SECULARIZATION
The influence of religion in society. There's a problem in measuring the amount.
MEASURING SECULARIZATION
- Decline in religious behaviour
- Decline in religious institutions importance
- Decline in religious belief
DECLINE IN RELIGIOUS BEHAVIOUR?
- Attendance, at events as well as regular services
- Observance of religous ceremonies at home.
- Following religious rules, including prayer, dietary rules and moral rules.
- Identification with a religion.
Arguments for
Surveys show all types of religion in decline. Even where there's some observance, there may be dual motives eg vegetarianism.
Arguments Against
Some religions do not require attendance. Surveys are unreliable as different definitions of membership and attendance are used.
THE DECLINE OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS?
Arguements For
- Religious institutions have lost most power. Eg. since 1944 most church schools taken over.
- Arguments against
- Churches are less secular as they concentrate on purely religious matters, therefore are less secular. The rigid differentiation i.e. separation of Church and state is not always a sign of a secular society e.g. Turkey and USA remain religious societies whereas Britain has a state religion but is more secular. Religion can thrive in private whilst churches decline.
THE DECLINE OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF?
Arguments for
Many people have non-rational beliefs, many moral beliefs based on tradition and faith rather than reason. Berger claimed that some people have an unquestioning belief that science can explain everything, which he called scientism.
CONCLUSIONS
- Both evidence and interpretation are disputed.
- Importance of religion is different in different countries. Fundamentalism flourishes in USA, Israel, Iran and India.
- Religion itself may be secularized, e.g. by televised religion or being modernized eg. women priests.
- Sects and cults are popular in modern societies, they are more fundamentalist.
- Belief nor the social meaning of behaviour can be directly measured.