Religious Organisations - Denominations, NRMs, and NAMs Flashcards
1
Q
What makes a church according to Troeltsch?
AO1/2
A
- Large - millions of members
- Hierarchy
- Monopoly of truth
- Linked to state
- Ideologically conservative - popular among higher classes
- Few demands of its members
2
Q
What makes a church to Wallis?
AO1/2
A
- Inclusive membership - many born into it
- Tied to state
- Bureaucratic structure/hierarchy
- Paid professional clergy
- Universal membership
3
Q
What is an example of the church in the way Troeltsch and Wallis describe it?
AO2
A
Church of England:
- Monarch is head of state and head of the CofE
- There are 26 Bishops in the House of Lords
- The Arch Bishop of Canterbury discusses politics and world issues
4
Q
How can we evaluate the definitions of the Church?
AO3
A
- Bruce: we should only really consider the concept of a church in a country that has a monopoly of truth with strong links to the state
- Troeltsch assumes that churches are intolerant of other religions but this is no longer true
- Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life: confirmed in 2015 that Britain is too religiously diverse for the concept of a church to apply. People are now becoming disillusioned with religion and its state ties e.g. Kier Starmer has looked at reducing House of Lords membership and King Charles III had a multi-faith coronation and is ‘Defender of Faith’ rather than Defender of the Faith
5
Q
What makes a denomination according to Niebuhr?
AO1
A
- Inclusive membership
- Mostly WC or lower MC
- Large followings but not as big as churches
- Can be found nationwide
- Looser structure e.g. have clergy but more likely to be voluntary
- Commitment goes beyond just attendance e.g. not partaking in certain activities
- Most live tolerantly - do NOT claim a monopoly of truth
6
Q
How do Stark and Bainbridge define a denomination?
AO1
A
- “A group that shares several, but not all features of a church”
- Start as a sect but as they grow in size and importance they become a denomination - denominationalisation
7
Q
How does Becker define a denomination?
AO1
A
A sect that has cooled down
8
Q
What is Pentecostalism?
AO2
A
- A denomination of Christianity
- Waiting for the return of Jesus
- Believe in the supernatural and emphasise the Holy Spirit e.g. speaking in tongues
- Promote social mobility - Lehman: option of the poor
9
Q
What are the phases of the promotion of Pentecostalism according to Lehman?
AO3
A
- Christian missionaries spreading the gospel and converting colonies and surpressing local religions
- Pentecostals spreading the message accross their communities but combining Christian beliefs with local religious beliefs which allowed it to increase in popularity e.g. spirit possession
10
Q
What are the features of new religious movements according to Barker?
AO1
A
- Often concerned with the supernatural
- Most likely to find support from young adults - first generation converts
- High turnover of members
- Many are short lived
- Often face hostility from the media
- Led by a charismatic leader - sects
- Certain they hold a monopoly of truth - sects
- Strong us and them mentality - sects
11
Q
What is the difference between sects and cults?
AO1
A
- Sects require more committment whereas cults are less restrictive
- Sects are often led by a charismatic leader seen as god whereas cults have no set leader / institution
- Sects are more hostile and claim a monopoly of truth whereas cults are more tolerant of other religions
- Sects have a greater focus on the afterlife and promote theodicies of dispriviledge whereas cults are focused on ‘this worldly’ matters
11
Q
How do Stark and Bainbridge define sects?
AO1
A
Sects form from a schism of a church - they are breakaway groups from wider religious groups e.g. Nation of Islam, Jehova’s Witness
12
Q
How do Stark and Bainbridge define cults?
AO1
A
Often new religions and can be classified into 3 groups:
1. Audience cults: least organised, very little commitment, often only online e.g. UFO cults
2. Client cults: individuals pay for services from a consultant - give promises of solutions to problems or rewards e.g. super powers, self-fulfilment
13
Q
How does Giddens define a cult?
AO1
A
The main feature is the ability for individual expression
14
Q
How does Wallis typify New Religious Movements?
AO1
A
- World Rejecting: sects - very exclusive, hostile to wider society, focus on salvation, members live communally, often millenarian, very high turnover, often accused of brainwashing
- World Accomodating: denominations - neither accept or reject the world, tolerant of other religions, promote community and social mobility, members can lead a conventional life
- World Affirming: cults - actively accept and appreciate the world as it is, tolerant, offer supernatural powers, lack features of conventional religion
15
Q
How can we evaluate Wallis’ typologies?
AO3
A
- Hard to classify religions neatly into typologies
- Stark and Bainbridge: we need to classify religious movements based on the level of conflict/tension with wider society
16
Q
What are some examples of sects and cults?
AO2
A
- Heaven’s Gate: mass suicide in March 1997 - believed their human bodies were temporary vessels and buy commiting suicide their souls would ascend to a spaceship where their bodies would transform and travel to a utopia - world rejecting sect
- The People’s Temple: Founded by Jim Jones - USA preacher who used civil rights movements and promoted racial equality in order to take advantage of impverished black americans - led them to Guyana to live communally in the colony ‘Jonestown’ but after US Congress visited Jones led them to commit the largest mass suicide in history - world rejecting sect
- The Church of Scientology: based on the philosophy ‘dianetics’ - members pay for auditing services, books, and courses said to help them achieve enlightenment and eventually attain supernatural powers - world affirming cult
- Transcendental Meditation: merges simplified form of Hinduism and science that believes that meditation and a personalised mantra can help people achieve success, help, intelligence, and eventually paranormal powers - world affirming cult
17
Q
What sociologists use marginalisation as a reason for joining sects?
AO1/2
A
- Troeltsch: oppressed groups experience status frustration due to poverty, racism, family issues, etc. Sects offer a strong sense of community and supernatural compensators which draw marginalised groups to them
- Weber : sects teach theodicies of disprivilege - they explain and justify marginalisation by promising reward in an afterlife
- Norris and Ingleheart: existential security theory - marginalised people are less secure in their survival (e.g. poverty, police brutality) and so are more attracted to strict religious groups like sects
- e.g. The People’s Temple - capitalised on civil rights movement to attract African Americans, Nation of Islam also attracted many black americans during the civil rights movement
18
Q
How can we analyse marginalisation?
AO3
A
Especially relevant to ethnic minorities who experience barriers such as poverty as well as racial discrimination
19
Q
How can we evaluate marginalisation?
AO3
A
Wallis: not all sects have marginalised members e.g. the Moonies attracted many middle class members. HOWEVER, the MC moonies tended to be marginalised in other ways e.g. hippies, drug-users, drop-outs
20
Q
What is Stark and Bainbridge’s explanation for joining cults?
AO1/2
A
Spiritual deprivation:
- Certain groups of society e.g. middle class experience spiritual deprivation
- They don’t experience relative deprivation because they have economic capital
- But we live in a more impersonal, consumerist society where religion is less important and so the MC feel like there is something missing
- Thus the MC are more likely to leave churches and denominations and turn to cults to fill their spiritual void
- e.g. scientology offers solutions to become enlightened
21
Q
How can we analyse Stark and Bainbridge?
AO3
A
Especially applies to white people as this is the ethnicity that is becoming most secularised whereas religion like Islam which are popular in ethnic minorities is on the rise
22
Q
How can we analyse Stark and Bainbridge?
AO3
A
Barker: commitment tends to be quite weak due to the flexibility of cults - not life long membership
23
Q
What is Wilson’s explanation for joining sects?
AO1/2
A
- During periods of rapid social change/anomie people turn to sects
- This is because they offer a sense of commitment, community, and strong structure
- e.g. Methodism started as a sect in the 18thC in response to the uncertainity of industrialisation
- e.g. Glock and Stark: the civil rights movement led to the rise of the Nation of Islam
24
How does Bruce analyse Wilson?
## Footnote
AO3
- In contemporary society **young people** especially feel this uncertainity
- **Secularisation** means there is **less guidance** from traditional religion
- There is less guidance but more uncertainity e.g. **pandemic**, cost of living
25
How can we evaluate Wilson?
## Footnote
AO3
- **Barker**: periods of social change are **shortlived** so commitment to sects are also very shortlived
- **Aldridge**: people will just choose **whatever is right** for them **at the time**
26
Why does Niebhur believe sects are shortlived?
| (clue: third point includes a key term from a sociolgy duo)
## Footnote
AO1/2
- **The second generation effect**: children born into sects don't experience the same marginalisation that drove their parents to join and so find the sect too strict and leave
- **Protestant ethic effect**: many sects practice **ascetism** - if members become wealthier they may want to leave
- **Death of a charismatic leader**: may end completely due to mass suicides e.g. **Heaven's Gate** OR lead to the sects becoming denominations - **Stark and Bainbridge**: sects form from a schism of a traditional church but as the group becomes less strict, larger, or experiences the death of a charismatic leader they undergo **denominationalisation**
27
Why does Barker believe sects are shortlived?
## Footnote
AO1/2
- It's hard to **maintain commitment** with high levels of discipline
- **Changing circumstances** e.g. as members become **less marginalised** they lose interest in the sect
- **Religious pluralism** promotes **'pick n mix'** participation in religion - it's easier to participate with little commitmen - we are now **'spiritual shoppers' (Hervieu Leger)**
28
How can we evaluate sects being shortlived?
## Footnote
AO3
- **Aldridge**: not all sects have charismatic leaders many can socialise children, many have existed and long time e.g. **Amish, Jehova Witness**
**Wilson** identifies 3 types of sects and how this has helped them remain relevant:
1. **Conversionists**: not hostile and actively try to gain popularity which helps them stay active - most likely to become a denomination
2. **Intoversionists**: seek total withdrawal from wider soceity, believe society is corrupting and so live in isolated communities - DO NOT CONVERT **e.g. Amish**
3. **Adventists/Revolutionaries**: millenarian, strict moral - won't water down beliefs as this is needed for their salvation, actively convert people e.g. **Jehova's Witnesses**
29
How can we analyse the growth of sects?
## Footnote
AO3
- **Miviludes**: suggests that sect memberships has tripled in the past 15 years
- **Islam** is the fastest growing religion in the world and is comprised of 3 sects: Sunni, Shia, Alawite
30
What stats are there on NAMs?
| (some are juxtaposing just use for diff points)
## Footnote
AO3
- **2021 Census**: only **0.6%** of people identify as being involved in a NAM
- More than **1/5** of adults in the **west** give credence to **astrology** and a similar amount practice some form of **mediation** according to **Britannica 2022**
31
What is Lyon's view of NAMs?
## Footnote
AO1
- NAMs **reject idea of obligation** and obedience to external authority found in traditional religion
- They emphasise life as a journey of **self descovery** and prioritise personal development, autonomy, and **self spirituality**
- Individuals choose the NAM right for them
- This has led to the **re-enchantment of the world** which compensates the decline in traditional religion
32
What features do sociologists identify in NAMs?
## Footnote
AO2
- **Heelas: de-traditionalisation** - there is no set structure/ authority - the indivdual is the most important person
- **Wallis**: NAMs would be typified as **world affirming**
- **Bruce**: emphasis on **self**, everything is connected (e.g. mind, body, spirit, environment, supernatural), the self is the final authority, the **global cafeteria** - we can choose NAMs from around the world to consume, **therapy** - they are designed to make you happier and more successful
33
What are some examples of NAMs?
| obvs don't have to know all
## Footnote
AO2
- **Tai chi**: exercise involving very slow, smooth movements - improves cardiovascular health and enhances 'inner peace' - estimated over **300mil** followers
- Yoga
- **Heelas and Woodhead: The Kendal Project** - identified **1.6%** of Kendal's population being a part of the **holistic milieu** (NAMs) over the **congregational domain** (traditional religion) - linked the popularity of NAMs to its focus on **self-discovery**
- **Findhorn Foundation**: spiritual community, learning centre, and eco-village in **Scotland**. Attend classes and buying books on meditation - this **buying/selling** of spirituality makes them feel in charge of their spirituality
- **Clarke and Chorley: Minfulness in schools** - education ministers are considering introducing **'mindfulness' lessons** in school training students to use meditation techniques to improve their mental health and ability to cope. Thousands of minfulness sessions have been **prescribed to NHS patients** to treat **anxiety** and **depression**
- **Bellah: Sheilaism** - "Just my own little voice" - believes in God and that her faith has "carried me a long way" but doesn't subscribe to any religion
34
How can NAMs being the key to success lead people to join them?
| link to cage!!!
## Footnote
AO1/2/3
- **Heelas**: very popular with the **educated MC** who feel like something is missing and want total success
- **Stark and Bainbridge**: this demographic experiences **spiritual deprivation** and have the **material capital** to spend on NAMs
- e.g. tai chi, meditation, crystals
- ANALYSIS: **Findhorn Foundation** requires fees for books/classes as well as lodging, food, etc - more likely to attract **older, MC membership** with **more disposable income**
35
How does NAMs being an escape lead people to join them?
## Footnote
AO1/2/3
- **Heelas**: NAMs can be used to escape from daily pressure/stress
- **Davie**: people use them as a **spiritual health service**
- ANALYSIS: Especially **relevant to women** who experience more stress due to the **triple shift**, **gender pay gap**, and inability to experience the home as a safe haven
36
How does NAMs filling the vaccuum of meaning lead people to join them?
## Footnote
AO1/2/3
- **Lyotard**: death of the metanarrative - religion
- **Berger**: traditional religion acted as a **sacred canopy** over society that provided **'universes of meaning'**
- **Bauman**: due to this death of the metanarrative we are now experiencing a **crisis of meaning** - NAMs can fill this vacuum
- e.g. astrology being used to explain things religion used to
ANALYSIS:
- We are now experiencing **secularisation** so there is a **'gap in the market'** for NAMs to fill
- NAMs are especially relevant in the West as this is where secualrisation is happening - **Bruce**: NAMs are "**watered down versions of eastern religions** to be palatable to self centered westerners"
37
How can we evaluate NAMs?
## Footnote
AO3
- Growth of NAMs cannot compensate for the decline in trad religion - in **1851 38%** of Kendal were churchgoers, to be equivalent today NAMs woud need to have **14,500** members but currently only **270-3000** are in the **'holistic milieu'**
- **Bruce**: NAMs are not classed as important to people's lives in the **long-term** in the same way trad religions are
- **Sutcliffe**: as they are very self-focused they lack the features and shared beliefs to be classed as a movement in itself - **more of a loose network of like-minded individuals**
