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AQA Sociology A-LEVEL > Religious Organisations - Denominations, NRMs, and NAMs > Flashcards

Religious Organisations - Denominations, NRMs, and NAMs Flashcards

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Sociology 101 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
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2
Q

What makes a church to Wallis?

AO1/2

A
  1. Inclusive membership - many born into it
  2. Tied to state
  3. Bureaucratic structure/hierarchy
  4. Paid professional clergy
  5. Universal membership
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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

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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
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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
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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
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7
Q

How does Becker define a denomination?

AO1

A

A sect that has cooled down

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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
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9
Q

What are the phases of the promotion of Pentecostalism according to Lehman?

AO3

A
  1. Christian missionaries spreading the gospel and converting colonies and surpressing local religions
  2. 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
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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
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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
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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

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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

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13
Q

How does Giddens define a cult?

AO1

A

The main feature is the ability for individual expression

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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
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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
Q

How does Bruce analyse Wilson?

AO3

A
  • 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
Q

How can we evaluate Wilson?

AO3

A
  • 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
Q

Why does Niebhur believe sects are shortlived?

(clue: third point includes a key term from a sociolgy duo)

AO1/2

A
  • 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
Q

Why does Barker believe sects are shortlived?

AO1/2

A
  • 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
Q

How can we evaluate sects being shortlived?

AO3

A
  • 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
Q

How can we analyse the growth of sects?

AO3

A
  • 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
Q

What stats are there on NAMs?

(some are juxtaposing just use for diff points)

AO3

A
  • 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
Q

What is Lyon’s view of NAMs?

AO1

A
  • 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
Q

What features do sociologists identify in NAMs?

AO2

A
  • 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
Q

What are some examples of NAMs?

obvs don’t have to know all

AO2

A
  • 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
Q

How can NAMs being the key to success lead people to join them?

link to cage!!!

AO1/2/3

A
  • 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
Q

How does NAMs being an escape lead people to join them?

AO1/2/3

A
  • 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
Q

How does NAMs filling the vaccuum of meaning lead people to join them?

AO1/2/3

A
  • 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
Q

How can we evaluate NAMs?

AO3

A
  • 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

AQA Sociology A-LEVEL (41 decks)

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