Ethics 6.3 Secularisation unfinished

Question 1

What is secularisation

Answer 1

Secularisation is the idea that religious beliefs, practices and organisations are becoming less important in society. So secularisation is a process that happens over time as the influence of religion weakens.

Researchers say that there is observable evidence of this:
- Religious teachings and organisations are no longer respected
- We can rely on material comforts for our happiness and so have less need to believe in supernatural ideas.
- Religion has become a private matter and has less influence in public life.
- people are increasingly less committed to religious values and practices such as prayer and worship,
- Religion has become a leisure pursuit rather than a deep commitment.

Question 2

The place of religion in a secular society

Answer 2

The British Social Attitudes survey shows that the proportion of people in Britain who say they belong to a religion has fallen since 1985.
- the Church of England has suffered the biggest decline, falling from 40% of the population in 1983 to 17% in 2014.
- Religious other than Christianity have grown - in particular, the proportion who are Muslim has increased from 0.5% in 1983 to 5% in 2014.

The fastest growing group consists of those who say they have no religion. This group comprises 39% of the population.

However, the majority of the population still agrees with the statement: The Church of England should keep its status as the official established Church in England.

Question 3

The Causes and effects of secularisation
(UNFINISHED DO WITH MUM)

Answer 3

Researchers argue that there are three processes that occur in the modernisation of society that have a direct influence on the decline of religion:
- Rationalisation: society becomes committed to following practical and provable principles and procedures, such as science, politics and economics.
- Differentiations of

Question 4

The Rise of Humanism

Answer 4

Humanism is a way of seeing and reacting to the world using science, logic and reason, and rejecting religious beliefs and ideas.

Skipped part

The word humanism began to be used to describe a view of the world that focused on human beings rather than on organised religion.

Today, humanists share three central principles:
1. A scientific view of the universe that rejects supernatural beliefs.

2. A concern for the welfare of other human beings and animals based on reason, not divine authority.
3. The need for each person to create meaning in their own life without a belief in life after death.

Question 5

The British Humanist Association campaigns to.

Answer 5

disestablish the church of england

remove the right of Anglican bishops to sit in the house of lords

abolish faith schools.

Question 6

Potential Clashes between religious and secular values in educations.

Answer 6

The national secular society is not against religion or teaching about the religions represented in Britain. However it is against the idea of the state promoting religion. It opposes the confessional teaching of Christianity in Christian schools.

The Society believes that non-religious and humanist world views should be taught alongside religions, and that no religion or world view should have greater importance than any other.

The British Humanist Association opposes religious worship in state schools. It says religious worship ignores the right of children to freedom of belief and conscience by giving only to parents the right to have a child excused from worship.

Question 7

Key quote

Answer 7

Dare to know! have courage to use your own reason!