Linda Woodhead: Sociology of Religion

Sociology Of
LINDA WOODHEAD
Religion
 Linda Woodhead is part of the “iGen Project”, based at CASBS, that is writing up
research on post-millennial in the US and UK. The research reveals how this
generation of digital sophisticates is re-assembling values, identities and beliefs in a
context of disillusionment. The book will be published by University of Chicago
Press in 2021.
Woodhead is a sociologist of religion, beliefs and values. Much of her work has
looked at the decline of Christian influence (especially in liberal democracies) and
the rise of alternative beliefs, values and rituals – both spiritual and non-religious.
Her latest book is That Was the Church That Was: How the Church of England lost
the English People .
Woodhead is professor of sociology of religion at Lancaster University, UK. She

studied at Cambridge University. She has been a research affiliate at CASBS since
2019-20, and was a fellow in 2018-19.
The question is that the numbers of religions multiply and the complexity of
understanding what is going on within those religions increases.
She claimed that all those things are true and there’s another level of complexity
on top because the new sociology of religion is also very aware that social
differentiation whereby a function like religion is privatized – separated neatly off
from education, and law, and culture, and entertainment and so on – that we’re
seeing a complete de-differentiation as well. So we also need to have a theory of
social complexity to try and understand where religion is in a society and what’s
happening to it. People often imagine that religion is still a completely separate
function. So, as a sociologist of religion, you have this completely unique sphere of
society that we deal with – churches and mosques and… - that’s what religion is
and it’s absolutely bounded. Well, religion isn’t like that. So de-differentiation is
where you get neat boundaries between different social spheres – like education,
law, entertainment – they get blurred and fuzzy. And, of course, thy were a
characteristic of the age of the great sociologists; that was the time when societies
were differentiating. But now we’re seeing the opposite process, and that affects
religion as well as other spheres.
RESEARCH
Woodhead has carried out empirical research around the world. She has studies
neo- Hinduism, Christianity, spirituality, and Islam in Europe. Her work examines
the relationship between religions and social change, especially in modern times.
An Introduction to Christianity: a very short introduction, and Religions in the
Modern World consider the development of religions over time by examining how
they confirm or challenge power relations in wider society.
The spiritual revolution is based on ‘Kendal Project’ and documented the growth of
alternative spirituality and the relative decline of churches and chapels. In Religion
and Change in Modern Britain and Everyday Lived Islam in Europe.
A Sociology of Religious Emotion.
PATRIARCHY IN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
Although some religious organizations do have women in senior positions, they

are certainly the exception rather than the rule, and in most cases this is the result
of relatively recent reforms. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, all the
cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests are men.
Karen Armstrong (1993) argued that the exclusion of women from the priesthood
exemplified women’s marginalization in religious and social life.
Linda woodhead has suggested that the exclusion of women both from positions
of authority and from some religious practices comes from a deep-seated resistance
to women’s freedom and choice altogether.
RELIGION IS PATRIARCHAL
In many religious teaching across a wide range of religions, women are given the
role of nurturing, caring and giving birth. While these roles are presented
positively and as essential, they reinforce the gender norms in society and the
patriarchal power situations.
Religious texts are full of male Gods, male prophets, male saints and male heroes.
The books are written by men and interpreted by men.
The purdah in Islam, where religious women are secluded from society, including
the wearing of veils, etc. is seen by some feminists as exemplifying and entrenching
patriarchy.
RELIGION IS PATRIARCHAL
Linda Woodhead argues that religion is not necessarily sexist or patriarchal and
writes of a “religious feminism”. For example, she argues that the veil, in Islamic
societies , has been misinterpreted by some western feminists.
In very restrictive patriarchal middle-eastern societies, women have used face
veils to allow them to enter societies, obtain employment and in other ways
empower themselves.
In western countries, some women have chosen to wear veils in order to escape
the male gaze.

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Sociology Of

Woodhead is professor of sociology of religion at Lancaster University, UK. She

Although some religious organizations do have women in senior positions, they

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