The Decline of Methodism DS Turner

420 Pages·2012·13.58 MB·English

The Decline Methodism
of
an analysis of religious commitment and organisation
in fulfillment the
A thesis
presented of
for the degree doctor
requirements of of
philosophy.
by
uni
4ý
D. S. Turner
-VII
,
of
Social Studies
Department
University Leeds.
of
1970
This thesis is dedicated
to
nr wife.
4
rs
r;
t.
Table Contents
of
er
Preface
Part 1: ReliPious Commitment
1. Contemporary Problems
in Sociology
Religion
of
-
for the
reasons research.
Pages 1. 13.
-
2. A Definition Religion Religious
of Commitment.
and
Pages 14.. 42.
-
3. Methodology the Research.
of
Tables 3: 1 3: 16
-
82.
Pages 43.
-
Belief.
4. Religious
Tables 431 4: 9
-
83. 112.
Pages
-
5. Religious Practice from Virtuoso to Mass Religion.
-
Tables 5: 1 5: 8
-
143.
Pages 113.
-
6. Experience.
Religious
6: 1. 6: 8.
Tables
-
177.
Pages 144.
-
Part 21 Religious Organization
Religious Organizations.
7. Theories
of
178. 205.
Pages
-
Socialization Conversion.
8.
Recruitment and
-
8: 1 8: 16.
Tables
-
239
206.
Pages
-
Discord in Modern Methodism
9. Ecumenism
-
240. 261.
Pages
-
10. Size Church Religious Commitment.
of and
Tables 10: 1 10: 12
-
Pages 262. 197"
-
Part 3: Comparison Conclusion
and
11. The Herberg Thesis in Cross-cultural Perspective.
8
Tables 110 1
-'11:
Pages 298. 326.
-
12. The Decline Methodism Conclusion.
of
-
Pages 327. 347.
-
Appendix 1. Questionnaire Follow-up Letters.
and
Pages 348. 378.
-
Appendix 2. Bibliography.
Pages 379. 391.
-
i
Preface
Samuel Johnson literature "It is how little
once said of amazing
there is in the Like Johnson's
world". any aphorism worth of recall,
both truth falsity. The
complaint contains a great measure of and of
truth Johnson's be the
of amazement must a very common experience of
it has been to
sociological researcher and certainly a problem plague
the I have the last four One is
research carried out over years.
hypotheses for there
continually working with assumptions and whic3g are
insufficient data: theories,
questions remain unanswered, unproven.
is frequently
Historical,
sociological, contemporary evidence narrow,
to the hand.
suspect or partially relevant problems at
The to the field the
aphorism, when applied of sociology of religion,
is largely false. A deceptively the
also simple question about strength
Church
the Methodist in England leads to increasing
of questions of ever
the historical development Methodism, British
complexity about of about
in the the
society, about religion social structure, about nature of man
his in the A leads to broad
and place universe. simple question a
The
horizon between the
of problems and uncertainties. contrast researcher's
limited, knowledge his faulty the
specialized and skills and vastness of
the best, humility, doubt.
subject matter creates, at at worst, a crippling
ii
As this disquieting the
a result of complexity and richness, sociologist
definitions his
who probably started research with clear-cut of role
finds himself "fallen theologians" David
not only among secular as
-
Martin has but fallen historians,
observed among economists, philoso-
-
logicians. The interaction these
phers, methodologists and of specialisms
The
is 'both threatening.
exciting and subject matter of sociology
becomes blurred the indistinct. He
and sociologist's self-conception
finds himself the knowledge data
relying on and of other specialists
in disciplines. The danger is that his in these
other performance other
domains be less than It is to be'expected, therefore,
may amateurish.
that the theologian that Wesleyan theology
will complain my account of
has dogmatic the historian, that
condensed a multitude of subtelties;
treatment history is My
my of ecclesiastical and social cavalier.
defence be that I have least listened to their
must at attentively com-
that I theologian historian that intentions
plaints; am neither nor and my
have lain
elsewhere.
-
The implicit the thesis is the in
subject of problem of religion
industrial Given the data, the
a modern, society. nature of my explicit
is the decline the Wesleyan the decline the'
subject of ethos and of
Church.
Methodist In I have to Methodism
addition, attempted compare
in England America.
and
The
the decline Methodism is two
analysis of of conducted at
iii
theoretical levels. In the thesis, the first theoretical
part one of
is
level that the`. is the
of social actor and concerned with nature of
belief, In this
religious practice and experience. case, religious
decline is departure from the Method-
conceived as a early standards of
ism. In two thesis, the theoretical level-is that,
part ofthe second
At this level to the.
of social organization. attention'switches `
-
One
organisational problems of recruitment and ecumenicalism. aspect
decline is the failure to
of organizational recruit new members and
the inability to integrate "either'in
splinter groups, which emerge. op-
to The final the-
position or-in. support of ecumenicalism. part of
thesis Methodism in America
compares contemporary and-Britain and
,
discussion decline Methodism.,
provides concluding of"the of
Fortunately, the lone in`the domain
sociologist of-research
is He has both fellow
problems and uncertainties a myth. mentors and
travellors. In I heavily indebted to
my research, am my supervisors,
Dr. A. P. M. Coxon Mr. R. Towler for their interest
and guidance, and
Chapters 2,5
9 have benefitted from
encouragement. and enjoyable
Mr. M. Hill. I to Mr. B. Foster, Mr. R.
collaboration with am grateful
Stark, Dr. J. Kent Dr. T. Ling for their
and comments on and criticism
drafts the thesis. For their to Methodism
of early of permission study
in Leeds their full the I indebted to
and support of research, am
Turner.
Revs. W. Walker Lee, John Banks J. M. My
and colleagues and
Aberdeen have but
students at made an unwitting, significant contribution
iv
kiýý
to. the-last thesis. My deepest is
stages of-the appreciation
for
my. wife's-patience and sanity. sr
lappe'ared
Finally, important"sections the thesis have in
of
B. Turner "Institutional`Fersistence and Ecumenicalism. in Northern
'Martin"(ed. )
Methodism" in D, A Sociological Yearbook'öf Religion
in Britain, 2,1969; M. Hill B. Turner "The Laity Church
and and
Unity", New Christian, B. Turner, "Belief, Ritual::
°93,1969; and-,,
Experience: the Methodism", Social Compass, 26,1969.
case of
Other the to in B. Turner "Diacord
aspects of research are appear
in Modern Methodism", Proceedings the Wesley Historical Society,
of
38,1970; M. Hill B. Turner "John Wesley the Origins
and and and
(ed. )
Decline Ascetic Devotionalism" in M. Hill A Sociological
of
(forthcoming).
Yearbook'of Religion in Britain
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