Beliefs - Organisations & Movements - 5.6 Flashcards

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1
Q

Types of Religious Organisations

A

> Church
Denomination
Sect
Cults

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2
Q

Church

A

> Large, bureaucratic & closely linked with state, monopoly of truth

> Ideologically conservative & few demands on members e.g. Church of England
Legitimate

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3
Q

Bruce - Criticisms of Definition of Church

A

Lost monopoly & reduced to status of denominations, competing with everyone else

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4
Q

Sect

A

> Small, exclusive & increased commitment, hostile to wider society

> Feel they’ve monopoly of truth, recruit from working class with charismatic leadership

> e.g. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Deviant

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5
Q

Denomination

A

> Midway between Church & Sects, unexclusive, accepts society’s values, unlinked to state

> Minor restrictions, & tolerant of other religions

> e.g. Methodist

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6
Q

Cults

A

> Individualistic small loose structure, open membership & tolerant of other religions

> See members as customers e.g. Scientology

> Deviant

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7
Q

Trend in New Religious Movements

A

Increased due to decline of established churches, beliefs not declining but changing.

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8
Q

Types of Religious Organisations (Key studies)

A

> Wallis (3 Types of NRM)
Stark and Bainbridge (Sects)
Stark and Bainbridge (Cults)

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9
Q

Wallis - 3 Types of New Religious Movements

A

> World-Rejecting NRM
World-Accommodating NRM
World-Affirming NRM

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10
Q

Examples of World Rejecting NRM

A

Moonies, People’s Temple, Branch Davidians

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11
Q

World Rejecting NRM - Wallis

A

> Clear idea of God, hostile & radical, communal life style

> Cut off kinship ties & ascetic lifestyle

> Appeal to young, causing parents fear - see them as being captured.

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12
Q

Examples of World-Accommodating NRM

A

Neo-Pentecostals or Subud

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13
Q

World-Accommodating NRM - Wallis

A

> Breakaway from churches, feel religion has lost its lost purity, don’t accept/reject world

> Resembles dominations, politically conservative

> Focus on religious rather than worldly matters

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14
Q

Examples of World-Affirming NRM

A

Scientology, Transcendental Meditation & Human Potential

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15
Q

World-Affirming NRM - Wallis

A

> Lack normal religious features accept world, followers customers rather than members.

> Give them access to spiritual powers & special knowledge

> Promise success in individual goals

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16
Q

General Criticisms of Wallis

A

Ignores diversity of beliefs within NRM

> Most NRM don’t fit in categories e.g. mix traits

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17
Q

Stark & Bainbrisge - Criticisms of Wallis

A

Religious organisations should only be distinguished by tension between the group and wider society.

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18
Q

Two Organisations Stark & Bainbridge feel conflict with wider society

A

> Sects & Cults

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19
Q

Stark & Bainbridge - Sects

A

> Due to existing groups splitting e.g. church due to disagreements over doctrine

> Increased tension with outside world & offer supernatural/other worldly benefits

> People suffering with economic /ethical deprivation

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20
Q

Stark & Bainbridge - Cults

A

New religions e.g Scientology or imported e.g. Transcendental Meditation offering this worldly benefits to people suffering health deprivation

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21
Q

Stark & Bainbridge - 3 Types of Cult

A

> Audience Cults
Client Cults
Cultic Movements

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22
Q

Audience Cults & S&B

A

> Unorganised with little commitment/interaction participate through media

> e.g. Astrology Cults

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23
Q

Client Cults - Stark & Bainbridge

A

Offer services to customers enhancing life, promising personal fulfilment with therapies e.g. Scientology

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24
Q

Cultic Movements

A

> Organised & exclusive, needed increased levels of commitment, claims to meet all religious needs

> Offer full spiritual package including.answers to core existential questions e.g. Heaven’s Gate

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25
Q

General Criticisms of Stark & Bainbridge

A

> Unclear involvement members need to have

> e.g. groups Stark & Bainbridge use don’t fit neatly into categories

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26
Q

Reasons for Growth of Religious Movements

A

> Marginality
Relative deprivation
Anomie & Social Change

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27
Q

Reasons for Growth of Religious Movements (Key Studies)

A

> Weber (Marginality)
Stark & Bainbridge (Marginality)

> Stark & Bainbridge (Relative deprivation , Spirituality & Compensators)
Barker (Relative Deprivation)

> Wilson (Anomie & Social Change)
Bruce (Anomie & Social Change)

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28
Q

Weber - Marginality

A

> Fall of organised religion leaves a gap in market, sects arise in groups marginal in society.

> Give theodicy of deprivilege for lack of status e.g. recruit from marginalised working class

> e.g. Black Muslims recruited among oppressed blacks in US, due to inequality

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29
Q

Stark & Bainbridge - Marginality

A

> World rejecting NRMs give access to close-knit groups in the same position

> Offer sense of security, clear values & reward in heaven.

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30
Q

Stark & Bainbridge - Relative Deprivation & Spirituality

A

> Middle class feel spiritually deprived compared to others in today’s materialistic & consumerist world - lacks emotional warmth

> Sects give a sense of community

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31
Q

Stark & Bainbridge - Relative Deprivation & Compensators

A

> Relative Deprivation middle class people form/join sects as a response to feeling spiritually deprived

> People join sects for a sense of community

> The relatively deprived break away from churches to form sects

32
Q

Barker - Relative Deprivation

A

> Middle class children feel neglected by career focused parents & suffer relative deprivation, NRM’s give an alternative family

33
Q

Anomie & Social Change - Wilson

A

> Rapid social change leads to anomie, undermines traditional values

> NRMs give solution through sense of certainty, with clearly defined belief systems

34
Q

Anomie & Social Change - Bruce

A

> Increased social change due to secularisation, means people are less attracted to the traditional churches as they are strict & demanding

> People join sects and cults with less sacrifices

35
Q

Reasons for Growth of NRM’s (Key Studies )

A

> Wallis (Reasons for increased World Rejecting NRMs)
Bruce (Reasons for increasing World Rejecting and World Accomodating NRMs)

> Wallis (Practical & Pragmatic Reasons)
Heelas (Practical & Pragmatic Reasons)

> Wallis (Status Frustration)
Barker (Status Frustration)

> Baudrillard (Globalisation & Media)
Giddens (Secularisation)

> Lyotard & Baumann (Postmodernity)

36
Q

Wallis - Reasons for Growth of World-Rejecting NRM’s

A

> Social change from 60’s gave young freedom, letting idealistic counter culture develop

> Increase of radical political movements offered alternative ideas about future

> So World Rejecting NRM gave them an idealistic way of life

37
Q

Bruce - Reasons for Growth of World-Rejecting NRM’s

A

> Failure of counter-culture to change world, led to discouraged youth turning to religion instead

38
Q

Bruce - Reasons for Growth of World-Affirming NRM’s

A

> Increased due to modernity, brings rationalisation of work, no longer source of identity

> Give source of identity & techniques promising success in the world

39
Q

Wallis - Practical & Pragmatic Reasons

A

> Teach techniques inspiring people to achieve emotionally & spiritually

> Unlocking spiritual power within.

40
Q

Heelas - Practical & Pragmatic Reasons

A

> Appeal to rich who feel gap in their lives

> NRMs fills gaps in spirituality & the rich have the wealth to pay for services

41
Q

Wallis - Status Frustration

A

> Marginality leads to status frustration, these movements appeal to the youth as NRMs provide support with identity & status

> Separate from school /family, helping overcome status frustration

42
Q

Barker - Status Frustration

A

> Young people lack financial commitments of mortgage/rent & have more time outside work/family

> So increased freedom for involvement in NRMS

43
Q

Baudrillard - Globalisation & Media

A

> Now increased access to new belief systems in the world in a media-saturated society

> Leads to people joining NRM’s to increase public profile & visibility and attract more members.

44
Q

Giddens - Secularisation

A

> Traditional religions are watered-down beliefs to fit in with an increasing secular world.

> But people use NRM’s to get comfort & community that big religions don’t offer.

45
Q

Postmodernism - Lyotard & Baumann

A

> Loss of faith in metanarratives, so created gaps with increased conflicting beliefs

> People  experience a crisis of meaning
as traditional forms of identity (class etc) are  fragmented

> NRM’s fill gaps for a sense of identity retaining control & normality.

46
Q

Dynamics of Sects & NRM (KS)

A

> Niebuhr (Denomination of Death)

> Stark & Bainbridge (Sectarian Cycle)

> Wilson’s (3 Established Sects)

> Heelas (Growth of New Age) (Client Cults)
Heelas (Growth of New Age) (Self Spirituality, De-Traditonalisation)
Heelas (Trends Beyond Common Themes
Heelas (4 Ways New Age & Modernity is linked)

> Drane (Postmodernity & New Age)
Bruce (Postmodernity & New Age)

47
Q

Niebuhr - Denomination or Death

A

> Sects are world rejecting and exists due to a split from the church

> Within a generation they die out or compromise with world

> They abandon their extreme ideas & become denomination.

48
Q

Why are Sects short-lived?

A

> Problems maintaining commitment
Loss of Leader
Changing Circumstances
Postmodernism

49
Q

Why are Sects short-lived? (Key studies)

A

> Barker (Problems Maintaining Commitment)

> Niebuhr (Problems Maintaining Commitment)

50
Q

Barker (Problems Maintaining Commitment)

A

People can’t cope with strict discipline & rules extreme commitments needed, so puts people off

51
Q

Niebuhr (Problems Maintaining Commitment)

A

> Enthusiasm dies after 1st generation which leads to death of the sect

> Or they adapt to be less of protest movement/tolerant of mainstream society.

> e.g. cool down & become like denomination.

52
Q

Loss of Leader - Why are Sects short-lived?

A

> Charismatic leader, attracted people to join in the first place, so group collapses without central figure

> e.g. death/imprisonment.

53
Q

Criticisms of Loss of Leader

A

> Can be increasingly eager e.g. if leader’s imprisoned.

> The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) continued after the arrest arrest of Warren Jeffs

54
Q

Changing Circumstances - Why are Sects short-lived?

A

> Personal reasons people joined slowly disappear and they may wish for a normal life

> The second generation didn’t feel the initial reasons for joining so it is likely that they will leave

> Sects will either die/ become denomination

55
Q

Postmodernism - Why are Sects short-lived?

A

> Fragmentation of belief means increased choice.

> People try different sects with no commitment e.g. spiritual shopping.

> Increased tolerance of beliefs don’t last due to changing consumer tastes.

56
Q

5 Stages of Stark and Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A
  1. Schism
  2. Initial Fervour
  3. Denominationalism
  4. Establishment
  5. Further Schism
57
Q

Schism - Stark & Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A

Tensions develop between the needs of the deprived and privileged members of church, the deprived leave to found a world-rejecting sect

58
Q

Initial Fervour - Stark & Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A

e.g. Charismatic leadership & tension between the sect’s beliefs & wider society

59
Q

Denominationalism - Stark & Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A

‘Protestant ethic’ effect & cooling down of the second generation so initial fervour disappears

60
Q

Establishment - Stark & Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A

Sect becomes world-accepting - no tension with wider society

61
Q

Further Schism - Stark & Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A

Zealous & less privileged members break away & found new sect true to original message

62
Q

Wilson (Established Sects) Criticisms of Stark & Bainbridge - Sectarian Cycle

A

Patterns not the same for all sects, depends on the answer to the question ‘’what shall we do to be saved?”

63
Q

Wilson’s 3 Established Sects

A

> Conversionist
Established
Advent

64
Q

Conversionist - Wilson’s 3 Established Sects

A

e.g. evangelicals aim to convert lots of people and become increased larger formal denominations

65
Q

Adventist - Wilson’s 3 Established Sects

A

> e.g. Jehovah’s Witnesses awaiting second coming of christ

> To be saved, must be separate from corrupt world

> Does not compromise with the world and therefore does not become a denomination.

66
Q

Established - Wilson’s 3 Established Sects

A

Survive for many generations, but don’t become denomination

e.g. Amish and Mormons

67
Q

Heelas - Growth of New Age (Client Cults)

A

> Estimated to cover 2000 activities & 140 000 practitioners in the UK

> Very loosely organised

> Very diverse - beliefs include UFOs, astrology, meditation etc.

68
Q

Heelas - Growth of New Age

A

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆
> Move away from traditional established churches to find spirituality inside selves

𝗗𝗲-𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
> Rejects spiritual authority of traditional sources
> e.g. priests, value personal experience & can find truth in ourselves

69
Q

Heelas - Trends Beyond Common Themes

A

> Most New Age offer both World Affirming aspects helping people succeed

> Rejects external traditional sources allowing individuals to discover enlightenment in their inner world

70
Q

Drane - Postmodernity & New Age

A

> Loss of faiths in scientists who promise progress but instead have given us global warming

> Disappointed with churches’ failure to meet spiritual needs

71
Q

Bruce - Postmodernity & New Age

A

> Individualism in late modernity ‘expressive professions’ focused on human potential

> e.g. artists/social workers, who the New Age most appeals to

> Less demanding version of traditional eastern religions e.g. Buddhism.

> New Age Self Spirituality reflecting increasing consumerism

72
Q

Heelas - 4 Ways the New Age & Modernity are linked

A

> Source of Identity
Consumer Culture
Rapid Social Change
Decline of Organised Religion

73
Q

Source of Identity - Heelas - 4 Ways New Age & Modernity are linked

A

> People with different roles e.g. work, home, friends with no overlap lead to a fragmented identity.

> New Age beliefs offer an authentic identity.

74
Q

Consumer Culture - Heelas - 4 Ways New Age & Modernity are linked

A

> Creates dissatisfaction due to not delivering perfection promised e.g. advertising

> New Age offers alternative way to achieve perfection.

75
Q

Rapid Social Change - Heelas - 4 Ways New Age & Modernity are linked

A

Disrupts established norms & values, leading to anomie, New Age gives sense of certainty & truth.

76
Q

Decline of Organised Religion - Heelas - 4 Ways New Age & Modernity are linked

A

> Modernity means secularisation and the decline of organised religion - New Age beliefs offer an alternative

> e.g. New Age strongest with low church-attendance e.g. California