Religion, Renewal and Change

Theories challenging Secularisation:

Postmodernity

Postmodernity

Postmodenists argue that religion is not

declining, but merely changing as society

develops.

Believing without Belonging

Davie says that religion is taking a different,

more privatised form; it is not declining.

Church attendance is now a personal

choice instead of an obligation so we can

believe without belonging. Thus, the decline

of traditional religion is matched by the

growth of a new form of religion.

Vicarious Religion

Davie notes a trend of a small number of

professional clergy practicing religion on

behalf of a much larger number of people

who experience it second hand.

Reginald Bibby found 25% of Canadians

went to church regularly, but 80% claimed

to have religious beliefs, identified positively

with tradition and turned to religion for rites

of passage (weddings etc.). They seldom

went to church, but took an interest in the

supernatural.

Vicarious Religion

Davie compares vicarious religion to the tip of an

iceberg. Beneath what appears to be only small is

actually a wide commitment. People are drawn to

church at times of national and personal tragedy as it

provides ritual and support.

She says secularisation theory assumes modernisation

effects every society in the same way, resulting in

rationalisation. However, there are ‘multiple

modernities’ (not a single version of modern society).

Instead, religion and science will continue to co-exist.

Criticisms

Voas and Crockett say both church

attendance and belief are declining, so if

we believe but not belong, the latter (belief)

should be increasing.

Bruce says if people are not willing to invest

their time going to church, their beliefs can’t

be that strong.

Spiritual Shopping

Hervieu-Leger says there has been a dramatic decline

in institutional religion. She believes this is partly due to

‘cultural amnesia’. We have lost the religion that was

handed down generations; parents let their children

decide their own beliefs now. Also, the trend towards

social equality has undermined the traditional power

of the church to impose religion on people. Young

people no longer inherit a fixed religious identity so

they ignore traditional religion.

But, she notes religion hasn’t disappeared. Individual

consumerism has been replaced collective tradition.

We are ‘spiritual shoppers’.

Spiritual Shopping

We have developed ‘DIY’ beliefs that give

meaning to our lives and fit in with out

interests and aspirations. Religion is thus a

spiritual journey in which we choose the

elements to explore.

Two New Types…

Pilgrims follow an individual path in a

search for self-discovery.

Converts join religious groups that offer a

strong sense of belonging.

As a Result…

Religion is no longer the source of collective

identity. However, Hervieu-Leger notes it

does have some influence on society’s

values – such can be a source of shared

cultural diversity and social solidarity, even

for those who aren’t actively religious.

(Her views can be related to the idea of late

modernity – more on this in Chapter 4, Topic

5)

‘Jesus in Disneyland’

Lyon argues that traditional religion is giving

way to a variety of new religions that

demonstrate its continuing vigour. He says

postmodern society has a number of

features which are changing the nature of

religion…

The Relocation of Religion

Religious Consumerism

Re-enchantment of the World

The Relocation of Religion

Globalisation has led greatly to increased movements

of ideas and beliefs across national boundaries. This is

due to the central role played in postmodern society

by the media and IT which saturate us with images

and news from around the globe. Therefore, we have

instantaneous access to the ideas and beliefs of

previously remote religions. These ideas have become

‘disembedded’ – the media have lifted them out of

their original context and put them in a different place

and time.

The Relocation of Religion

An example of this is the ‘electronic church’ televangelism means people can express

their beliefs without physically going to

church.

So, religion becomes de-industrialised.

Religious signs and images become

detached from their place in religious

institutions and into technology.

Religious Consumerism

We can pick and mix elements of different

faiths to construct our identity. Lyon says

religion has relocated to the ‘sphere of

consumption’. Religion hasn’t been

abandoned – we have become ‘religious

consumers’ making conscious choices

about which elements of religion we find

useful.

Supporting Study…

In her study of American Christian

Fundamentalists, Ammerman found they

made use of a number of churches without

giving strong loyalty to any one of them.

For individual religion, Bellah gives the

example of ‘Sheilaism’. When interviewed,

Sheila explained how she has her own

beliefs but she doesn’t practice.

Religious Consumerism

One effect of having a great variety of

religious products to choose from is loss of

faith in ‘meta-narratives’ – theories or

worldviews that claim to have the absolute

truth. The wide range of beliefs weaken the

traditional claims so previously dominant

religions lose their authority and decline.

So, many new ones spring up for us to

‘sample’

Re-enchantment of the World

Lyon says secularisation theory assumes

religion Is declining and bing replaced by

rational explanations. He sees the previous

decade as a period of re-enchantment with

the growth of unconventional beliefs,

practices and spirituality. Although

traditional forms have declines, there is a

growing vitality of non-traditional religion in

the West and its resurgence elsewhere in the

world.

Criticisms

Research shows people choose to view

programmes that confirm their existing

beliefs. Religious media doesn’t attract

many new converts.

Lyons criticisms of secularisation theory

aren’t based on extensive evidence – does

the ‘electronic church’ exist?

Bruce argues the consumerist religion Lyon

describes is a weak religion – it isn’t

evidence for the continuing vitality of

religion.