Final answer:
Lorna's observation of the decline in religious participation in her community is an instance of secularization, a process indicating societal change in the role and influence of religion as anticipated by sociologists like Durkheim, Weber, and Marx.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lorna's research on the decline in religious participation and the subsequent decline in social and political power of religious institutions in her small Texas community is an example of the process sociologists call secularization. This concept encompasses the patterns of change within fundamental social institutions as the influence of religion diminishes in society. With an increase in individuals identifying as having no religious affiliation and a movement towards more personal and varied spiritual practices, there is a noticeable shift from traditional organized religion to a more secular or individual spiritual landscape, reflecting broader cultural and social changes.
Sociologists such as Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx anticipated this phenomenon, theorizing that the modernization of society would lead to a decrease in the influence of religion. This trend is also underscored in the U.S. by the rise of nontraditional forms of spirituality, such as those who identify as spiritual but not religious (SBNR), and the emergence of megachurches as a new model of religious experience. Despite these changes, sociologists like Durkheim believed that the societal function and power represented by religion would not completely disappear, even if traditional religion declined.