Topic 6 - Organisations, movements and members (1) Flashcards
1
Q
Who distinguishes between the 2 main types of religious organisations and what are they?
A
- Troeltsch distinguishes between Churches and the Sect
- Churches are large organisations with millions of followers such as the catholic Church and they claim the monopoly of the truth meaning that they hold the only truth, they are also universalistic and aim to include the whole of society
- Sects are small, exclusive groups and are hostile to wider society as they reject mainstream society and they expect a high level of commitment, they also believe they have the monopoly of the truth and attract the poor and oppresseed
2
Q
What are the other two types of religious organisations ?
A
- According to Niebuhr there are denominations which are a midway between Churches and Sects, they do not claim the monopoly of the truth and are more accepting of wider society and are not linked to the state
- The cult, which the least organised of them all, and they are highly individualistic and are usually small, are usually led by therapists who claim special knowledge and they are usually tolerant of other organisations and beliefs and do not demand a strong commitment from their members.
3
Q
What does Bruce say about Troelstchs idea of the Church?
A
- Argues that his idea of the Church having a religious monopoly only applies to the Catholic Church before the protestant reformation when it had a religious monopoly over society
- Since then Sects and Cults have flourished and religious diversity has become the norm
- And in todays society, Churches in Troeltsch’s sense do not exist because they have lost their monopoly
4
Q
What does Wallis do?
A
- Categorises new religious movements into 3 different types
- World Rejecting NRM’s
- World Accommodating NRM’s
- World Affirming NRM’s
5
Q
What are World Rejecting NRM’s ?
A
- Clear religious organisations with strict discipline
- They are highly critical of the outside world and they seek radical change
- Members live communally with restricted contact with outside world and must take a sharp break from their former life to achieve salvation
- Examples are the Moonies and Children of God
6
Q
What are World Accommodating NRM’s?
A
- Breakaways from mainstream Churches or denominations for example neo pentecostalists who split from Catholicism
- Neither reject or accept the world, and they focus on spiritual purity and renewal
7
Q
What are World Affirming NRM’s ?
A
- Lack features of conventional religion such as collective worship and some are not highly organised
- they offer self improvement, success and empowerment
- are tolerant of other beliefs and often resemble businesses rather than Churches
- Examples, Scientology
8
Q
What is evaluation of Wallis?
A
- Wallis offers a useful way of classifying the new religious movements that have developed in recent decades
- He also ignores diversity that may exist within a NRM
- Stark and Bainbridge reject this typology an argue that we should distinguish between religion using just one criteria which is the degree of conflict between the religious group and society
9
Q
What do Stark and Bainbridge Identify?
A
- They identify two organisations that are in conflict with wider society
- Sects, which result from schisms ( splits in existing organisations) and they break away from Churches
- Cults, which are new religions which are less organised groups that offer individualistic experiences
10
Q
How do Stark and Bainbridge divide cults ?
A
- They divide cults based on how organised they are and they do it into 3 types
- Audience Cults, which are the least organised and do not involve any formal membership or much commitment
- Client Cults, which provide some services to their followers
- Cultic movements, which are the most organised and demand the highest level of commitment than other cults and its aim is to meet all its members needs
11
Q
What has happened to sects and cults since the 1960s?
A
- There has been a rapid growth in the number of them and in the number of people belonging to them
12
Q
According to sociologists what are the three main explanations for growth in sects and cults ?
A
- Marginality
- Relative Deprivation
- Social Change
13
Q
According to sociologists how does marginality lead to the growth of sects and cults?
A
- Similarly to Troeltsch, who notes that sects tend to draw their members from the poor and oppressed
- Weber also states those who are part of marginalised groups are more likely to join them
- This is because such groups experience social exclusion and a lack of status thus they may turn to religious movements that give them meaning and a sense of belonging
- In Weber’s view, sects offer a solution by offering their members a theodicy of disprivilege which is a religious explanation and justification for their suffering by portraying it as part of a divine plan or spiritual test
- An example is the NOI which recruited from disadvantaged black people in the US
14
Q
According to sociologists how does Relative Deprivation explain growth in sects and cults?
A
- Relative Deprivation refers to the sense of being deprived even if an individual is well off
- It is not about absolute poverty but about the feeling that one lacks something others have such as spiritual fulfilment and meaning
- Wallis says that MC people, despite being materially well off may feel spirituality deprived and thus turn to sects
- ## Stark and Bainbridge argue it is the RD who break away from Churches to form sects
15
Q
According to sociologists why has social change led to a growth in sects and cults?
A
- Wilson argues that periods of rapid social change disrupt and undermine established norms and values
- as a result this leads people to experience anomie
- and this creates uncertainty and insecurity so as a response to this, those affected will turn to sects and cults as a solution and to look for answers
- For example the dislocation created by the industrial revolution in Britain in the early 19th century led to the birth of Methodism which offered a sense of community and a set of clear norms and values
- Similarly Bruce says sees the growth in sects and cults as a result of social changes involved in modernisation and secularisation, as this would mean people are less attracted to traditional churches because they demand too much commitment
16
Q
What are the explanations for growth of World rejecting and World affirming NRM’s?
A
- World Rejecting NRM’s , growth is because it offers young people a more realistic way of life
- World Affirming, Bruce argues that their growth is a response to modernity. Work no longer provides meaning or a source of identity but we are still expected to achieve , World Affirming NRM’s provide both a sense of identity and techniques to succeed
17
Q
What does Niebuhr argue?
A
- argues that sects are world rejecting organisations that come into existence because of a schism ( splitting from an established church because of a disagreement over a religious doctrine)
- also argues that sects are short lived and that they either evolve into denominations or die out
- Reasons for this
- The second generation, those born into the sect lack the commitment of their parents
- Death of Leader, sects with charismatic leader either collapse on leaders death or a more formal bureaucratic leadership takes over
18
Q
What is the sectarian cycle?
A
- S and B believe that religious organisations moving through a cycle
- First stage, schism which is tension between the needs of deprived and privileged members members of a church
- Second stage, is initial fervour which involves a charismatic leader and tension between sects beliefs and society
- Third Stage is denominationalism
- Last stage is further schism which is less privileged members break away find a new sect
19
Q
What is the New age?
A
- New Age refers to a range of beliefs and practices that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, focusing on spirituality and self improvement
- These include astrology and meditation
20
Q
What are 2 characteristics of the New Age?
A
- According Heelas
- Self - Spirituality, they have turned away from traditional external religions such as the churches
- Detraditionalisation, they reject the spiritual authority of external sources such as priests or sacred texts
21
Q
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