Secularization and Religion in Scotland

This assignment analyzes the secularization of Scotland through the lens of Steve Bruce and Rosalind Bibby's theories. It delves into how religious organizations, like churches, have adapted to this shift in societal beliefs. The analysis incorporates examples such as recruitment practices and the decline of traditional Sabbath observance. The goal is to understand the factors contributing to this religious transformation and its impact on Scottish society.

Running head: RELIGION AND LAW
RELIGION AND LAW
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Authors note:

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Introduction
The two books that have been chosen to review are “God is dead” by Steve Bruceand
“Restless God” by Reginald Bibby. These books have strategies that they follow and the
speakers still here. The condition in both the Canadian churches is similar to United States than
somewhere else. Some recent reading, as well as both the books gives a short trip to Scotland,
which has stimulated a greater alertness in the state. The titles are accurate in terms of
description of the main theme of each of the book respectively. However Reginald Bibby shows
a different direction from Steve Bruce. The main reason behind this is Scotland is different from
Canada and therefore their religious structure is different.
About the Author
Steve Bruce is the sociology professor at the University of Aberdeen, is also one of the
most important protagonists shielding the secularization paradigm, he and his party have once
attacked by a group of American sociologist who reject the process of secularization. However in
this book he picks up the top and justifiably helped us understand the meaning secularism. On
the other hand Reginald Bibby is from the University of Lethbridge sociologist, and has been
reviewing Canadian religious approaches and behavior since 1975, giving him the nickname
which is “Bad News Bibby” in a few religious circles for his ominous predictions about the
future of organized religion. Bibby’s research exposed a public weary of old fashioned
convention, which eager to hold atheism, the new age of spirituality or a light version of faith
that people had in their childhood.
In the book “The Restless God” Bibby’s research sketches briefly two features of
secularization thesis before proclaiming it to have been incorrect and abandoned, but however

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Brown had put out the complete complex thesis and described it completely. Working from a
richer understanding is way more helpful (Bibby and Lethbridge 2014). However, this model is
unrestricted by few sociologists as named by Bibby, but does not direct who have not. Neither it
is clear on the source of the evidence which some have thought to unrestraint the mode, while
others having not. Bruce however has nothing of this. The turn down of the religious belief is
regarded by him as irreparable in Western liberal democracies, largely in Europe, therefore, he
has given his book an unbending title. This view is obtained by him, not only by psychological
or philosophical considerations, but also from a sociological standpoint. The first chapter of this
book, “The Secularization Paradigam” is moderately technical and apparently projects widely at
his fellow professionals. This book may also put of people who are not common. Restless Gods
came as a bolt from the blue. The findings of the book were based on the data from numerous
new national survey that led up to the year 2000. Few contradicted to what Bibbly had said for a
quarter century. The gamble, the Canadian church situation is similar to the United States rather
than Europe.
Comparison
Steve Bruce has not abandoned the secularization model and the same is vital to
comprehend from Bibby’s standpoint and the data that he has collected and discovered and
shows why Bruce is incorrect in a way. Instead of a cautious lying about the secularization thesis
has been presented to be wrong, Bibby points out to the research of one chief scholar, Rodbney
Stark, who has operated with a number of connections over the years (Bibby 2017).
Nevertheless, certain ideas are given by Bruce in the first chapter of his book are important for
idebtifying at this stage. It is generally believed that the reason people are becoming more
secular and scientific knowledge expansion is unsuited with religious belief. However, Bruce

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states that the opposition between the science as the solution to the secularization and
Christianity is regarded by no sociologists. Moreover, he says that the real opponent of religion,
is relativism “the greatest damage to religion has been caused, not by competing secular ideas,
but by the general relativism that supposes that all ideologies are equally true” (Thiessen 2015)
Likewise, there is nothing in answers of Bibby which is “good news” in relations of
people actually becoming tangled again in local worshipers. Sociologists advance models,
historians tell stories. Nevertheless this does not make this anything other than brutal for
Christians. The reader will find a precise and clear suggestion of the problem’s nature;
contribution is down, and due to this spiritual memories have perished and will continue to die.
The church will be carrying on; religion will be playing a part in individual lives, but not in the
society as a whole. The society will be secular, as in the intellect of isolation from the religion.
There are some other captivatingfacts in the book. Bruce, in the opposing on a fairly leadingline
in how many Christians understand the past centuries, do not perceive the rise of the science. In
addition, in specific evolutionary theory, with a straight role in pertaining reliance: “the primary
secularizing effect of science came not from its direct refutation of religious ideas but through
the general encouragement to a rationalistic orientation to the world that science has given.”
The difficulty of the dispute illustrated here and by other sociologists need to be valued
(Goodhew 2013).
Links between the two Books
The secularization standard combines two things: nature of religion and assertion about
the changes in the presence, therefore a set of related explanation of those changes. This is
certainly not universally applicable scientific law, but an explanation and description of the past

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of the European societies and their offspring settler. There is contradiction to the often repeated
caricatures that this cannot be presumed to be a simple evolutionary model and indeed does not
suggests a single and uniform future. Both the books give a full illustration of the secularization
paradigm with adequate data to convince open-mindedness. They have offered a few illustrative
facts, which have examined some detail in each of the area. They have given footnotes on the
participating churches. One of the basic and certain criticisms that can be marked from both the
projects is that the initial collection increasingly contained newer and older churches and
growing and vibrant churches were excluded. In the last four decades the Western Europe and
the United States societies have become the main destinations of new global migration flows.
Throughout the modern era, Western European societies had been the primary source of the
immigration in the world. In Reginald’s research it was found that in the entire research work for
over the years, the number of participating church were twenty-six. This must be noted that
seven out of the fifteen original churches made relocation after 1970, whereas the eighth one
took the new religious name.
Reginald Bibby View Point
In his book, Bibby mentioned that the Canadian census data is discounted by the
conventional wisdom. The data shows that there are more people who identify themselves with
the churches. In addition, the data goes on representing numbers that shows up on parish rolls.
The prediction of Bibby shows that the continuation of such trends can demise venerable United,
Anglican, Presbyterian and Lutheran (Michels 2014). According to Bibby the key link between
the churches and outsiders, the collective recruitment of outsiders is related to nature, in a certain
extent that the recruitment of people are outside the evangelic community, the main bridges are

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family members and friends, and occasionally a children’s program. However, it is believed that
the few outsiders have come on their own.
Steve Bruce View Point
According to Bruce’s essential, thesis, people might not be persuaded. Religion of one
kind or another has existed in practically every society people know of. Whereas there are
different explanations for this it does strongly suggests that there is something in human nature
that inevitably gives rise to religion, and the rise of the religious fundamentalism in many
societies around the world today is also a sign that religion is unlikely to decline sooner in any
time, which is quite the contrary.
Conclusion
There is a need to recognize that change has occurred. Indeed thee explanation of the fast
secularization of Scotland was melodramatically confirmed with the reading of the book. It
almost took the readers to those times. Theories are correct, be it Bruce or Bibby, the truth is that
an organization (Church) which had the control to force its ethics on the society to the range that
swings in public parks that was shackled up in the early 1960’s in order so that Sabbath is
properly pragmatic and is visible within Scottish society.

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References
Bibby, R.W. and Lethbridge, A.B., 2014. Beyond the “No Religion” Panic in the United States.
In annual meeting of the Pacific Sociological Association, Portland, OR, March.
Bibby, R.W., 2017. Resilient Gods: Being Pro-Religious, Low Religious, or No Religious in
Canada. UBC Press.
Bruce, S., 2014. Late Secularization and Religion as Alien. Open Theology, 1(1).
Epperly, B.G., 2016. Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God (Vol. 5). Energion
Publications.
Goodhew, D., 2013. Church growth in Britain: A response to Steve Bruce. Journal of Religion in
Europe, 6(3), pp.297-315.
Grecco, B.R., 2013. The Challenges of the Call to Be a Bishop in North America Today:
Evangelization and the Parish. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 62.
Kuzmochka, C., 2014. Reclaiming the Heart of Adult Catechesis: A Case Study in Search of
Processes that Empower Mature Christian Disciples(Doctoral dissertation, Université Saint-
Paul/Saint Paul University).
McDonough, G.P., 2015. How do Catholic adolescents respond to Church structures, teaching,
regulations, and practices they cannot change?. Journal of Religious Education, 63(1), pp.37-47.
Michels, D.H., 2014. Seeking the Will of God: The Information Seeking Experiences of the
Leaders of Nova Scotia Churches in Transition.

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Reimer, S., 2017. Conservative Protestants and Religious Polarization in Canada. Studies in
Religion/Sciences Religieuses, p.0008429817695660.
Thiessen, J, 2015. ASociological DESCRIPTION AND DEFENCE OF SECULARIZATION IN
CANADA.
Waltke, B.K., 2016. Finding the will of God: A pagan notion?. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.