class

• • upper and middle classes historically have shown the most voluntary commitment to religious practice.
  • survey from 2015- 62% of church goers are middle class
  • working class showed the least commitment
  • the roman catholic church in Britain attracts a greater number of working class participation
  • methodism also attracts more working class
• sects:

  • sects attract either mainly middle class people or they are mainly working-class
  • why? sects focus on specific areas of concern to certain individuals
  • E.g. Black Muslims in the U.S draw their membership from the working-class because: sect leadership is largely antagonistic to the white bourgeoisie and MC african americans have done well from the economic system so less attracted to sects critical of economic structure
• cults:

  • new age cults are overwhelmingly middle class
  • who argues this? Bruce
  • He says that New Age cults appeal specifically to "uni-educated middle classes working in the 'expressive professions (actors,artists...) whose work cause them to have interest in human potential"
• reasons for religiosity amongst the working-class

  • theodicy of deprivilege (weber). Religion offers compensators (rewards in the afterlife)
  • Financial/social support and welfare
  • Sense of belonging and community
  • Most likely religious activity: denominations and sects
• reasons for religiosity amongst middle classes

  • Spiritual deprivation / relative deprivation
  • Social networking
  • Tradition and social desirability
  • Most likely religious activity: traditional churches, cults and new age movements