Types Of Religious Organisations Flashcards
Church
- large organisation
- lots of members
- run by hierarchy of paid officials
- claim monopoly of truth
- open to wider society
Sect
- Small organisations
- Quite a lot of members, more poor
- Run by charismatic individual
- Hostile to wider society
Denominations
Subgroup of a religion Midway between churches and sects - Medium sized - Less exclusive than sect but more restrictive than church - Less formal leadership
Cults
- Promote ways of being more successful in world and are highly individualistic
- Members more like clients, no strong commitment required
- Leaders are usually practitioners or therapists that have special knowledge
- Accept other beliefs and organisations
Wallis: 2 characteristics distinguishing them
- Churches and sects claim their beliefs are the only correct beliefs. Denominations and cults accept that there are other valid beliefs
- Churches and denominations seen as respectable. Sects and cults seen as deviant due to portrayal in media
Audiance cults
Provide little beyond info services of some kind for people, and little organisation or involvement from followers. Often consumed through internet and books e.g. New Age ideas like astrology and horoscopes
Client cults
Have more organisation and offer services, such as therapy and courses (so seen more as customers). Such as spiritual contact with dead.
Cult movements
More organised, involving wide range of activities, support and personal involvement, such as scientology
New Religious Movements (NRMs)
Emerged since 1960’s. Have little in common with churches or denominations, although Wallis points out many draw upon traditional Christian or other religious faiths. Contain some of the most controversial social movements in modern world posing threats to own members and wider society.
Barker’s features of NRM’s
- Religious in that concerned with spirituality and supernatural
- Most likely find supporters from young people
- Likely to be led by charismatic leader
- Certain they hold the only truth and are the ‘chosen ones’
- Often suspicion and hostility from outside world
New age groups
Wide diversity of mind-body-spirit ideas, interests and therapies from across the globe since 80’s. Many of these ideas have little to do with supernatural dimension. Two related features:
- Self spirituality: dip into whatever beliefs they fancy
- Detraditionalization: rejection of traditional religions and base beliefs through personal experience
Bruce’s 5 main features to New Age religion
- Emphasis on self
- Everything is connected
- The self is the final authority
- Global cafeteria
- Therapy
Practical or pragmatic reasons for the growth of sects and cults
- Key to success: world-affirming NRMs and new age ideas appeal more to affluent, university educated and successful M/C groups. Seek techniques to capture inner selves and have money to pay for this.
- Escape: may help with difficult family, personal or work circumstances.
How secularisation has led to a growth in sects, cults and etc
Cults and New age consequence of individualism.
Other reasons for appeal of other beliefs
- Filling vacuum of meaning in PM society
- Identity formation and individual choice in postmodern society
- Globalization and media
- Social deprivation, marginality
- Relative deprivation
