organisations, movements and members

Question 1

what are the different types of religious organisations identified by Ernst Troeltsch?

Answer 1

he distinguishes between two main types the church and the sect

Question 2

what are churches identified Ernst Troeltsh ?

Answer 2

• Large organisations ​
• Often with millions of members such as the Catholic Church​
• Run by a bureaucratic hierarchy of professional priests​
• Claim a monopoly of truth​
• Universalistic or aim to include the whole of society​
• More attractive to middle classes​
• Ideologically conservative​
• Closely linked to the state​
• Place few demands on members

Question 3

what is a sect identified by Ernst Troeltsh?

Answer 3

• Small, exclusive groups​
• Hostile to wider society​
• Expect high levels of commitment​
• Draw members from the poor and oppressed​
• Led by a charismatic leader​
• Have a monopoly of truth

Question 4

what type of organisations did Richard Niebur identify

Answer 4

denominations and a cult

Question 5

what is a denomination identified by Richard Niebur

Answer 5

• Lie midway between church and sect​
• Membership is less exclusive, but they do not appeal to the whole of society​
• They broadly accept society’s values​
• They are not linked to the state​
• They impose minor restrictions on members behaviour, but not as demanding as sects​
• Do not claim a monopoly of truth

Question 6

what is a cult

Answer 6

• The least organised of groups​
• Highly individualistic and loose-knit based around a shared interest or belief​
• Led by therapists or practitioners​
• Tolerant of other organisations and beliefs​
• They do not demand strong commitment from followers​
• Followers are a little like clients or customers than members ​
• Many cults are world-affirming – claiming to improve life in this world

Question 7

what are the two characteristics that Wallis highlights

Answer 7

How they see themselves – churches and sects claim the monopoly of truth. Denominations and cults accept that there can be many valid interpretations.​

How they are seen by wider society – churches and denominations are seen as respectable and legitimate, whereas sects and cults are seen as deviant.

Question 8

what does Bruce argue about Troeltsch’s ideas

Answer 8

• Bruce (1996) argues that Troeltsch’s ideas do not fit today’s reality ​
• The church does not have a religious monopoly today ​
• Before the 16th century and the Reformation the church did have a religious monopoly symbolised by its massive cathedrals​
• Now, sects and cults flourish​
• Religious diversity is now the norm​
• Churches have lost their monopoly​
• Churches have been reduced to denominations and have to compete for followers.

Question 9

what are the world rejecting NRM’s

Answer 9

Highly critical of the world; members must take a sharp break with their former life

Question 10

what are world accommodating NRM’s

Answer 10

seek to restore the spritual purity of religion

Question 11

what are world affirming NRM’S

Answer 11

non exclusive, tolerant of other religions

Question 12

Briefly explain Stark and Bainbridge’s two kinds of organisation: cults

Answer 12

result from splits in existing organisations – breakaways from churches because of disagreements about doctrine.​ Promise other-worldly benefits e.g. a place in heaven to those suffering economic or ethical deprivation.​

Question 13

Briefly explain Stark and Bainbridge’s two kinds of organisation: sects

Answer 13

are new religions such as Scientology or imported new religions to a society such as TM. ​e.g good health to rich and more prosperous individuals who are suffering psychic deprivation normlessness and health problem

Question 14

what are Stark and Bainbridge’s three types of cult.

Answer 14

audience cults, client cults and cultic movements

Question 15

what are audience cults ?

Answer 15

are the least organised have no formal membership. participation may be through the media e.g. astrology

Question 16

what are client cults ?

Answer 16

based on a relationship between a consultant and client and offer personal fulfilment and self-discovery.

Question 17

what are cultic movements ?

Answer 17

are the most organised and demand a higher level commitment

Question 18

Why are marginal groups in society more likely to join sects?

Answer 18

Max Weber (1922) sects tend to draw from those groups who are marginal in society. These groups may feel they are not receiving their just economic rewards or social status. ​

Question 19

Explain what Weber means by a ‘theodicy of deprivilege’.

Answer 19

sects offer a solution by offering a theodicy of deprivilege – that is a religious explanation and justification for their suffering and disadvantage. ​

Question 20

According to Wallis, why do some well-educated, young, middle-class whites join sects?

Answer 20

someone who is quite privileged may feel disadvantaged or deprived in some way when compared with others e.g. spiritually deprived

Question 21

what is relative deprivation

Answer 21

relative deprivation is a subjective sense of being deprived.

Question 22

According to Stark and Bainbridge, why do world-rejecting sects appeal to the deprived?

Answer 22

world- rejecting sects offer to the deprived the compensators that they need for the rewards they are denied in this world.

Question 23

According to Stark and Bainbridge, why are the privileged more likely to join world-accepting
churches?

Answer 23

the privilege need no compensators or world-rejecting religion. They are attracting to world-accepting churches that express their status and bring them further success in achieving earthly rewards.

Question 24

According to Stark and Bainbridge, why are the privileged more likely to join world-accepting
churches?

Answer 24

Wilson (1970) argues that periods of rapid social change disrupt and undermine established norms and values, producing anomie (normlessness). Sects may offer a solution from the uncertainty and disruption caused by social change. For example Methodism was created in the late 18th century during the Industrial Revolution.​

Question 25

Briefly explain the reasons for the growth in: world rejecting NRMs

Answer 25

Wallis points to social changes from 1960s impacting on young people, including the increased time spent in education. this gave them freedom from adult responsibilities and enabled counter culture to develop. they offered young people more idealistic way of life.

Question 26

Briefly explain the reasons for the growth in: world-affirming NRMs.

Answer 26

Bruce argues there is a growth in response to modernity, especially to rationalisation of work

Question 27

Define schism ?

Answer 27

splitting from an established church because an disagreement over an religious doctrine

Question 28

Briefly explain Niebuhr’s three reasons for sects being short lived: The second generation

Answer 28

the second generations born into the sects lack of commitment of their parents

Question 29

Briefly explain Niebuhr’s three reasons for sects being short lived: the “protestant” ethnic

Answer 29

The ‘Protestant ethic’ effect as sects that practice hard work and saving tend to become prosperous and upwardly mobile (this happened with the Methodists in the 19th century). ​

Question 30

Briefly explain Niebuhr’s three reasons for sects being short lived: death to the leader

Answer 30

Death of the charismatic leader means a bureaucratic leadership may take over leading to the sect becoming a denomination.

Question 31

what is the sectarian cycle by Stark and Bainbridge ?

Answer 31

1. Schism in an established religious organisation
2. Deprived members break away to form a world rejecting sect
3. An initial fervour exists and there is a charismatic leader. Great tension between the sect and wider society exists.
4. The second generation are not as committed. The Protestant Ethic also has an impact on the sect. The fervour disappears.
5. The sect becomes more world-accepting and tension with wider society reduces.
6. Further schism results as less privileged and more committed members break away to found a new sect.

Question 32

what does Wilson suggest about sects ?

Answer 32

Wilson argues not all sects end up dying or becoming a denomination as it depends on how they answer the question. Wilson believes sects either respond by becoming denominations or become separate to the world and believe they will only be saved if they are not corrupted by the world.

Question 33

what does heelas suggest about the growth of new age

Answer 33

estimates there are 2,000 New Age activities in UK. Many are client cults or loosely knit audience cults.​ They are diverse and eclectic.​ The two common themes are:​ 1. Self-spirituality​ 2. Detraditionalization ​

Question 34

what does John Drane (1999) suggest about the new age

Answer 34

New Age is appealing as it is a part of a shift towards postmodernity.​ One of the features of postmodern society is a loss of faith in meta-narratives or claims to the truth. Science promised a better world but instead has given us war, famine, genocide, environmental destruction and global warming. People have lost faith in science and are disillusioned with churches so turn to New Age ideas and practices. ​

Question 35

what does Bruce argue about the new age?

Answer 35

New Age is a feature of the latest phase of modern society and not postmodernity. Modern society values individualism which is a key belief and principle of New Age beliefs (e.g. the individual has truth within themselves).

Question 36

according to Heelas how are the new age and modernity linked?

Answer 36

The New Age and Modernity are linked:​

1. Gives a source of identity an ‘authentic’ identity​
2. Gives satisfaction where the consumer culture creates dissatisfaction​
3. Gives certainty and truth in anomie and normlessness​
4. Gives an alternative option where organised religion is in decline. ​

Question 37

what does suggest about gender and religiosity

Answer 37

Davie (2013) notes there are differences in terms of religious practice, belief, self-identification, private prayer and many other aspects of religiosity.

Question 38

examples of gender differences in terms of religion

Answer 38

• Most churchgoers are female​
• More women than men say they are religious​
• More women than men say religion is important to them​
• Fewer women are atheist or agnostic​
• Women express more interest and are more committed to religion than men

Question 39

Briefly outline Miller and Hoffman’s three main reasons for women’s higher levels of religiosity?

Answer 39

Differences in Risk taking​
Men are less risk-averse than women, they are more likely to take the risk of not being religious.​

• Women are socialised to be more obedient, passive and caring and these qualities are also valued by religions​
• Women are more likely to work part time and therefore more spare time to devote to religion. Religion can also help to provide a source of gender identity​
• Davie (2013) argues women are closer to birth and death through childbirth and caring for the elderly and this means they are closer and think about questions about life and death and the meaning of life religion is associated with. ​

Question 40

According to Bruce, what was the reason for women’s higher religiosity in the past?

Answer 40

Women’s religiosity is a result of their involvement in paid work as they have lower levels. This has also led to secularisation and less men taking up religion and driven religion to the private sphere of the family and personal life. ​

Question 41

Why are women more often associated with ‘nature’?

Answer 41

Women are more associated with ‘nature’ and a ‘healing role’ therefore they may be more attracted to NAMs and ideas.​ Heelas and Woodhead found 80% of participants in the holistic milieu were women in Kendal (Lake District).

Question 42

According to Bruce, how does women’s experience of child-rearing make them more likely to
be attracted to New Age movements?

Answer 42

NAMs celebrate the ‘natural’ and healing and give women higher status and self-worth. Bruce argues women are mainly the child rearers and this means they are less aggressive and goal orientated and more cooperative and caring and more feeling than men! – this fits with the NAMs goal.

Question 43

Briefly explain what Woodhead means by ‘the individual sphere’.

Answer 43

NAMs according to Woodhead (2001) appeal to the individual sphere, concerned with personal inner growth rather than role performance. They are not reliant upon an external authority. ​

​

Question 44

what do new age movements emphasise ?

Answer 44

NAMs emphasise the ‘authentic’ rather than merely acting out roles. women may perceive their roles as restrictive

Question 45

what are the reasons for ethnic differences in religion

Answer 45

cultural defence and cultural transition

Question 46

what is cultural defence

Answer 46

Religion offers a sense of identity in a new culture and society a hostile environment; it helps people to keep their identity and helps to cope with racism. ​(Bruce – 2002​)
Bird (1999) religion offers a sense of cultural identity in an uncertain or hostile environment and can be a basis for community solidarity or preserving one’s culture

Question 47

what is cultural transition?

Answer 47

Religion helps ethnic minority members ease into a new country and society; it provides support and community for minority groups in their new environment.​ However – once they have made the transition into wider society, religion then may lose its role and decline in importance.