Topic 6: What are the types of religious organisation?

Question 1

what are churches?
-Troeltsch(1912)

Answer 1

large organisations with millions of member have a multi layered hierarchical structure; have professional clergy.- bureaucratic
claim a monopoly of truth
more attractive to higher classes- are ideologically conservative and often linked to the stated

Question 2

what is the membership at churches -troeltsch(1912)

Answer 2

large, worldwide membership(universal)inclusive membership meaning people are often born into these religious.

Question 3

what is the lifespan of churches?
-Troeltsch(1912)

Answer 3

long lifespans - often centuries or even millennia.

Question 4

what is the commitment of churches?
-Troeltsch

Answer 4

Few demands or restrictions on members;accept the social environment around them

Question 5

what is an example of churches?
-Troeltsch

Answer 5

can be linked to the state e.g the romans catholic church in countries such as spain

Question 6

what are denominations?
-Niebuhr(1929)

Answer 6

Lie mindway between churches and sects, tend to originate as a sect but become successful enough to evolve into a larger movement;have a professional clergy, although often require the assistance of volunteer.
Tolerant of other religious organisations do not claim monopoly of truth

Question 7

what are the memberships of demonisations?
-Niebuhr (1929)

Answer 7

Relatively large memberships—can be international, national or regional; tend to attract those from within the poorest communities.
-less exclusive than a sect-don’t appeal to the whole of society like a church
-not linked to the state
-impose on some minor restrictions on members.

Question 8

what is the lifespan of denominations?
-Niebuhr (1929)

Answer 8

<Large variety of different denominations,some have long lifespans (Methodist Church), whereas some are more recent (Pentecostalism).

Question 9

what is the commitment for denominations?
-Niebuhr(1929)

Answer 9

<rely on members for active involvement in their causes, such as converting others.

Question 10

what are examples of demonisations?
-Niebuhr(1929)

Answer 10

<Pentecostalism emerged at the start of the C20th as a different from of Protestant Christianity,focusing on revival of members being ‘born again’.

Question 11

what are sects?
-Troeltsch (1912)

Answer 11

<small exclusive groups
<sects are hostile to wider society
many are led by charismatic leader rather than a bureaucratic hierarchy who claims to have been chosen by a supernatural power; do not have professional clergy
<sects too believe they have the monopoly of truth

Question 12

what are the membership in sects?
-Troeltsch (1912)

Answer 12

<Tend to have small membership and expect a high level of commitment
<draw their members from the poor and oppressed

Question 13

what is the lifespan of sects
-Troeltsch (1912)

Answer 13

short lifespan, especially if the leader dies

Question 14

what is the commitment of sects?
Troeltsch (1912)

Answer 14

often demand total dedication from their followers;can evolve into a denomination of they gain wider popularity.

Question 15

what is an example sect?

Answer 15

Deash (Islamic State or ISIS) and the Moonies

Question 16

what is a cult?
-Niebuhr

Answer 16

<least organised
<highly individualistic, loose-knit and usually small grouping around some shared themes and interests but usually w/o a sharply defined and exclusive belief system

Question 17

what is the structure of a cult?
-Niebuhr

Answer 17

usually have a loose structure and no professional clergy;often wrongly confused with sects by the media; rarely associated with a supernatural power

Question 18

what is the member ship of a cult?
-Niebuhr

Answer 18

<usually led by ‘practitioners’ or ‘therapist’ who claim special knowledge
usually tolerant of other organisations
<have small membership of clientele that buy unit a service offered; tend to consist of people who consume the service but rarely meet as a large group

Question 19

what is the lifespan of cults?
-Niebuhr

Answer 19

varies with market demand

Question 20

what are the commitments of a cults

Answer 20

rarely demand strong commitments and mainly attract people looking for spiritual fulfilment through e.g-meditation or channelling positive energy-followed are often more like customers or trainees than members.
may have futher involvement in itv the cult once they have acquired the beliefs or techniques it offers.
many are world affirming claiming to improve quality of life.

Question 21

what are the differences between religious organisations?
-Roy Wallis

Answer 21

> Churches and sects claim their interpretation of the faith is the only legitimate or correct one.
denominations and cults accept that there can be many valid interpretations.
churches and denominations are seen as respectable and legitimate, whereas sects and cults are seen as deviant.

Question 22

what is an example of a cult?
-Niebuhr(1929)

Answer 22

scientology was founded in 1954 by American, L Ron Hubbard

Question 23

who coined the term (NRM) which is a broader classification system and typology and what groups are they divided into?

Answer 23

Wallis
World accommodating
world affirming
world rejecting

Question 24

what are World rejecting NRMS?

Answer 24

similar to Troeltsch
vary greatly in size from a handful of members to hundreds of thousands
-People Temple, Children of God, Moonies

Question 25

what characteristics do World rejecting NRMs have?

Answer 25

<clearly religious organisations with a clear notion of God
<highly critical of the outside wolrd and they expect or seek radical change
<achieve salvation members must make a sharp break with their former live
<members live communally with restricted contact with the outside world -they are often accused of ‘brainwashing’
them
<have conservative moral codes e.g sex

Question 26

what are World accommodating NRMS?

Answer 26

break away from existing mainstream churches or denominations such as neo- Pentecostalists who split from Catholicism

Question 27

what are the characteristics of World-accommodating NRMs?

Answer 27

<neither accept nor reject the world and they focus on religious rather than worldly matters, seeking to restore the spiritual purity of religion.
e.g neo- Pentecostalist believe that other Christian religions have lost the holy spirit. members tend to lead conventional lives

Question 28

what are World-affirming NRMs?

Answer 28

lack some of the conventional features of a religion such as collective worship and some are not highly organised
like religions offer their followers access to spiritual or supernatural powers
-scientology, Human Potential

Question 29

what are the characteristics of World-affirming NRMs?

Answer 29

accept the world as is it but claim to offer additional special knowledge that enable followers to unlock their own spiritual powers +achieve success or over come problems
many are cults -often customers rather than members, entry through training
-WA NRMs have been successful- Scientology 165,000in Uk in 2005.