Sociolohy Unit 4

Sociology essay assignment 4

Critically examine the relationship between different social groups and their religious belief and practice (33 marks)

There are a variety of different social groups in our societies they consist of different classes, ethnics, genders and age groups. In this essay I will compare the different social groups with their religious beliefs and practises.
Gender is a highly debatable topic in social groups as most feminists would argue that women are more religious and Miller and Hoffman's findings that women express greater interest in religion and have a stronger personal commitment to religion and attend church more, is agreed by most feminists. Some reasons for this belief that Women are more religious, is because they are socialised to be more passive and caring. These are qualities valued by most religions so it follows that women are more likely than men to be attracted to religion. Other sociologist also agree and say that Women more likely to be attracted to church as a source of gender identity, and Greeley argues that taking care of other family members increases women's religiosity because it involves responsibility for their ultimate welfare and everyday needs. Davie argues that women's closer proximity to birth and death brings them closer to 'ultimate' questions about the meaning of life that religion is concerned with. Bruce believes that women's experiences of bringing up children make them less aggressive and more caring, where men want to achieve, women wish to feel. This fits with emphasis of New Age. Glock and Stark and Stark and Bainbridge argue that people may participate in religion because of life compensators (for social, organismic and ethical deprivation that it offers). Glock and Stark argue these forms of deprivation are more common through women and explain why there is a high level of sect membership. Organismic Deprivation: Physical and mental health problems, which women more likely to suffer, healing. Ethical Deprivation: Women more conservative, likely to regard world as being in moral decline. Social Deprivation: Women more likely to be poor. More women in sects and sects usually attract the poor. However, not all sociologists agree -Armstrong argues that early religions often placed women in positions of high responsibility. Saadawi claims that religion has been interpreted based on patriarchal ideas. -Monotheistic religion has legitimised inequality. Other sociologist would also say that religion can help women fight against oppression. Wearing a hijab means that women feel liberated to escape the home and enter education.
UK today is multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. Christians biggest religious group, but there are numbers of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, which almost all of whom belong to ethnic minorities and many Christians are afro-Caribbean. Ethnic patterns in religious participation with high than average rates for most minority ethnic groups. Black Christians are more likely than whites to be found in the Pentecostal churches, where they make up 40% of the membership. Minorities have higher participation rates. Ethnic minorities originate from poorer countries with traditional cultures both of which produce higher levels of religious belief and practice. Bruce argues that religion offers support and a sense of cultural identity in an uncertain environment. This is known as cultural defence. Bird notes religion among minorities can be a basis for community solidarity, a means of preserving one's culture and language, and a way of coping with oppression in a racist society. This is seen in many dominating white churches where black afro-Caribbean have moved to Pentecostal churches. Religion can also be a means of easing the transition into a new culture by providing support and sense of community. Herberg gives this explanation for high levels of religious participation among first generation immigrants in the USA. This is known as cultural transition. Pryce's study of the Afro-Caribbean community in Bristol shows both cultural defence and cultural transitions have been important. He argues that Pentecostalism is a highly adaptive 'religion of the oppressed' that provided migrants with values appropriate to the new world in which they found themselves.
The older the person, the more likely they are to attend religious services, however the under 15's are more likely to go to church than other age groups because of their parents and the over 65's may not be able to go because they are more likely to be sick or disabled. Voas and Crockett, there are two main sorts of explanation for age difference in religious participation. The ageing effect: This is the view that people turn to religion as they get older. For example, using evidence from the Kendal Project, Heelas argues that people become more interested in spirituality as they get older. As we approach death, we become more concerned about spiritual matter and the afterlife and as a result we are more likely to go to church. The generational effect: That as society becomes more secular, each new generation is less religious than the one before. There are more old people than young people in the church congregations today, because grew up at a time when religion was more popular.
Ashworth & Farthing (2007), a recent study showed churchgoing is associated with people from higher social classes, jobs including and professionals, senior management. Jobs the least churchgoers had semi-skilled, unskilled manual workers. Middle-class, who moves to a new area, can fit into the new community by joining the local church. Working-class, would have felt isolated and alienated, if they went to Church in their new area. Brierley (1999), the overall trend of churchgoing is declining. However, growth of churchgoing in prosperous areas (9.6%), compared to poorest areas (5.9%).
To conclude, in all different social groups’ figures have shown that there has been a general decline in all of these. However due to how this has been measure sociologists would say that results are unreliable and not valid.