn to religion for comfort and community
• social changes mean that each generation is less religious than the previous it is not that beliefs change
• Arweck and Beckford

  increasingly unlikely for parents to pass on religious beliefs to their children
• Brierley

  only age to show a rise in church attendance is 65+

  children find church boring