Religion and Social Groups

This lesson examines the relationship between religion and four key social variables: social class, gender, ethnicity, and age. The AQA specification requires you to understand how religious participation, belief, and affiliation vary across these social groups and to evaluate sociological explanations for these patterns.

Key Definition: Religious participation refers to measurable involvement in organised religion — church attendance, prayer, membership of religious organisations. It is distinct from religious belief (personal faith) and religious affiliation (identifying with a religion without necessarily participating).

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Religion and Social Class

Class and Church Attendance

There is a complex relationship between social class and religious participation. Historically, the Church of England has been associated with the upper and middle classes — famously described as "the Conservative Party at prayer." The established church has traditionally drawn its clergy, leadership, and most active members from the professional and managerial classes.

However, other religious traditions draw their membership from different class backgrounds: