organisations, movements and members Flashcards
What are differences between Church’s and sects
Church- universal, attract middle/upper class due to conservative ideaology, close relationship with state e.g. King Charles is head of CofE, ran by bureaucracy, e.g. CofE
Sect- exclusive, attract lower class, conflict with state, charasmatic leader, e.g. exclusive brethren
What are the differences between a denomination and cult?
Demomination- midway between church and sect, less exclusive than sect, but don’t appeal to the whole of society like church, restrictions e.g. no alcohol, e.g. Methodist church
Cult- individualistic, exclusive belief system, led by practitioners who have special knowledge, scientology
How do churches, sects, denominations and cults see themselves vs how wider society sees them?
Themselves:
Church+sect=their interpretation of faith is the only legitimate one
Denomination+cult=accept there can be many valid interpretations
Wider society:
Church+denomination=acceptable, legitimate
Sects+cults=deviant
What is a schism?
Give an example of the result of one?
Splitting from an established Church because of a disagreement over religious doctrine
Sects
How do Stark and Bainbridge see sects and cults?
Sects- promising out of world benefits e.g. heaven, to those suffering economic or ethical depravation
Cults- promising in world benefits e.g. good health, to prosperous individuals suffering from psychic depravation
What are the 3 types of cults Stark and Bainbridge outline?
Audience- least organized, don’t involve formal membership or commitment, participation through media maybe e.g. astrology
Client- based on relationship between consultant and client, emphasis on therapies, self discovery
Cultic- most organised, higher level of commitment, not allowed to belong to other groups e.g. Moonies
Explain New religious movements (NRM)?
What are the 3 types?
1960s increase in the number of new religions and organisations e.g. ‘Moonies’
Difficult to categorise them>3 categories
World rejecting NRM
World accommodating NRM
World affirming NRM
Outline world rejecting NRMs
Similar to sects
E.g. moonies
Clear notion of God
Seek radical change for outside world
Live communally, restricted contact with outside world
Outline world accommodating NRMs
Breakaway from mainstream religion
E.g. neo-Pentecostalists
Seeking to restore the spiritual purity of religion
Live conventional lives
Outline world affirming NRMs
Some conventional features e.g. collective worship
Offer followers access to spiritual powers
E.g. scientology
Non exclusive and tolerant of other religions
Live normal lives
What are 3 criticisms of NRMs
It is not clear whether he is categorizing them according to the movements teachings, or individual member beliefs
Ignores the diversity that may exist within NRM
Stark and Bainbridge rejects the idea of constructing typologies altogeher, instead, distinguish between religion organisations (cults, sects…)
What are the 3 ways in explaining the growth of religious movements
Marginality
Relative depravation
Social change
How does marginality explain the growth of religious movements?
Sociologist argues that sects tend to draw their members from the poor and oppressed, marginal in society, disprivledged
Weber argues that sects offer members a ‘theodicy of dispriveledge’=religious explanation and justification for their suffering e.g. promise of rewards in the future
How does relative depravation explain the growth of religious movements?
=sense of being deprived>anyone can feel this, even the privledged
Middle class, well off may feel spiritually deprived>turn to sects for community e.g. argue that its harder for a rich man to enter heaven
How does social explain the growth of religious movements?
Sociologist argues that periods of rapid change can disrupt and undermine established norms and values, producing ‘normleness’
Those affected by disruption turn to sects for a solution e.g. industrial revolution>birth of Methodist church
Outline the explanation for the growth in world rejecting NRMs
Wallis explains this through social changes from the 1960s impacting young people
Increased time spent in education>freedom from adult relationships
Increased radical politics>alternative ideas about the future
Outline the explanation for the growth in world rejecting NRMs
Bruce argues growth is a response to modernity e.g. work -no longer provides meaning or a sense of identity, unlike the ‘Protestant ethic’ that gave work a religious meaning
What are 3 reasons why sects are short-lived
Second generation- born into the sect lack the commitment their parents had
Protestant ethic effect- sects that practice asceticism (hard work) become prosperous, some members will compromise with the world, abandoning
Death of the (charasmatic) leader- collapse, or another leader will take over and turn it into a denomination
What is a feature of modern society?
Which 3 theories explain this?
Rise of science and rational thoughts
Functionalism
Marxism
Feminism
What is a feature of postmodern society?
Which 3 arguments explain this?
*use postmodernism as an alternative at the end of theories
Consumerism
New age movement
Spiritual revolution
Believing without belonging
Are women or men more religious (Church attendence)? Give evidence
Give 3 reasons for this
Women, 2021 found that female church goers outnumber men by almost half a million
Risk taking
Socialisation
Gender roles
Explain risk taking in the gender differences in church attendance
Being religious means not risking the chance that religion might be correct
Eliminates the chance of going to hell
Men are more risk taking>less religious
Explain socalisation in the gender differences in church attendance
Women are socialised to be more passive, obedient and caring
These qualities are valued by religion
But men who have these qualities will be more religious
Explain gender roles in the gender differences in church attendance
Women are more likely to work as careers>organisation
Can organize their time to practice religious activities
What percent of the Kendal Project (New Age) were female?
How can this be explained? (2)
80%
Gave women higher status and self worth- men wish to achieve, women wish to feel (aim of the new age)
Emphasised the importance of being authentic- rather than acting gender roles
What does Brown argue about women and the new age in gender differences?
The new age is self religious (subjective experience), attracting women because they appeal to women wish for autonomy
Or because some prefer the traditional gender roles
Which gender attends sects more regularly? Give evidence
How can this be explained? (3)
Women, estimated there are 2x as many
Organismic depravation- women are more likely to suffer from mental and physical health problem, need healing
Ethical depravation- women are more morally conservative, seeing the world In moral decline
Social depravation- sects attract poorer (women)
What do recent trends suggest about gender differences in religion?
Decline in women’s participation in religious activities in the UK
Due to movement into paid work, rejecting traditional gender roles
