Beliefs in Society: Religious organisations Flashcards
how does Troeltsch define a church?
large organisation
bureaucratic heirarchy of professional priests
universalistic; anyone can join
ideologically conservative
how does Troeltsch define a sect?
small organisation
exclusive; often poor and oppressed
high levels of commitment
hostile to wider society
charismatic leader
how does Neibuhr define a denomination?
midway between a church and sect.
membership is less exclusive than a sect, but don’t appeal to everyone.
accept wider society
do impose some minor restrictions, but not like sects
tolerant of others, don’t claim a monopoly on the truth.
how does Neibuhr define a cult?
individualistic
small groups, a loose organisation
mo sharply defined system
led by a practitioner/therapist with specialised knowledge.
New religious movements: world-rejecting NRMs
their religious ideology tends to be highly critical of mainstream society. they demand high levels of commitment from members. they also expect members to withdraw themselves from society and devote their lives to the membership. they tend to have been founded by a charismatic leader, and memberships tends to demand loyalty to the leader.
New religious movements: World-accommodating NRMs
tends to be offshoots of major churches or denominations which tend to neither accept or reject the world, they just live in it. focuses on developing spirituality rather than focusing on existential questions about life and religion e.g. developing spiritual health using meditation techniques as a group and individually.
New religious movements: World affirming NRMs
they tend not to have a belief in God. the members are not expected to remove themselves from society, instead they argue the followers intend to help enrich their spirituality and gain fulfillment. followers are unlikely to live in a commune and will often practice activities in their everyday lives.
how do Stark and Brainbridge characterise a sect?
break away from existing organisations, usually because of a dislike in the doctrine.
how do Stark and Brainbridge characterise a cult?
new religion or a new/imported to the area e.g. scientology from US. they identified 3 types of cults: audience cult, client cult, and cultic movement.
how do Stark and Brainbridge characterise an audeince cult?
no formal membership
low levels of commitment
little interaction between members
participation can be through the media
e.g. astrology
how do Stark and Brainbridge characterise a client cult?
the relationship formed between the client and consultant
seen as a ‘therapy’
promises of self-discovery and personal fulfilment.
how do Stark and Brainbridge characterise a cultic movement?
demand high levels of commitment
members aren’t allowed to join other groups
some client cults develop into cultic movements
e.g. Scientology
reasons there has been a growth in NRMS: marginality
weber= sects appeal to the poor and oppressed who are on the outskirts of society.
theodicy of dispriviledge: often a religious explanation for their suffering
Wallis: the middle classes may also feel marginalised. many were drug users and hippies marginalised in 1960s.
reasons there has been a growth in NRMS: relative deprivation
subjective sense of being deprived
middle classes may be spiritually deprived; very true in today’s society that is fast-paced, and people are often left without a sense of community.
the poor may be attracted to WRG as they promise compensation for the suffering they experience.
reasons there has been a growth in NRMS: social change
Wilson: periods od rapid change disupt and undermine established norms and values which can cause anomie.
Bruce: the growth of sects today is response to modernisation and secularisation. people are less attracted to cults which is less demanding on commitment.
reasons there has been a growth in NRMS: the dynamics of sects and NRMs
sects are likely to be short lived: 2nd gen, and death of the leader.
wilson: some sects will convert to denominations or adventist. sects await the second Coming of Christ.
globalisation is making it easier to attract people to such organisations.
reasons there has been a growth in NRMS: the growth of the New Age
self-spirituality: people have turned away from traditional ‘external religions’ in favour of looking inwards to themselves.
detraditionalisation: values are placed on personal experience and believes that we can discover the truth for ourselves.
can be mixed in their orientation to the world e.g. world affirming and world rejecting.
reasons there has been a growth in NRMS: postmodernity and the new age
the growth of NAMs is related to late modernity.
there has been a collapse in the meta-narrative, science has created a new hope, then war, genocide and environmental destruction have meant people have lost hope in experts/professionals and turned inwards.
Heelas: NAMs are growing because:
a source of identity
consumer culture
rapid social change
decline in organised religion
Reasons for gender differences: risk, socialisation and roles
Women are more likely to feel threatened and marginalised in society, therefore, likely to join a sect because the charismatic leader is likely to make them feel valued and safe.
Women are socialised to be quiet, and obedient. Therefore they like are likely to join a church for a sense of social solidarity (AO3: Durkheim CSI)
Reasons for gender differences: paid work
Women are more likely to not work, or work part-time to be involved in traditional religion e.g. church through play group.
Men are likely to feel alienated at work, stressed, working hard for their achieved status therefore likely to join a church for social solidarity or cult for self-betterment
Reasons for gender differences: women and the new age
Women are likely to join NAMs and NRMs because they are closer to birth and death, as a result they join organisations which focus of caring aspects
Reasons for gender differences: women, compensators, and sects
Marxists claim that religion, opium of the people, will compensate women for their position in society.
Durkheim - compensators in gaining a sense of belonging (individual support) given by religion.
Reasons for gender differences: Pentecostal gender paradox
Within the Pentecostal denomination, there is equality in gender participation between men and women: therefore, reasons for gender differences may not be due to socialisation or biological differences, but simply due to the content of religion.
Reasons for ethnic differences: cultural defence
Ethnic minorities are likely to experience racism from society, therefore join a religious organisation as it provides them with a sense of support (Durkheim CSI) and prevents anomie and alienation
Reasons for ethnic differences: cultural transmission
Ethnic minorities use religious as a support network when they first arrive in a new area to give a sense of community to cope with change.
One community is established from other organisations in society. Religion becomes less important, and are more likely to join a cult.
Reasons for age differences: the ageing effect
Closer to death = panic + prey
Reassurance that there is an afterlife they may get into. Likely to join a traditional religion such as a church
Reasons for age differences: the period effect
‘Generational effect’
With each generation, the importance of religion declines. Older generations don’t pass on norms and values of religion
Old = traditional
Young = sect and cult
Reasons for age differences: secularisation
Religion is loosing its importance in society and therefore not an important part of socialisation of a regular activity.
Decline in traditional religion
