Is Religion In Decline As A Major Institution Religion Essay

Is Religion In Decline As A Major Institution Religion EssayThis publisher leave al one(a) critic everyy analyse and debate the question is theology in deterioration as a major social institution? I pass on be focusing my paper primarily on the United domain (UK) just al lowly for touch on other Western countries. To begin, this paper will touch sensation at the definitions of theology as this in its self-importance is surrounded by debate, and then it will go on to see at what is meant by secularisation. The main body of the paper will look at various perspectives, both for and against the idea that religion is in stock within the UK using non only the well documented thoughts of Sociologists but besides using information that has been collated through various methods, such(prenominal) as the Census and British societal Attitudes Survey (BSA).Religion could likewise be thought of in various other situations, such as in football for example, a group of deal com e together in a feeling of something. They perform rituals and sing the praises of what could be described as their common god their football team. However, for the purpose of this paper we will get religion to be of the most commonly get the pictured form ie the belief and praying to god -regard slight of the gods title ie God Allah etc.When we pronounce of the chastise of religion in hunting lodge we often hear the ledger secularisation beingness mentioned, Bryan Wilson (Religion in Secular association, 1966), describes secularisation as the support whereby spiritual thinking, rules and institutions is be approaching slight prominent in monastic baseball club and its institutions less important and influential in the lives of respective(prenominal)s. Whilst Peter Berger in The Social reality of Religion, 1969 puts an argument forward that it is The process by which sectors of society and culture atomic number 18 removed from the domination of religious institut ions and symbols Wilson also say that those who defined religion in substantive terms argon more likely to be in agreement of the secularisation thesis, this is due to the incident that they endure project that religious beliefs has crepusculed as people accept other more demythologized explanations of the world due to factors such as post-modernity, the Industrial Revolution pitch ab place a greater understanding of the sciences and technology has also brought about a fall in the beliefs of a god within the minds of UK citizens, curiously Christian UK citizens. M each Sociologists are in agreement that alters in society will directly impact on changes in religion. Going a step further, some sociologists buzz off claimed that the continuing advancement of science will eventually mean a further weakening, or even contend disappearance of religion within our society.Berger (1967) states that with the rapid growth of technologies, media and sciences comes a decline of reli gion and a questioning of its place in society. He goes on to state that religion, in the historical(a), has held the answers to our unanswerable questions and gave meaning to lives. Now that our questions are instantly answered by science and technology then the perform and religion is no longer needed. This process is also referred to as the Rational Choice surmise (RTC) of Religion. Another supporter of the secularisation theory is Bruce (1995) whom argues that by measuring stick the sizing of the clergy is a direct indicator of the popularity of religion. At the start of the 1900s, there were over 45,000 clerics in Britain, this had declined to just over 34,000 100 days by and by in 2000. The clergy had decreased by almost twenty five percent, in spite of the fact that the population had all but doubled in size (Bruce 1995). Bruce also states that another pointer to secularisation is the rising carve up rate, bring together with fewer religious marriage ceremonies. I n 1995 Bruce stated that 30 categorys ago perform weddings apply to make up 75% of all marriage ceremonies, but now this figure has fallen to less than one-half . When you add this statistic with the facts that there is an ever subjoin divorce rate, cohabitation is becoming popular and the percentage of children being born outside of a marriage is at am all time high it has to be seen that religion and its virtuous value system exert little influence today (Bruce 1995).Durkheim stated A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practiceswhich unite into one single moral community called a perform, all those who adhere to them (Durkheim 1915 62). He tensioned that religion brought people together, they shared a common belief and commitment to the same sacred symbol. It must be pointed out that Durkheim states that it is the coming together and bonding that is important not the reason of their togetherness. Durkheim argues that religion holds an ingrained social function T here raise be no society which does not feel the need of upholding and reaffirming at regular intervals the corporal sentiments and collective ideas which make its unity and its personality (1915, 474-475) Although Durkheim was speaking here regarding religion we can see this happening in other ways in society, exhalation back to the football match you could relate this statement back to the Emirates stadium, Anfield, nonagenarian Trafford and indeed any of the 100s of football grounds around the UK on any given Saturday between August and MayWebers The Protestant Ethic The sapidity of Capitalism shows us how Calvinists in the 16th and 17th century looked upon a persons success within business and savings was an indication that they were destined for salvation. We can relate this to the early beginnings of capitalism and a persons responsibility and prospects, with time the emphasis of religious beliefs was eroded as capitalism prospered. With this new-made society came incre asing rationalisation, this lead to disenchantment and inevitably along with that came a decrease in religious belief systems and church attendanceAnthon y Giddens (1997) wrote The three guiltless sociological theorists, Marx, Durkheim and Weber all thought that the significance of religion would decrease in modern times. Each believed that religion is in a fundamental superstar an illusion. The advocates of different faiths may be wholly persuaded of the validity of the beliefs they hold and the rituals in which they participate, yet the very diversity of religions and their obvious connections to different types of society, the three thinkers held, make these claims inherently implausible.If we are to examine secularisation it is common sense to valuate church attendance. According to the 1851 British Census just over 40% of the population attended church. By 1950 this had dipped to 20% and in 2000 we power saw just 7.5 % of people stating that they attended church. Looking to wards the future we could look at Sunday school attendance. Attendance had also dropped to an all time low in 1900 55% of children attended Sunday School in the year 2000 this figure plummeted below 4% this surely shows that religion is in decline, and at a very swift rate.The UK Census Data (2001) shows that 71.6% claim to be Christian, 2.7% Muslim, 1.0% Hindu, 0.6% Sikh, 0.5% Jewish, 0.3% Buddhist and 23.2% either have no religion or did not state one. However, if we compare the Census 2001 data with data available from Social Trends 30 (2000) cited in Moore (2001) suggest that while Christianity seems to be in decline other religions are not. Within the UK Islam had increased 380% from 130,000 people stating it as their religion in 1970 to 495,000. The UK has also seen a massive increase in Sikhism by 250% from 1970 to 1990. It must be pointed out that although undoubtedly these religions are on the increase by 100s of percent that the total number of individuals that say they a re practising these religions is shut away quite a small percentage of the UK population. It also should be pointed out that although the Census data is usually accurate it is now almost 10 years old, and could be seen as outdated information..An opposing view of secularisation argues that religious practices and participation have, in the past, been greatly overestimated and exaggerated. Martin (1967), has questioned the validity and reliability of past religious statistics. He argues that the demographic content is not valid and questions methods used for the collation of this data. Martin states that peoples religious belief systems and belong to religious groups cannot be metric from statistics regarding religious practice. He goes on to state that although people may be religious they are choosing to express their belief in alternative ways. Martin also argued that some people attended Church for what the church can do for them in a non-religious capacity, for social motive, as opposed to holding rugged religious beliefs. This mindset resulted in attendance of church numbers being inflated , Martin questions whether or not to interpret declining attendance to places of worship as evidence that points towards a loss of religious faith within society.Demaroth and Hammond (1969), also agree with this viewpoint and state that We should avoid the quick assumption that Church members are always highly religious in their personal beliefs and activities, or that Church non-members are otherwise non-religious..Robert Bellah puts forward the argument that it is wrong to perceive that just because people do no longer attend church is vast numbers that region itself is in decline. Bellah states that people do not need to be a part of a large religious organisation in order to be religious, they can simply practice their beliefs in their own homes and lives and it is this that makes them religious, not the fact that they attend a church building. Luckmann (1967) ca lls this practice the Invisible Religion Luckmann states that when society goes through periods of vast change and development it is also expected that religious practices and systems will also evolve, and new forms shall emerge. It is fair to say that both Bellah and Luckmann agree that religion is simply transforming instead than declining. They argue that whilst group and public meetings of religion are in decline that personal practice is as strong as ever, but cannot be scientifically measured.A similar argument is put forward by Grace Davie (1995) she is in agreement with Bellah in that secularisation needs to be separated from belief and belonging. She argues the theory that in the UK religion is belief without belonging people believe, but feel they do not belong to the church, so they practice their religion in the privacy of their own homes.To conclude, it must be said that religion is in decline as a major social institution within the UK when referring to the Christian religions specifically Roman Catholics, Protestants and Methodists. These religious institutions have seen a rapid fall in church attendance- disregardless of if people are practicing in their own homes or not. Within the UK religion, specifically Christianity, has seen a decrease, or disengagement, of power issues such as abortion and divorce used to be influenced greatly by the church today people do not look to the church for guidance on such issues but look more towards personal circumstance in order to reach decisions. With this in mind it can only be reason that the major institution that we know as the church now holds less power, less cohesion and less importance within the UK today with traditions of religion and prayer being replaced by new technologies and a wish for an individual to succeed in personal issues such as employment, status and wealth. The gelid could be argued for other religions such as Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism, although it could also be argued that t hese religions are only on the increase due to immigration into the UK in the past 10 years. I found very little factual data that could show a large number of UK born citizens joining such religions so it is my belief that the growth of these religions is primarily due to the fact that the beliefs and practices of these religions have been brought into the UK rather than developed within the UK.Ref Journal Tony FaheyStudies An Irish every quarter Review, Vol. 83, No. 332 (Winter, 1994), pp. 367-375(article consists of 9 pages)Published by Irish Province of the rescript of JesusStable URL http//www.jstor.org/stable/30091534Growth and Decline of churchly ReligionRef Journal Malaise in the Sociology of Religion A PrescriptionRichard K. FennSociological Analysis, Vol. 46, No. 4 (Winter, 1985), pp. 401-414(article consists of 14 pages)Published by Oxford University PressStable URL http//www.jstor.org/stable/3711156Davie, G (1994) Religion in Britain since 1945. England,Blackwell Publi shingGiddens,.A (2001) Sociology Introductory Readings , revised edition. England, polityHamilton, M (2001) The Sociology of Religion England RoutlegdeLuckmann, T (1963) The Invisible Religion The Problem With Religion in Modern Society England, Macmillan.British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA), viewed 08 April 2010, BOOK Bruce, S 1995, Religion in Modern Britain, Oxford, Oxford University Press.Census. Religion in Britain Office for National Statistics, viewed 16 April 2010, www.curriculum-press.co.uk sociology fact sheet one viewed 28 March 2010.