Assess the view that, Britain today is becoming more secular?

Agreement with the view; the low church attendance figures as evidence for a more secular society. With this idea that religion is of the past and less influenctial today. Weber believed western societies have ungone become a process of rationalisation, whereas religion is seen as the irrational. Another point would be the rise of individualised identities and subsequently the decline of community based identities, religion becomes less binding for communites, less collective worship, more privitised worship, this idea of believing without belonging. Disagreement with the view; religion is still a key influential institution, people still regularly partake in its key rituals such as marriage and christenings. Functionalists believe religion to reinforce social order by reiterating values in alignment with outer societal values, Durkheim believed religious totemism as the worship of the sacred to be symbolic as the worship of society. Religion as an unitary force, creating solidarity, with people turning to religion for emotional support in times of hopelessness.  Final point, society isn't becoming more secular, religion is just changing, staying current with an individualised society, with new religions having emergered, people have more choice, to choose what, when, who and how they worship. A new age of spirituality.

Answered by Abigail T. Sociology tutor

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