...Assess the view that secularisation has been a feature of modern European societies. Proposed by Wilson, Secularisation is where religion loses significance. It has been argued that this has happened recently largely in Europe, where many of the white population in particular, move away from religious beliefs and more towards arguments such as science. However, many argue this isn’t happening, or that it isn’t exclusive to Europe. In addition, it is a highly contested concept, where there are deep methodological and theoretical debates over what it is, how to measure it or if it is occurring. It is often contested there was a golden age of faith, and those who suggest secularization is occurring need to prove society was more religious. The idea of this golden age is based on the belief that everyone previously went to church, but there lies problems in examining the past. Historical data records are sparse and there were no opinion polls or interviewers to carry our surveys to explore this, and therefore this argument lacks validity, reliability and representativeness. The idea of Golden age is far-fetched, however, as it was found by the first Census of religion in 1851 on England and wales that 40% of the population attended church. This suggests that there is no secularization, as European countries such as England weren’t largely religious then and there are not so now, so secularization hasn’t taken place. Secondly, Christianity still remains strong in the UK...
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...Assess the view that secularisation has been a feature only of modern European societies. Secularisation, as stated by Wilson, is the process whereby religious beliefs, institutions and practices have lost their social influence. Max Weber concluded that society is undergoing a process of modernisation – a transition from religious tradition to rational and scientific ways of thinking – and rationalisation – the process by which rational ways of thinking have gradually replaced the religious teachings and understandings of the world. This secularisation is said to have started by Marten Luther when he challenged the principles and ideas of the Roman Catholic Church. This religion was the main religion especially within the UK that most of the population believed to be true. Luther undermined the popular religious view by writing 93 reasons challenging the churches beliefs and this initiated the processes of modernisation and rationalisation. Luther had started the end of the rule of the church within the UK by causing a Protestant revolution and disenchantment. Weber talks about disenchantment as a way of escaping the beliefs of the church, this caused the thought that the world operates according to its own laws of nature based on science and reason instead of religion and superstition and that God is transcendent. There is strong evidence to suggest that secularisation is very high within European societies, especially the UK as we can see from church attendance statistics...
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...of view on the reality and a non-religious set of values. Indeed philosophical and scientific methods allowed not to consider a concept or a statement as sacred and immutable but they sharpened the social changes. This process has started in Europe during the Age of Enlightenment with the scientific discoveries of physicians and chemicals and with the development of social sciences and humanist philosophy. Secularization spread in the second half of the twentieth century; in particular it had a strong incentive after the second World War because of the industrialization process and the economic globalization. I strongly believe that even if Secularization started in Europe, it does not concern just the western world; for instance in some other societies (non-western countries) the role of the sacred has been replaced with technologies, modern education, scientific medicine and modern political and judicial systems. In addition to this the globalization is also a great communications medium between different societies which diffuses non-religious systems of knowledge, common values and datum points. In my opinion people should be Eurocentric for thinking that secularization concern just Europe; the distinction between the sacred and the profane is not only a prerogative of the Christianity, I think it is a system of interpretation of the reality which is common in all the religions and which works in different ways and with different means. Therefore all the societies or civilizations...
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...Assess the view that secularisation has been a feature only of modern European societies (33 marks) There is no agreed definition of the word secularisation- depending on how you define it will determine whether or not it is happening/exists. Some will argue that; secularisation is happening, it never happened, it did happen, or it’s a western issue. The exclusivist definition sees religion as involving beliefs in some supernatural, supra-human being or forces of some kind, which would indicate that secularisation is apparent in modern society as church attendance has declined in the UK from 11.1% of the population in the 1980s, to 6.6% in 2005. The inclusivist definition takes a less traditional approach, and includes beliefs and activities that most wouldn’t define as religious e.g. New Age Movements that look at spiritual therapies; this suggests secularisation isn’t happening and that religion is never likely to decline as alternative activities replace traditional roles of religion. If secularisation is defined as the exclusivist definition, then the UK can be classes as experiencing secularisation. Different sociologists have different theories contributing to our understanding of secularisation, for example Webers rationalisation theory. However, opponents of the secularisation debate argue that secularisation is only apparent in modern European societies, as church attendance and religious participation is in the increase in countries like America. Firstly evidence...
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...Assess the view that secularisation has been a feature only of modern European society. (33 marks) Secularisation is the transformation of a society from one where religious belief played an important part, to one where it has less and less influence. In the UK it is fair to say that there have been some major changes in the religious beliefs that people have. For example there has been a decline in the percentage of the population going to church and there are now fewer baptisms and church weddings. One reason for this could be that there is a might greater variety of new religions and new age movements that seem to appeal more to society today. Wilson argues that Western society has been going through a long process of secularisation and that since the 1960s the percentage of people going to church has fallen by around 30%. Statistics like this show that European society, in particular, is becoming a lot more secular. Rationalisation is one way that secularisation in Europe can be explained. This is when rational ways of thinking come to replace religious ones and many sociologists argue that this is what has happened in Western society. Weber argues that the process of rationalisation began in the Protestant Reformation which undermined the religious worldview and brought to light the rational scientific outlook. For Weber the medieval Catholic view that dominated Europe saw the world as being like an enchanted garden and God (as well as other spiritual beings) were seen...
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...Assess the view that secularisation has been a feature only in modern European societies-33 marks The idea of secularisation implies that there has been disenchantment in social life, that sacred ideas are no longer of any relevance to people and practical matters are emptied of any spiritual significance. Secularisation according to Wilson is the process whereby ‘religious thinking, practice and institutions social significance,’ that people are more interested in leisurely pursuits and that society and religion has become more pluralistic as a result of globalisation. Exclusivists think that secularisation is definitely happening whilst inclusivists argue that it is not happening, rather that society is experiencing resacralisation, that there are other religions such as NRMS and New Age Spirituality which are equally valid. Woodhead and Heelas suggest that there are two versions of secularisation. Firstly the disappearance thesis states that modernity is bringing about the death of religion. This thesis tends to use Church statistics as evidence. Crockett found that in 1851 40% Church attendance and in 2007 2% attended. In 2002 2/3 attended a religious service such as weddings no more than once a year. However there are problems concerning the use of Church statistics, regarding their reliability and validity. Statistics tell us very little about the social meaning of religion as Davie suggests many people can believe without belonging. Bellah also notes that religion is...
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...SCLY 3: Beliefs in Society Revision Guide 2009-10 Name: Remember: You have to revise everything, because essay questions will focus on more than one area of the specification. The specification: The relationship between religious beliefs and social change and stability * Functionalism: conservative force, inhibition of change, collective conscience, Durkheim and totemism, anomie; civil religions * Marxism: religion as ideology, legitimating social inequality, disguising exploitation etc * Weber: religion as a force for social change: theodicies, the Protestant ethic * Neo-Marxism: religion used by those opposing the ruling class, liberation theology * Feminism: religious beliefs supporting patriarchy * Fundamentalist beliefs: rejecting change by reverting to supposed traditional values and practices. Religious organisations, including cults, sects, denominations, churches and New Age movements, and their relationship to religious and spiritual belief and practice * Typologies of religious organisations: churches, denominations, sects and cults, with examples of each New Religious Movements and typologies of NRMs eg world rejecting/accommodating/affirming; millenarian beliefs, with examples of each * New Age movements and spirituality, with examples * The relationship of these organisations to religious and spiritual belief and practice. The relationship between different social groups and religious/spiritual organisations and movements, beliefs...
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...SCLY 3: Beliefs in Society Revision Guide 2009-10 Name: Remember: You have to revise everything, because essay questions will focus on more than one area of the specification. The specification: The relationship between religious beliefs and social change and stability * Functionalism: conservative force, inhibition of change, collective conscience, Durkheim and totemism, anomie; civil religions * Marxism: religion as ideology, legitimating social inequality, disguising exploitation etc * Weber: religion as a force for social change: theodicies, the Protestant ethic * Neo-Marxism: religion used by those opposing the ruling class, liberation theology * Feminism: religious beliefs supporting patriarchy * Fundamentalist beliefs: rejecting change by reverting to supposed traditional values and practices. Religious organisations, including cults, sects, denominations, churches and New Age movements, and their relationship to religious and spiritual belief and practice * Typologies of religious organisations: churches, denominations, sects and cults, with examples of each New Religious Movements and typologies of NRMs eg world rejecting/accommodating/affirming; millenarian beliefs, with examples of each * New Age movements and spirituality, with examples * The relationship of these organisations to religious and spiritual belief and practice. The relationship between different social groups and religious/spiritual ...
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...A2 Sociology ASSESSMENT PACK 2015-16 A2 Level Sociology Student Tracking Sheet | |Current Grade |Target Grade |Lates |Attendance | |September | | | | | |November | | | | | |January | | | | | |March | | | | | |May | | | | | | |Families |Education | |UMS | | | |Grade | | | | |Handed in on |Mark |Grade |What is the target for my next piece of work? |Above/ On/ Under Target | |Assessment/Homework |time...
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...Contrast and Continuities in Society OUSCC1504 [pic][pic] [pic] Combined Studies, Sociology, Level 4 This programme is currently validated by The Open University [pic] [pic] 2014-15 [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] |Assessment type |Hand in date |Percentage of Marks |Assessment description | |Formative assessment |27 March 2015 |0% |Assignment Plan | |Summative assessment |11 May 2015 |10% |Group Presentation | |Summative assessment |25 May 2015 |30% |Individual Supporting Summary | | | | |750 words | |Summative assessment |12 June 2015 |60% |Essay 1,500 | [pic] | | |What’s the module all about? | |Module and Programme Learning Outcomes | |Assessments | |Handing in your work ...
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...a Christian worldview The contours of a Biblical worldview . . . . . . .. . . . . . 59 70 87 104 119 136 157 Structure and direction. Sin and evil. Common grace The task and calling of humankind: to care for the creation . The nature of Christian community. A Christian view of society. The Kingdom of God: God's righteous rule over the whole creation . Bibliography . . . . . . . . ii Introduction The creation of the Father, fallen in sin, is redeemed by the death of the Son of God and is being transformed by the Holy Spirit into the kingdom of God. Herman Bavinck This series of studies is designed to provide a basic introduction to a distinctively Christian worldview that seeks to see the whole gospel applied to the whole of life. This Christian worldview makes a difference, because it is significant for our life in the world. It shapes and directs our lives in important ways, because it is the framework of our most basic beliefs about everything. These studies provide an initial introduction to the idea that Christianity provides a coherent, robust and significant basis for life that is a distinctive and genuine alternative to the prevailing worldviews which currently shape our society. No doubt there will be many questions arising out of these studies that cannot be...
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...New Social Movements In Nepal Introduction Nepal has undergone three major movements during and after the end of the hundred years of Rana Oligarchy in 1950, 1990 and 2006. These movements did not only change the political power, but also substantively affected the structure of the prevalent Nepalese society. Hereupon, ethnic, Dalit, women and Madesh movement with the demand of identity and inclusion have been reaching their peak in these recent years. We can analyze all these movements of Nepal under the important and essential theory of New Social Movement. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) fought twelve years People's war under the doctrine developed by Mao Tse-tung of China, but raised many issues highly influenced by the New Social Movement such as ethnic, gender, Dalit and Madesh related to the identity and human rights, not based on socialism or communism. The article 'New Social Movements: of the Early Nineteenth Century' written by Craig Calhoun is important to make our perception on the various social movements of Nepal. It is new concept in the sociological theory which was developed after only 1968, different than old social movements like the Marxism, socialism and labour movement of the past. Most of the contemporary social movements are emerged outside the mainstream political system, political parties and formal institutional life and inspired by the non-hierarchical, participatory form of democracy, human rights, social justice, environmental preservation...
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...moral foundations of liberal societies. Lord Plant focuses on the role that religious belief can and ought to play in argument about public policy in a pluralistic society. He examines the potential political implications of Christian belief and the ways in which it may be deployed in political debate. The book is a contribution to the modern debate about the moral pluralism of western liberal societies, discussing the place of religious belief in the formation of policy and asking what sorts of issues in modern society might be the legitimate objects of a Christian social and political concern. Raymond Plant has written an important study of the relationship between religion and politics which will be of value to students, academics, politicians, church professionals, policy makers and all concerned with the moral fabric of contemporary life. r ay m on d pl an t is Professor of European Political Thought at the University of Southampton and a Member of the House of Lords. He was a Home affairs spokesperson for the Labour Party from 1992 to 1996, and Master of St Catherine's College, Oxford, from 1994 to 2000. Lord Plant's main publications are Social and Moral Theory in Casework (1970), Community and Ideology: An Essay in Applied Moral Philosophy (1974), Hegel (1974), Political Philosophy and Social Welfare (with H. Lesser and P. TaylorGooby, 1979), Philosophy, Politics and Citizenship (with A. Vincent, 1983), Hegel: Second Edition (1983) and Modern Political Thought (1994). ...
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...Employment News 31 May - 6 June 2014 www.employmentnews.gov.in 21 UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION EXAMINATION NOTICE NO. 09/2014-CSP (LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS : 30/06/2014) DATE :31.05.2014 CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2014 (Commission’s website-http://upsc.gov.in) F. No. 1/5/2013-E.I(B) : Preliminary Examination of the Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the Services and Posts mentioned below will be held by the Union Public Service Commission on 24th Aug., 2014 in accordance with the Rules published by the Department of Personnel & Training in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 31st May, 2014. (i) Indian Administrative Service. (ii) Indian Foreign Service. (iii) Indian Police Service. (iv) Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’. (v) Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (vi) Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’. (vii) Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (viii) Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’. (ix) Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group ‘A’ (Assistant Works Manager, Administration). (x) Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’. (xi) Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (xii) Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group ‘A’. (xiii) Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'. (xiv) Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group ‘A’. (xv) Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force, Group ‘A’ (xvi) Indian Defence Estates Service, Group...
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...Employment News 11 - 17 February 2012 www.employmentnews.gov.in 21 Union Public Service Commission EXAMINATION NOTICE NO. 04/2012-CSP DATED 11.02.2012 (LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS : 05.03.2012) CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2012 (Commission's website - http://www.upsc.gov.in) F. No. 1/4/2011-E.I(B) : Preliminary Examination of the Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the Services and Posts mentioned below will be held by the Union Public Service Commission on 20th May, 2012 in accordance with the Rules published by the Department of Personnel & Training in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 4th February, 2012. (i) Indian Administrative Service. (ii) Indian Foreign Service. (iii) Indian Police Service. (iv) Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’. (v) Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (vi) Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’. (vii) Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (viii) Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’. (ix) Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group ‘A’ (Assistant Works Manager, Administration). (x) Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’. (xi) Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’. (xii) Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group ‘A’. (xiii) Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'. (xiv) Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group ‘A’. (xv) Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force, Group ‘A’ (xvi) Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’. (xvii) Indian Information...
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