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Explore trends in secularization and religious resurgence, from decline in church attendance to the rise of Islamism and alternative spiritual practices.
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Secularisation and Religious Revival Islam, Europe and the USA
Secularisation • Public: religious institutions and the state# • Private: • Attendance • Belief • Affiliation (Identity)
Decline in Public Power of Religious Institutions Impotence of churches re blasphemy, social mores (gambling, sexuality eg), political agendas, sabbatarianism; Absence of clerical representation in Scots Parliament and Welsh Assembly; House of Lords reform.
Plausibility of Religious Beliefs Some observers (Grace Davie eg and many church leaders) try to remain optimistic by arguing that we remain ‘really’ religious despite lack of involvement in religious activities and institutions. Test with British Social Attitudes data
Alternative Spiritualities Is there evidence that an alternative ‘New Age’ world is servicing enduring demand for some form of spirituality?
Evidence from Kendal Survey:Paul Heelas and Linda Woodhead Found 95 practitioners of holistic spiritual activities: 63 different groups and 63 on a one-to-one basis. Total of 600 people were involved in typical week: 1.6 per cent of pop. of Kendal and environs. Most popular are physical therapy: massage, yoga, aromatherapy Practitioners think they are offering spirituality but 45% of customers and group members see it as mundane. Hence, about 0.9 per cent of the population is involved with holistic spiritual practices.
Post-Christian Spirituality in Europe? Source: Houtmann & Aupers 2007
Bruce's Secularisation Theory • Differentiation leads to diversity of faiths • Society 'needs' to be tolerant to ensure social peace, so no one faith has a monopoly and there is space for secularism • 2 Kinds of secularisation: • Most activities (including politics and economics) are not controlled by the church; AND THIS CAUSES: • Most individuals cease to believe, and to attend church • Bruce's opponents (Stark et al.) argue the reverse, that diversity leads to competition and religious vitality (i.e. USA vs Europe)
'Supply Side' Theory • Stark, Iannaccone, Greeley, etc • Drawn from Economics • Focus on Supply rather than Demand for Religion • Pluralism leads to competition (ie USA), while establishment leads to monopoly, inefficiency, and poor marketing • Religious competition in USA, inefficiency in Europe • Demand for religion is part of human nature
A New Secularism in America? • 1990s sees a major decline in those saying they have a religion • Baby Boomers 10-15 pc secular; • Americans in their 20s: 30-40 percent secular • A European-style society in 2 generations? • Caveat: Many 'nones' believe in God • Putnam: alienated will come back to faith
Role of Identity in Mitigating Secularism • S. Bruce, David Martin argue that identities give religion a secular role • Nationalism: Greece, Ireland, Poland, Sri Lanka, Islamism (???) • Ethnicity: Northern Ireland, Muslims in Europe • Anti-Secular Regional Identity: South v Northern US; Basque v Madrid, Breton v Paris
The Rise of Islamism • Surge of Mosque-building post -1970s • Rising support for Islamist parties • Little evidence for slackening mosque attendance or religiosity in World Values Survey • Children more religious, more conservative than elders • Why?
How Theorists of Secularism Respond to Islamism • Bruce claims his theory assumes conditions like equality, liberalism which obtain in the West. The paradigm is less effective elsewhere • He argues that revivals occur during periods of rapid change and urbanisation, but long-term trend is toward religious decline • Religion can maintain its position if it acts in the role of nationalist against an oppressor in an ethnic conflict. Perhaps Islam benefits from its anti-West stance and the shari'a is more of a symbol of nationalism than something people want for spiritual reasons
Fundamentalism & the 'Enclave Culture' • Fundamentalism and Secularism both modern • Fundamentalism a response to fear of secularism • Big loser is traditional/moderate faith • Fundamentalists 'withdraw' into enclaves and build parallel counterculture • Role of demography (high birth rates, endogamy, immigration) in boosting fundamentalism
Fundamentalist Retention • "When I made a telephone call on [a Jewish holiday] I felt as though I was tearing apart one of my vital organs. I felt as though I was foolishly opening the door to hell and sending myself into a wilderness where hope for survival was grim. I felt as though I was standing on the tallest bridge and I was jumping off to a sea filled with sharks and deadly fish. I felt as though I was separating myself from a group I had grown to love, which raised and supported me"
Conclusion • Bruce claims that secularisation is occurring on both social and individual levels in the West • Others claim that the USA provides a countercase to secularisation, backed by the rise of Islam • Islam has experienced a resurgence on both the individual and social levels since the 1970s • Like the Reformation, Islamism has a populist thrust which upsets the existing political order • There are structural, cultural and political explanations for the resurgence of political Islam • Some argue that Islamism is more like nationalism than a spiritual movement. Hence it does not contradict the secularisation thesis
