Religious Organisations Flashcards
Churches and Sects- who talks about this?
Troeltsch and Wallis
Troeltsch and Wallis- features of churches?
1) Bureaucratic and closely linked to the state
2) They are conservative
3) Integrate with social and economic structure of society
4) The are universalist with open membership
5) Intolerant and hegemonic
6) Make up the ecclesia of a country
Troeltsch and Wallis -1) Bureaucratic and closely linked to the state
Churches have a hierarchical power structure with paid officials, are wealthy and influence society
Troeltsch and Wallis- They are conservative?
Churches accept the dominant norms of society and generally support the status quo helping maintain the current structure of society supporting its laws and values
Troeltsch and Wallis- Integrate with social and economic structure of society?
Church members play a full and active part in social life
Troeltsch and Wallis -4) The are universalist with open membership
Churches welcome individuals from all parts of society and don’t require particular demonstrations of faith from their followers just a belief
Troeltsch and Wallis -5) Intolerant and hegemonic
Claim to have a monopoly on word truth
Troeltsch and Wallis -6) Make up the ecclesia of a country (Yinger)?
Church should be defined as part of Ecclesiastical of a particular country e.g. the C and E in England, Catholicism in Italy, Hinduism in India
Troeltsch and Wallis- 6 types of sects?
1)They are egalitarian
2)Radical in nature
3)They are withdrawal
4)Have closed/controlled membership exclusive
5)Intolerant of other
6)World Rejecting
Troeltsch and Wallis- 1)They are egalitarian?
Power distributed among followers even though they have charismatic leader
Troeltsch and Wallis- 2)Radical in nature?
Sects tend to reject the dominant norms of society replacing mainstream norms with their own set of beliefs and values
Troeltsch and Wallis- 3)They are withdrawal?
Members expected to withdraw from society and conventional life
Sects have tight control over members and live communally in own breakaway society’s
Troeltsch and Wallis- 4)Have closed/controlled membership exclusive?
Sects are self selective usually family tradition
Close knit communities and hostile suspicion of non members
E.g. Amish, Moonies, Black Muslims etc
Troeltsch and Wallis- 5)Intolerant of other?
Exclusive, make up a minority and attract people from marginalized positions in society
Troeltsch and Wallis- 6)World Rejecting?
Typology of religious organisations
Highly critical of the outside world demanding significant lifestyle change from followers
Exercise complete control over members requiring high levels of commitment aiming to create social change and often conflict with the state
What do Stark and Bainbridge believe about sects?
Sects promise their members other worldly benefits like a place in heaven
According to Wilson what does he believe are the 6 types of sects?
1) Conversionist
2) Revolutionist
3) Introversionist
4) Manipulationist
5) Thaumaturgical
6) Reformist
Wilson- Conversionist?
The world is evil and needs to be saved by converting people to the truth path
E.g. The national of islam
Wilson- revolutionist?
Foresee the end of the world or a second coming
These are often referred to as millenarian movements or Adventist’s e.g. Jehovahs witnesses, seventh day adventists
Wilson- Introversionist?
Withdrawal from society, usually form seperate society’s e.g. Amish and Moonies
Wilson- Manipulationist?
Offer a set of teachings or rituals for success in life e.g. Kabbalah
Wilson- Thaumaturgical?
Offer miracles or magical healing from magical sources e.g. necromancy astrology
Wilson- Reformist?
Desire change in society but not necessarily revolutionary e.g. quakerism
What did Niebuhr believe about sects and cults?
Believed there are 2 fundamental organisations different to churches and sects
There are Denominations
Troeltsch and Wallis- Denominations 6 features?
-Beureaucratic and have divisions in authority and democratic
-Genrally conservative
-They integrate with social and economic structure of society
-Universalist with open membership inclusive
-They are tolerant of other denominations
-World accommodating
Troeltsch and Wallis- Denomination Beureaucratic and have divisions in authority and democratic?
Denominations don’t always have a strict hierarchical structure and don’t always have links with the state
Troeltsch and Wallis Denominations -Genrally conservative
Accept dominant norms but have restrictions like alcohol
Gambling more concerned with every day morality than other worldly
Troeltsch and Wallis denominations -They integrate with social and economic structure of society?
Denominations members play a full & active part in social life they may reject a church
Troeltsch and Wallis Denominations -Universalist with open membership inclusive
Despite being open denominations tend to rely on self selection (conversion)& family ties
Hardly ever a social majority as they under represent the W/C and U/C
Troeltsch and Wallis Denominations-They are tolerant of other denominations
See themselves as one amongst many
No monopoly of the truth
Troeltsch and Wallis -World accommodating?
Wallis ‘Typology of religious organisation’
Denominations are often breakaway movement from main churches
They do not reject the word or try to the world better, simply get on with the state of world and focus spiritually and religion rather than worldly affairs
Troeltsch & Wallis Cults- 6 definitions?
-Loose structures
-Oppetunity and success’s
-Continue normal lives
-Open membership and tolerant if other religions
-High class membership
-World affirming
Troeltsch & Wallis Cults- -Loose structures?
Cults tend to lack the rigid structures e.g. collective worship strict dogmas that other movements tend to have
Troeltsch & Wallis Cults -Oppetunity and success’s?
Cults offer individual advancement through spiritual teaching
Troeltsch & Wallis Cults
-Continue normal lives?
Cults have little control over their encourage their followers to integrate with world
Troeltsch & Wallis Cults-
-Open membership and tolerant if other religions?
cults are non exclusive and membership is open to all
Service sold as services
Troeltsch and Wallis
-High class membership?
Members tend to have large incomes and are rarely form marginalised positions in society
Troeltsch & Wallis Cults-
-World affirming?
Cults are similar to self help therapy groups in that they offer success and self improve my through spiritual teachings
Accept the world but aim to make individuals teaching world to be a better place
Stark and Bainbridge view on cults?
Cults pro,ice their members this world benefits e.g. good health, economic, success
Stark and Bainbridge 3 types of cults?
Audience cults
Client cults
Cultic movemements
Stark and Bainbridge- Audience cults?
More individualistic and unorganised
Sustained through media e.g. astrology
Stark and Bainbridge- Client cults?
More organised and provide service to clients e.g. clairvoyance and spiritualism
Stark and Bainbridge- Cultic movement?
Almost like sects, offer spiritual and material rewards to followers like Scientology
