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“Outline and Explain two reasons why secularisation may be occurring in Britain” (10
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A Level Sociology A* essay for secularisation occurring in Britain. Includes a plan and an essay
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“Outline and Explain two reasons why secularisation may be occurring in Britain” (10)P Decline of religious practise and the decline of metanarratives with the rise in spiritual shoppers
E Individuals are no longer attached to religious institutions causing the attendance of religious ceremonies to be in
decline. As a result of this, religious influence on society has declined and has been replaced with other moral value
systems and consumeristic cults (NAM’s)
As a result of this people take more control in their own life rather than following religious teachings due to the
lack of influence of the metanarratives. Wilson and the New right found this through divorce, etc. This is because of
a cultural amnesia where religious identity is no longer inherited and children do not remember going to weekly
worship. This causes the rise of spiritual shopping of different religious beliefs
R 1851 – 40% but 2006 it decreased to 6.3%, Leger and cultural amnesia, Lyotard and decline of metanarratives, Wilson and
New Right – little influence on society due to increased family diversity - postmodernism
A ON the other hand, it can be argued that attendance and religiosity do not correlate as davie found that individuals believe
without belonging. Bellah expands on this by stating that people who hold beliefs don’t see the purpose of attending
worship so secularisation has not taken place, the practising of religion is just becoming more private. The statistics which
have also been used in the past are invalid as data collection methods were not uniform and sophisticated
Y Therefore, secularisation is occurring in Britain because people no longer attend religious ceremonies and instead subscribe
to consumeristic cults
P Disenchantment and technological/scientific worldview and disengagement
E Weber argues that the enlightenment era has led to the disenchantment of the world as science becomes the
dominant belief system. The public doesn’t know of the sacred qualities of religion due to the lack of evidence.
They rely on scientific advances to explain suffering. This is known as desacrilisation. Similarly, Weber and Bruce
argue that the growth of technology has replaced religious explanations. Bruce notes that explanations do not
challenge religion directly but reduced the need for religion. Religion is referred to as a last resort – Pandemic
occurs we rely on scientists who occupy a priest-like status for medication rather than praying straight away
Rationalised thinking
The church is marginalised people are more likely to follow morality of the media. The public only enters the
church for the purpose of ceremonies causing the church to have a marginalised status. Moreover, people may
describe themselves as religious but know little about religion (60% of Christians haven’t read the Bible despite
claiming to know a lot about their religion). This links to the marginalisation of religious institutions as they have
lost their influence over people and social policies. For example, gay and lesbian couples can marry and
contraception is widely available.
R Weber, Bruce, 60%
A Issue of ethnicity – statistics and explanation base itself off of Church meaning it is unrepresentative for other religions –
British society experiences religious pluralism – ethnic minorities religious due to cultural transition and defence according
to Bruce
Y
One reason for British secularisation is due to the decline of religious practise, which is caused by the
decline of metanarratives and rise in spiritual shoppers. According to consensus data, individuals
aren’t attached to religious institutions. The attendance of ceremonies is declining - in 1851 40% of
Christians attended church but in 2006 it was 3.6%. So, religion no longer has an influence on society
(Wilson). Postmodernists Lyotard argues that this decline is due to the rejection of metanarratives.
This is evident through the increase of civil partnerships and contraception use. People take control
in their identities rather than following religion. Leger expands on this by explaining that religious
identity isn’t inherited due to a ‘cultural amnesia’. As younger generations don’t attend practises,
they don’t inherit their parents’ religious identities. Instead, they act as spiritual shoppers, buying
into different New Age beliefs. instead of believing in God, they would follow crystal healing. This
links back to the decline in traditional religious practices where New Age Movements don’t require
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