Chapter 16 Flashcards
Religion
system of beliefs and practices around sacred things, a set of shared “stories” that guide belief and action
Top 4 Religions
Christianity
Islam
Hinduism
Buddhism
ALL religions fall into these three categories
Theism: worship of a god or gods
Ethicalism: the adherences to certain principles to lead to a moral life
Animism: belief that spirits roam that natural world
Secularism
general moment away from religiosity and spiritual belief and toward rational, scientific orientation
Pluralism
the presence of numerous distinct religious groups in one society
Religious Marketplace
where people shop around for a brand of faith that best suits them
High Level of Religious Freedom of Choice
in the U.S. can be the reason for such a high level of religiosity as compared to other industrialized countries
Megachurch
typically a conservative Protestant church that attracts at least 2,000 people to worship services per week
Sect-Church Cycle
explanation for why there are so many types of Christian churches in the U.S.
Sects splinter off from an existing church due to disagreements over direction of church
What is the growth rate of stricter religious institutions compared to more lenient or open groups??
Stricter religious institutions grow much faster because members are more likely to be more committed and to by into the groups overall mission