religous organisations, religious and spiritual beliefs and practices

Question 1

ideal types

Answer 1

In order to discuss religious organisations, they need to be put into groups or categories. Weber called these ‘ideal types’

Question 2

ideal types in the past

Answer 2

In the past, it was easier to place religions into ‘ideal types’ as there were fewer types of religion: church, denomination, cult and sect.

Question 3

ideal types today

Answer 3

Today there are many different types of religious and spiritual organisations, and therefore sociologists have had to come up with new ‘typologies’ or sets of categories to discuss these new types of religious and spiritual organisations and practices

Question 4

traditional typology

Answer 4

The first typology was created after Weber, Troeltsch and Niebuhr identified the four ideal types.
Church, denomination, sect and cult.

Question 5

weber on traditional typology

Answer 5

identified churches

Question 6

troeltsch on traditional typology

Answer 6

went on to describe the difference between ‘sects’ and ‘churches’, because he saw that churches and sects were very different organisations, then developed this further to identify ‘mysticism’ which Bruce later acknowledged as cults.

Question 7

niebhur on denominations

Answer 7

Denominations were introduced by Niebuhr in 1925 – sometimes thought to be a type in between a church and a sect

Question 8

new religious movements

Answer 8

Developed by Wallis (1984) to understand the developments of many NEW religions which emerged in Britain in the mid to late 20th century, usually derived from existing world religions.
Wallis recognised that there had been a development of religious organisations which did not fit neatly into the ideal types found in the traditional typology. He argued that instead of looking at all the characteristics of these movements, the most important one to focus on was their world view (how they saw the world). This made it easier to categorise religious organisations into three types

Question 9

world affirming

Answer 9

hostile to the outside world

Question 10

world accommodating

Answer 10

accepting/ tolerant to the wider society

Question 11

world rejecting

Answer 11

wider world is irrelevant only intreated in self fulfilment

Question 12

new age movements

Answer 12

Developed by Bruce (1995) to study the new age movements which emerged in the late 20th century. This typology classifies NAMs on the basis of their impact on/meaning for individuals and the self. NAMs focus on NEW AGE beliefs, personal development and fulfilment. The result was a NEW typology of cults (religious or otherwise)

Question 13

new psychology/ spirituality

Answer 13

body/mind/spirit

Question 14

new ecology

Answer 14

concerns with the environment and earth

Question 15

new science

Answer 15

oppose traditional science

Question 16

church as a traditional type

Answer 16

Clear structure and hierarchy · Large membership · Strongly linked to the state · Mostly attracting middle class members but open to everyone and inclusive · Positive and tolerant attitude to wider society · Claim the monopoly of the truth

Question 17

cult as an ideal type

Answer 17

Less structured, loose knit, no hierarchy or organisation · Smaller membership than churches · No links to the state · Still mostly attracting middle class members (cost) · Very tolerant of wider society and other religions – people can be part of a cult and have other beliefs · Focus on self-fulfilment and success

Question 18

denomination as an ideal type

Answer 18

Something in between a sect and a church · Usually an off-shoot of a traditional church, less bureaucratic and less organised, anyone can preach within a denomination · No links to the state · Some level of commitment required e.g. restrictions on things like alcohol · Focused more in spirituality and religious experiences than the real world and society – not overly positive or negative about society · Tolerant of other religions, no monopoly of the truth claimed · Appeals to those who feel disillusioned with mainstream churches

Question 19

sect as a ideal type

Answer 19

Everyone is equal, no real organisation but one single charismatic leader · Requires a strong commitment, sometimes donating a percentage of wages or withdrawing from society completely · Hostile towards other religions and claim monopoly of the truth · Hostile towards wider society and don’t accept mainstream values · Often appeal to relatively deprived or marginalised groups, OR successful and affluent groups who feel there is ‘something missing’