Establishment Response to social change Conclusions
4. Establishment : Wilson claims that in times of rapid social
Although traditional church attendance was still
change, individuals often feel a sense the dominant religious experience, they claimed
o The sect becomes more accepting of the
of confusion and anxiety. This has historically that New Age movements reflected the self-
world as it begins to compromise with wider
led to increased participation in new religious interested nature of our society and therefore are
society.
movements that are current and appeal to the more relevant to the contemporary individual.
Further Schism needs of those individuals.
Subjectivisation
5. Further Schism: New Age Movements
o Some members that hold the original New Age movements are an alternative to According to Heelas et al., this process signifies
beliefs become frustrated with the traditional religion. the increasing ‘subjectivisation’ of spiritual
movement and therefore break away to belief. Meaning that individuals will pick and
New Age movements choose elements of beliefs systems they want to
form a new sect.
adhere to.
o The cycle begins again. New Age movements are an alternative to
traditional religion. These movements
Reasons for Growth of New Religious promote self-spirituality, meaning that the
Movements individual can customise their own experience
rather than be dictated to by an established
The main reasons for the growth of new hierarchy.
religious movements are a response to
marginalisation, relative deprivation, and Examples
responses to social change.
A response to marginalisation Examples of popular New Age movements
include:
Weber claimed that new religious
o Yoga.
movements tend to attract individuals who
o Reiki.
do not belong to the majority within a
community. New religious movements offer o Feng Sui.
explanations for their circumstances and
ways to improve them, as well as creating a Heelas et al.
community of people with similar beliefs. Heelas et al. conducted research into the
rise of New Age movements within the rural
Relative deprivation
community of Kendal in the Lake District. This
is known as the Kendal Project.
Barker discusses a more recent trend of young
middle-class people being attracted to new The Kendal Project
religious movements such as the
‘Moonies’. Barker notes that in some cases, Kendal was selected as church
young middle-class children feel neglected by attendance was double the national average,
their career orientated parents and therefore
showing that religion was still relevant in the
suffer from relative deprivation when they
compare their experiences to peers who have area.
strong connections with their parents. New
4. Establishment : Wilson claims that in times of rapid social
Although traditional church attendance was still
change, individuals often feel a sense the dominant religious experience, they claimed
o The sect becomes more accepting of the
of confusion and anxiety. This has historically that New Age movements reflected the self-
world as it begins to compromise with wider
led to increased participation in new religious interested nature of our society and therefore are
society.
movements that are current and appeal to the more relevant to the contemporary individual.
Further Schism needs of those individuals.
Subjectivisation
5. Further Schism: New Age Movements
o Some members that hold the original New Age movements are an alternative to According to Heelas et al., this process signifies
beliefs become frustrated with the traditional religion. the increasing ‘subjectivisation’ of spiritual
movement and therefore break away to belief. Meaning that individuals will pick and
New Age movements choose elements of beliefs systems they want to
form a new sect.
adhere to.
o The cycle begins again. New Age movements are an alternative to
traditional religion. These movements
Reasons for Growth of New Religious promote self-spirituality, meaning that the
Movements individual can customise their own experience
rather than be dictated to by an established
The main reasons for the growth of new hierarchy.
religious movements are a response to
marginalisation, relative deprivation, and Examples
responses to social change.
A response to marginalisation Examples of popular New Age movements
include:
Weber claimed that new religious
o Yoga.
movements tend to attract individuals who
o Reiki.
do not belong to the majority within a
community. New religious movements offer o Feng Sui.
explanations for their circumstances and
ways to improve them, as well as creating a Heelas et al.
community of people with similar beliefs. Heelas et al. conducted research into the
rise of New Age movements within the rural
Relative deprivation
community of Kendal in the Lake District. This
is known as the Kendal Project.
Barker discusses a more recent trend of young
middle-class people being attracted to new The Kendal Project
religious movements such as the
‘Moonies’. Barker notes that in some cases, Kendal was selected as church
young middle-class children feel neglected by attendance was double the national average,
their career orientated parents and therefore
showing that religion was still relevant in the
suffer from relative deprivation when they
compare their experiences to peers who have area.
strong connections with their parents. New
