Chapter 14: Secularization
1. Which of the following theorists, discussed by Roberts, is the most alarmed by the advent of secularization, believing that pluralism and diversity are extremely dysfunctional for society?
a. Talcott Parsons
b. Rodney Stark
*c. Peter Berger
d. Robert Bellah
e. Emile Durkheim
2. Berger believes that secularization leads to
a. Unification of the culture and decline of anomie
*b. Marketing of religion as a commodity, with subsequent modification in religion to have market appeal
c. Reduction of cultural diversity
d. Increase of influence of religion in other spheres as institutionalization and specialization occurs
e. Evolution and advancement of religion as it becomes more complex and sophisticated
3. Thomas O'Dea characterizes secularization as
*a. A process of systematizing beliefs in logical, rational terms with the end result of disbelief
b. Evolution and advancement of religion as it becomes more complex and sophisticated
c. Marketing of religion in a pluralistic world
d. Institutional differentiation
e. Cultural pluralism and the resultant anomie in society
4. The characterization of religion as increasingly differentiated and complex comes from
a. Rodney Stark and William Bainbridge
b. Peter Berger
c. Thomas O'Dea
d. Herbert Otto
*e. Talcott Parsons and Robert Bellah
5. Robert Bellah views secularization as
a. Loss of sacredness and decline of social consensus
b. The development of rationalism in religion, which entails a decline in religion
c. Adaptation of religion to social realities, but this is not evaluated as either decline or improvement
*d. Religious evolution and development; essentially an improvement in religion to be more complex and sophisticated
e. An increase in supernaturalism and otherworldliness in society
6. According to Robert Bellah, during which period was the sacred/profane distinction the sharpest?
a. Primitive
b. Archaic
*c. Historic
d. Early modern
e. Modern
7. According to Robert Bellah, during which period does the trend toward privatization of religion and loss of control of people's religious outlook by religious officials reach its peak?
a. Primitive
b. Archaic
c. Historic
d. Early modern
*e. Modern
8. Persons from which theoretical tradition have set forth the idea that the term "secular humanism" is a labeling device to regain power and control of definitions of morality in public discourse?
a. Structural functionalists
*b. Conflict theorists
c. Open systems theorists
d. Rational choice theorists
e. Symbolic interactionists
9. While emphases vary, Tschannen maintains that there are three elements that are most widely shared by the various models of secularization. Which of the following is NOT among those defining characteristics?
a. A rational, utilitarian, and empirical/scientific approach to decision making, so that the world becomes "disenchanted"
b. Institutional differentiation and increased autonomy of various institutions from religious domination
*c. Decline of religion in the society
d. Decrease in otherworldliness or supernaturalism
10. There are many factors that are best understood as either causes or consequences of the secularization process. Which of the following is NOT among those correlates?
a. Cultural and religious pluralism in the society
b. Loss of the overall sacralizing role of the culture by religion
c. Privatization of religious beliefs
*d. Decrease in the "rationality" of economic systems and organizations,with people and organizations pursuing common needs rather than self interests
e. Marketing of religion in a competitive environment
11. What do Stark and Bainbridge mean when they say that religion is "self limiting"?
a. They believe that science and empirical methods are waning in public trust and that science has discredited itself as a way of knowing about the world
b. They believe that religion is adapting to science and becoming more empirical, and by adapting, religion will "join" the secular culture rather than "fight" it. Therefore religion will not be replaced by secularism, but will merge with it
c. They believe that God will not allow secularism to obliterate religion
*d. They believe that science, technology, and empirical methods are unable to meet certain needs that individuals have, and that only religion can provide compensators in these areas
e. All of the above
12. According to Stark and Bainbridge, religious organizations are in the business of distributing
*a. General compensators
b. Specific compensators
c. Both general and specific compensators
d. Empirically validated solutions to philosophical problems
e. Rewards that can and ought to be supplied by science and technology
13. One theoretical approach in sociology suggests that "humans seek what they believe to be rewards and avoid what they believe to be costs. In the course of one's life, however, certain desired rewards are scarce or are not available through empirical means, so supernatural compensators seem an appropriate solution. Therefore religion is not likely to disappear." This
perspective is known as theory.
a. Conflict
b. Exchange
c. Cognitive structuralist
d. Symbolic interaction
*e. Rational choice
14. Which of the following is NOT among the evidence that Stark and Bainbridge cite in support of their argument that secularization is self limiting?
*a. Church attendance has risen significantly for mainline denominations in the late 1980s and early 1990s
b. The revival or new expressions of religion in the form of new religious movements
c. The fact that the people who indicate "none" on religious preference surveys usually mean no traditional religion, but they often accept astrology or some other supernatural beliefs
d. The geographic regions where traditional religions are weakest are not dominated by secular humanists, but by new religious movements
e. Atheism in one generation is typically followed by reaffirmation of religious conviction in the next generation
15. Some scholars contend that secularization has resulted in the lessening of the sphere of the sacred and will eventually lead to the extinction of religion. Others contend that secularization has merely resulted in changes in the nature of religion. Reflecting back on the distinction between various definitions of religion, which definition would be most likely to conclude that religion will change in nature, but that this change does not mean decline?
a. Substantive definitions
*b. Functional definitions
c. Prophetic definitions
d. Ironic definitions
e. Esthetic definitions
16. Father Andrew Greeley interprets any reversal in church growth patterns in the past three decades as
a. Evidence of secularization
*b. Part of a normal cycle, insisting that several other indicators of religiosity show increases in commitment
c. Evidence of a major religious revival
d. Evidence that the apocalypse,the end of the world,is near
e. Evidence that the quality of preaching has declined
17. Dean Kelly argues that conservative churches are growing primarily because
a. These churches restrict birth control and therefore have higher birth rates
b. The population is moving south and west which is where these churches tend to be located
*c. These churches offer a demanding religion with clear cut answers and with stiff requirements of commitment
d. These have few commitment mechanisms,which deters potential recruits from the sacrifices they would have to make in order to join
e. All of the above
18. McKinney and Roof argue that liberal Protestantism suffered membership losses for all but which of the following reasons?
a. Low birth rates
b. Inability to recruit members
c. Inability to retain their young
*d. Demanding commitment mechanisms requiring high levels of commitment have deterred people from joining or remaining a member
19. Research shows that since 1776, religion in America has
a. Declined dramatically
b. Stayed about the same until 1960, then dropped sharply.
c. Stayed about the same
d. Dropped each decade until 1940, then climbed dramatically
*e. Increased steadily until about 1960, then leveled off or dropped slightly
20. Church membership and attendance figures for Canada indicate that
a. Average weekly attendance has risen sharply while U.S. attendance has dropped
b. Respondent claims of church membership indicate much lower membership than in the United States
*c. Membership has remained extraordinarily high, but weekly attendance has dropped much faster than in the United States
d. Church membership and attendance are, and have always been, much lower than in the United States