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Introduction
• Rodney Stark defines religion as:– “socially organized patterns of belief
and practices that concern ultimate meaning and assume the existence of the supernatural”
• Nobody knows when humans first acquired religion
• All known societies have some type of religion
• Religion has influenced societies in enormous ways
Religion in the United StatesReligion in the United States
Other 6%
None 5%
Jewish 2%
Mormon 1%
Protestant 59%Catholic 27%
Source: Gallup Poll 1994.
Functionalist Perspective
• Religion has 3 important functions:
1. Providing meaning and purpose to life
2. Promoting social cohesion and a sense of belonging
3. Providing social control and support for the government
Taliban(Muslims) vs. Buddhists
• A 175-foot Buddhist monument, believed to be the world's largest standing Buddha was destroyed by Taliban Muslims in Afganistan.
Conflict Perspective
• According to Karl Marx, religion is the "opiate of the people"
• Max Weber argued that religion could be a catalyst to produce social change
Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
• Religion serves as a reference group to help people define themselves
• Women’s versions of a certain religion usually differ from men’s versions
Secularization
• “The process by which particular religious organizations become more worldly and offer a less vivid and less active conception of the supernatural”
The Secularization Thesis (The Old Paradigm)
• Suggests that as society becomes more industrial and technological, religion is replaced by science
The Evidence?
• In the 1960s & 70s many social scientists predicted that religion would be replaced by science – They noticed that the largest
established denominations were losing members
Market Shares of Mainline per 1,000 Church Members, 1940-1985
Denomination 1940 1960 1985 Percentage loss or gain
United Methodists
124.7 93.0 64.3 -48%
Presbyterian, U.S.A.
41.7 36.4 21.3 -49%
Episcopal 30.9 28.6 19.2 -38%
Christian (Disciples)
25.7 15.7 7.8 -70%
United Church of Christ
26.5 19.6 11.8 -56%
Market Shares of Evangelicals per 1,000 Church Members, 1940-1985
Denomination 1940 1960 1985 Percentage loss or gain
Southern Baptists
76.7 85.0 101.3 +32%
Assemblies of God
3.1 4.4 14.6 +371%
Church of the Nazarene
2.6 2.7 3.7 +42%
Church of God (Cleveland, TN)
1.0
1.5 3.6 +260%
Has Religion Been Displaced by Science?
• Seems to be the case in Europe, but not in the U.S.– Churches receive more money than any
other charity– Over 90% say they believe in God– Around 57% say they pray on a regular
basis– Around 70% report that religion is “very
important” in their lives– Church membership has increased over
the years, not decreased
Rates of Church Affiliation, U.S., 1776-1995Rates of Church Affiliation, U.S., 1776-1995
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1776 1850 1890 1916 1952 19951860 1870 1906 1926 1980
Pe
rce
nt
of
Ch
urc
h M
em
be
rsh
ip
Year
An Alternate View (The New Paradigm)
• Others suggested that secularization leads to religious revival and/or innovation– Religion will not be replaced by
science
Why Does Religion Remain Relevant In The U.S. ?
1. Cultural Compatibility– Early churches emphasized self-
government and voluntary affiliation• Fits well with cultural values about freedom
of choice and individual initiative
2. Social Identity– Churches help those who move around
find a sense of community
3. Disestablishment & Competition (Finke, Stark & Bainbridge)– Separation of church and state ensures that no
one religion or denomination is funded by the government
• Thus, religious monopolies are prevented due to competition
– This wasn’t the case in many European countries
• This creates an environment that encourages competition between churches
– Churches have to adapt to meet the needs and wants of “the marketplace”
» a.k.a. “a religious economy”
The Geography of NRMs
• NRM’S typically arise in those areas where sects and churches have failed to satisfy the religious market
• What are NRMs?– “The beginning phase of an entirely
new religion”• Differs from a sect in that sects attempt to
purify or return to elements of an established religion
• Research has shown that NRMs are more successful in areas where “secularization” has occurred– The unchurched belt in the Western
U.S.
Church Membership Rates Per 1,000
Values:
588.37 To 747.3
547.63 To 587.84
460.98 To 546.46
405.98 To 453.63
313.11 To 399.18
Why Do People Join NRMS?: Studying Religious Conversion• The brainwashing thesis
– Based on psychology– Members are thought to be:
• Young• Lacking strong social attachments• From lower socioeconomic classes• Uneducated• Weak minded and thus highly suggestible
• The social network thesis – Based on sociology – John Lofland & Rodney Stark studied
religious conversion to the Unification Church
Research Findings
• Empirical research suggests the following generalizations
– Those who are deeply committed to a faith do not go out and join another faith
• Seekership precedes many conversions but….
– Converts don’t have to have a favorable opinion of the NRM before they join, and they don’t initially agree with the NRM’s ideology
• Conversion is an act of conformity
– Recruitment and conversion to NRMs happens primarily through pre-existing social networks with family and friends
– Strong ties to others in the NRM are important for recruitment
– Sustained intensive interaction is also important for retention
• Members who are heavily involved have fewer and weaker ties to non-members