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Sociology - Beliefs In Society > Booklet 2 - Religious Organisations And Participation > Flashcards

Booklet 2 - Religious Organisations And Participation Flashcards

1
Q

What is Troeltsch’s typology based on?

A
  • Organisational structure
  • Relationship with wider society
  • Commitment required from members
  • Attitude to different religious groups
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2
Q

Church organisation structure
Troelsch and Weber

A
  • Large organisations
  • Often have millions of members
  • Run by an organised, bureaucratic hierarchy of professional paid clergy
  • Clear lines of seniority within clergy
  • Often wealthy
  • Leaders have power within wider society
  • Worship tends to be formal and ritualised
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3
Q

Troeltsch and Weber
Church attitudes to wider society

A
  • World-accommodating.
    -Conservative.
  • Likely to accept the dominant norms and values of society.
  • Some churches have clear links to the state and are considered an ‘official religion’ or state religion.
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4
Q

Example of a state religion

A

Anglican Church in the UK where the sovereign is head of state and head of the church and bishops sit in the house of lords.

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5
Q

Troelsch and Weber
Membership requirements - churches

A
  • Universalist and inclusive.
  • Many born into it and assumed to be a member unless they opt out.
  • Integrated with political and economic structures accepting the social environment they live in.
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6
Q

Troelsch and Weber
Churches attitudes to other religions

A
  • Churches can be intolerant of other religious groups as most claim a monopoly of truth.
  • Clearly seen in Roman Catholic Church who work with other faiths on social justice projects however maintain the ‘one true church’ claim.
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7
Q

Toelsch and Weber
Church membership demographics

A
  • Can generally fit around a normal, working life so accessible to a range of people from social backgrounds.
  • Churches tend to be more attractive to people on higher incomes who are interested in keeping society as it is and resisting social change.
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8
Q

Niebhur
Denominations organisational structure

A
  • Less exclusive than a sect but don’t appeal to the whole of society like a church.
  • Hierarchy of paid officials and a bureaucratic structure but some degree of democratic participation.
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9
Q

Niebhur
Denomination attitude to wider society

A
  • World accomodating
  • Broadly accepting societys values but usually not linked to the state.
  • Usually more concerned with spiritual behaviour and everyday morality than ‘other worldly’ or entirely focused on the mortal realm.
  • Accept and integrate with secular culture, living conventional lives outside their religious activities.
  • May impose minor restrictions such as forbidding alcohol.
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10
Q

Niebhur
Denominations attitudes to other religions

A
  • Tolerant
  • Don’t claim a monopoly of truth
  • See themselves as one denomination among many.
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11
Q

Examples of denominations

A

Pentecostalism
Methodism
Lutheran Church

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12
Q

Wilson and Troelstch

Sects organisational structure

A
  • small exclusive group.
  • No hierarchy in terms of aid officials and structure.
  • More egaliatrian power structure - under the control of a single charismatic leader.
  • Some are short lived e.g. when the leader dies so does the sect.
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13
Q

Wilson and Troelstch

Sect attitudes to wider society

A
  • World rejecting.
  • often iewed as radical groups in opposition to the wider world.
  • Dominant norms and values replaced with alternative beliefs and practice.
  • Schiasmatic so viewed as radical in opposition to the wider world.
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14
Q

Wilson and Troelstch

Sect membership requirments

A
  • Strict entry requirmets expecting a high evel of commitment.
  • Often expected to change their lifestyle and break with conventional ife becoming insular.
  • Can engage with society when taking part in reruitment and fundraising.
  • Tight social control of members with a risk of expulsion if people fail to conform.
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15
Q

Wilson and Troelstch

Sect membership demographics

A
  • Small elitist, exclusive and close-knit memebrship
  • Requires self-selection or family tradition
  • Requires initiation ceremonies to show dedication.
  • Often draw members from alienated minorities, the poor and marginalised communites who are looking for a sense of connection in opposition to the state.
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16
Q

Wilson and Troelstch

Sect attitudes to other religions

A
  • Claim a monoply of the truth.
  • Only members have access to the religious knowledge that offers the only true path to salvation.
  • Usually intolerant of other religious groups and non-members.
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17
Q

Examples of sects

A

Peoples temple
Jehovas Witnesses
Mormonism

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18
Q

Stark and Bainbridge

Cult organisational structure

A
  • Highly individualistic
  • loosely structured
  • usully small grouping around shared themes and interests but without a sharply defined belief system.
  • Lack some features associated with religions e.g. buildings.
  • Uually led by practitioners/ therapists who claim special knowledge acting as trainers who assist members into realising internal truths and forces.
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19
Q

Stark and bainbridge

Cult attitudes to wider society

A
  • World affirming
  • Offering special knowledge. insight and access t spiitual and supernatural powers within.
  • Provide opportunity to be more succesful, secure and happy in society.
  • No other wordly focus.
  • No opposition or links with the state but some disapproval or persecution.
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20
Q

Stark and bainbridge

Cult membership requirments

A
  • Little social cotrol over members.
  • Highly individualistic.
  • Selling services to individuals so that people can gain ‘salvation’ or other rewards.
  • Little or further involvment with the cult once they have acquired their beiefs or techniques it offers.
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21
Q

Stark and bainbridge

Cult membership demographics

A
  • Followers often have above average incomes.
  • Feel something lacking in their otherwise succesful lives.
  • Scientology has well known celebertities following and lthough they are secretive about their practices some sociologists argue the air of secrecy aims to incraese the ‘selling price’ of membership/ services.
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22
Q

Stark and bainbridge

Cults attitudes to other religions

A
  • Usually tolerant f other organisations ad don’t demand strong commitment.
  • Followers may belong to/ support and buy services from other religious organisations or cults.
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23
Q

Examples of cults

A

The human potential movement
Transcendental meditation movement
Scientology

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24
Q

Wallis

Two significnt characteristics of religious organisations

A
  1. How they see themselves
  2. How they are seen by wider society
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25
Q

How do churches and sects see themselves?

A

Claim that their interpretation of faith is the only correct one.

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26
Q

How do denominations and cults see themselves?

A

Accept that there can be many valid interpretations.

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27
Q

How are churches and denominations seen by wider society?

A

Seen as respectable and legitimate.

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28
Q

How are sects and cults seen by wider society?

A

Deviant

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29
Q

Criticisms of Troeltsch’s typology

A
  • A lot of overlap and rigid definitions which makes categorisingorganisations difficult.
  • Created based on Christian organisations so don’t work as well for different contexts.
  • Outdated in postmodern society as they don’t consider an incraese in religious pluralism or the growing disconnect between religion and the state.
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30
Q

What does Bruce think the concept of Church is?

A

Outdated and should only be applied where a single religious organisation dmiates society and can reasoably clim to be adminestering to all members of society.

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31
Q

Bruce

Why are religions becoming absolute?

A
  • Many Western societies are experiencing religious pluralism.
  • This, alongside secularisation means organisations don’t expect/receive high levels of commitment.
  • It becomes difficult for a state to lend exclusive support.
  • Churches are historical phenomena
    which will fade out of modern society.
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32
Q

Wallis

A

The old typology is no longer useful and so came up with 3 main types of religious movement.

33
Q

Wallis

3 main types of religious movements

A
  1. World accomodting
  2. World affirming
  3. World rejecting
34
Q

World accomodating

A

Accept social norms and members live similar lifestyles to other members of society.
Widely viewed as respectable/ tolerant institutions.

35
Q

World affirming

A

Offer self-improvment within society.
Likely to live similar lives to members of society part from their interests which many regard as deviant, bizarre or obscure.

36
Q

World rejecting

A

Opposition to the world and reject manydominant norms and replace them with alternative beliefs/ practices.
Members are likely to live their lives differently to members of society.

37
Q

Criticisms of Wallis’ typology

A
  • Not clear whether he is categorising according to the movement’s teaching/ doctrine or the attitude of individual believers.
  • Ignores diversity of beliefs within each NRM.
  • Stark and Bainbridge reject any typology instead the only useful criterion is the degree of conflict with wider society.
38
Q

What are new religious movements?

A

Thoe that have emerged in the period since the end of the second world war and particularly since the 1960s.

39
Q

What do many NRMs draw upon?

A

Traditional Chrisian or other religious faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism.

40
Q

What do NRMs consist of?

A

A very diverse range of groups which are often stereotyped and attacked by the media for their seemingly bizarre and soetimes harmful behaviour.

41
Q

Barker

Features of NRMs

A
  • Often concerned with spirituality and/ or supernatural
  • Appeal to young adults who are converts rather than born into it.
  • High turnover of members.
  • Often led by a charismatic leader with ‘magnetic’ personality.
  • Claim to hold the one and only correct truth and that they are the chosen ones.
  • Frequently a sharp divide between us (good and godly group) and ‘them’ (the bad outsiders)
  • Often face suspicion or histility from wider society.
  • Many are short lived or transient due to heavy commitment.
42
Q

What are world accommodating NRMs mainly?

A

Denominations or offshoots of mainstream Christian churches and denominations.

43
Q

What are world accommodating NRMs more concerned with?

A

Rediscovering spirituality thought to have been lost and revitalising the spiritual life of their members than with everyday worldly affairs.

44
Q

What is religion seen as in NRMs?

A

A personal matter with members living conventional and conforming lives outside their religious activities.

45
Q

What are examples of NRMs?

A
  • Neo-Pentecostalism
  • Charismatic Movement
    These involve people speaking in tongues, faith healing and exorcism.
46
Q

What does Wallis see world-affirming NRMs as?

A

Cults because they lack many features associated with traditional religious organisations.

47
Q

What are many world affirming NRMs more like and what do they claim?

A

Therapy groups who claim to be able to provide the techniques and knowledge that will enable individuals to access spiritual powers within themselves to unlock their human potential, meet their personal needs and solve their problems.

48
Q

What does Giddens suggest about the focus on the individual and individual expression and experience in cults?

A

The main features of a cult

49
Q

What is there often in a cult?

A

Little discipline or commitment demanded of cult followers

50
Q

How do most people who use the services of world affirming movements use them?

A

As consumers, buying services that are for sale to anyone who can afford them, with commercial marketing of courses, conferences, books, therapies etc.

51
Q

What are the three types of cults Stark and Bainbridge identified?

A
  1. Audience cults
  2. Client cults
  3. Cultic movements
52
Q

Audience cults

A

Provide little other than information, often consumed individually and spread through media e.g. horoscopes

53
Q

Client cults

A

More organisation, often sell therapy and courses by practitioners e.g. spiritualism

54
Q

Cultic movements

A

Wider range of activities, support and commitment e.g. Scientology

55
Q

What are world rejecting NRMs?

A

Among the most controversial groups and often targeted by so called ‘de-programming groups’ who attack them for brainwashing.

56
Q

What are world rejecting NRMs typically?

A

Hostile to wider society and often receive hostility from the media and sometimes from state authorities.

57
Q

What did Beck find about sects?

A

They generally have a small membership and a relatively high turnover f members.

58
Q

What are sects sometimes committed to?

A

Millenarianism which involves beliefs that some form of extra-worldly or supernatural intervention will change the world rapidly and suddenly which Aldridge calls ‘an imminent apocalyptic collapse of the existing world order and its replacement by a prefect new dispersion.’

59
Q

What are sects sometimes referred to?

A

Doomsday cults.

60
Q

What features do sects have according to Wilson

A
  • Exist in a state of tension or conflict with wider society and frequently reject society and its values.
  • Impose tests of merit on would-be members and members claim elite status due to ‘access’ to what they regard as the only route to salvation.
  • Demand total and ongoing commitment form members over riding all other interests.
  • Often led by a charismatic leader - a person with powerful, imposing and ‘magnetic’ personality that gives him/her power over other group members.
61
Q

What does Stark and Bainbridge suggest religious organisations go through?

A

A sectarian cycle.

62
Q

What is the stages of the sectarian cycle?

A
  1. Sects are formed from a schism in an existing organisation.
  2. World-rejecting sect is formed with initial fervour and commitment.
  3. Over time denominalisation occurs as the initial enthusiasm cools.
  4. A new denomination is established as the group becomes accepted in society.
63
Q

What does Niebuhr suggest sects tend to be?

A

Short lived because they turn into denominations or disappear.

64
Q

If a sect abandons its world-rejecting feature and lifestyle what can it become? What are two examples of this?

A

A respected denomination e.g. Quakers and Methodists.

65
Q

How do world-rejecting sects sometimes end? What are 2 examples of this?

A

Sometimes end violently e.g. Peoples Temple or Heavens Gate

66
Q

Who does Wilson point to as longstanding sects that haven’t become denominations?

A

Jehovah’s witnesses and the Amish.

67
Q

What features do the Amish have that are different from typical sects?

A

No single charismatic leader and they reject features of society without being fully rejecting.

68
Q

What does Wilson suggest the continuation of sects is based on?

A

Their views of the outiside world.

69
Q

What are conversionist sects?
What are they most likely to become?
What is an example of a conversionist sect?

A

Groups that engage with the world to convert others so they reach salvation.
They are most likely to turn into denominations whilst maintaining sect-like features.
E.g. Salvation Army

70
Q

What do introversionist sects believe?
What do these tend to remain as?

A

That salvation is found by withdrawal from society and becoming inward-looking.
Tend to remain as sects and maintain features.

71
Q

What are Adventist/ revolutionary sects? WHat are 2 examples of these?

A

Groups with millenarian/ doomsday beliefs are more likely to end as there is no compromise/ tolerance of the outside world.
E.g. People’s temple or moonies.

72
Q

Why are many sects short lived?

A

Commitment problems
Loss leader
Changes of circumstances
Religious diversity or postmodernism

73
Q

What does Barker say about commitment problems in sects?

A

Discipline and rules people follow may be too constricting to be sustainable.

74
Q

What does Niebuhr say about the commitment problems in sects?

A

Enthusiasm with which the sect starts with is difficult to maintain for future generations and so the sect will either die out losing its members or adapt and become mainstream in their beliefs.

75
Q

How does loss leader cause sects to be short lived?

A

Sects founded and led by a single charismatic leader who attracted people into the sect may lose support or disappear once the leader dies or is imprisoned.
This can be due to mistrust of new leaders or general lack of motivation and direction.

76
Q

How can changes of circumstances cause a sect to be short lived?

A

Reasons for joining ma no longer be relevant in future generations.

77
Q

What does barker say about changes of circumstance which cause sects to be short lived?

A

As converts grow older the reasons that drove them into joining a sect diminishes and they begin to look for more normal lives.

78
Q

How does religious diversity or postmodernism cause sects to be short lived?

A

Postmodernism society is characterised by fragmentation and wide diversity of religious/ spiritual beliefs.
Beliefs are a purely personal matter and people experiment without lasting commitment.

Sociology - Beliefs In Society (2 decks)

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