Beliefs in Society
Religious Organisations
We generally have 4 religious organisations:
Churches Sects Denominations Cults
Religious Organisations
Churches
A large, well established religious body
Mainstream organisations that represent the major world religions
The term ‘church’ is particularly associated with the Christian religion
Hundreds, thousands or even millions of members
Monopoly view of truth
Sects
Smaller, less highly organised group of very committed believers
Usually set up in protest at what a church has become
No more than a few hundred members
Charismatic leader
Monopoly view of truth
Denominations
A sect that has cooled down to become an institutionalised body rather than a protest group (Becker, 1950)
Sects become denominations due to the necessity of a bureaucratic, non-hierarchical structure once the charismatic leader dies
Generally, grow to accept churches
No longer claim a monopoly of truth
Tolerant of wider society and require a low level of commitment
Cults
Some disagreement amongst sociologists on how to classify a cult, but most agree:
That it is a less coherent religious organisation
Focus of cults tend to be on individual experience, bringing like-minded individuals together
Flexible membership
Terms ‘sect’ and ‘cult’ are often used interchangeably by the media
Activity
Using your book, identify some other differences between the religious
organisations and examples of each
Similarities and Differences
In summing up the similarities and differences, Wallis identifies two characteristics:
How they see themselves – churches and sects claim the monopoly of truth. Denominations and cults accept that there can be many valid interpretations
How they are seen by wider society – churches and denominations are seen as respectable and legitimate, whereas sects and cults are seen as deviant
NRMs and NAMs
NRMs is an overarching term that covers both sects and cults
Coined by Barker (1984) as a more neutral term
Some NRMs are not new!
The Emergence of NRMs
Membership of churches may be dropping, but affiliation with other religious organisations has risen
Noted that there may be as many as 25,000 NRMs in Europe with 12,000 members residing in the UK
Difficulties in Measuring Affiliation
In pairs, identify some of the problems with measuring affiliation to NRMs
Classification…
Wallis has identified 3 main kinds of NRMs:
World-affirming groups World-rejecting groups World-accommodating groups
World-Affirming Groups
Usually individualistic, life-positive and aim to release ‘human potential’
Live in the real world, but try to find new ways to relate to it
Don’t restrict the lifestyle of its members
More common amongst middle-aged, middle class groups who are in search of new, more positive meanings.
Generally lack a church, ritual worship or strong ethical systems
Often more like ‘therapy groups’
World-Affirming Groups
E.g. The Church of ScientologyFounded by L. Ron HubbardStresses the importance of unblocking
the mindSpread throughout the worldMembers pay for courses and books
World-Accommodating Groups
More orthodox
Maintain some connections with mainstream religion
Place value on religious life, e.g. speaking in tongues
Dismayed at the state of the world and the state of organized mainstream religion
World-Accommodating Groups
E.g. Neo-PentecostalismPlace emphasis on religious experience
World-Rejecting Groups
Usually sects
Highly critical of the outside world
Demand significant commitment from their members
Strong ethical codes
Exclusive group that often shares possessions
Often millenarian
World-Rejecting Groups
E.g. The Unification Church (aka The Moonies)Founded in Korea by Rev. Sun Myung Moon
in 1954Rejects the secular world as evilStrong moral rulesMass Weddings
World-Rejecting Groups
WRG have come under the most scrutiny, usually due to the public horror at the indoctrination that has led to mass suicide
The Waco Siege
People’s Temple (warning on video!)
World-Rejecting Groups
Robbins (1988) identified the following characteristics as signs of cultist behaviour: Authoritarianism Infallibility Programming Shunning Secret doctrines Promised ones Fire and brimstone
World-Rejecting Groups
Cult apologists defend the right of such groups to exist
Also want more religious tolerance They claim:
Cults are misunderstood People don’t know enough about the
groups Anticult groups are intolerant of
religious freedom
New Age Movements (NAMs)
Large number of religions and therapies since 1970s
Generally classed as ‘world affirming’ as they focus on individual potential
New Age Movements (NAMs)
Bruce (1996) identified two main forms:
Audience cults
Client cults e.g. Tarot reading
New Age Movements (NAMs)
Appeal to all ages, but more to women
People already subscribe to the cultic milieu/holistic milieu
Annual celebration of NA ideas takes place in London and Manchester
The appeal of NRMs and NAMs
In small groups, identify and briefly explain why:
1. people may join or support NRMs2. young people are attracted to
World-Rejecting Movements3. World-Affirming movements appeal
to individuals
NAMs
Using you textbooks (p. 54), research the following:
Self-spirituality and detraditionalism Postmodernity and the New Age New Age and modernity Heelas (1996)
Denomination or Death??
Niebuhr (1929): Sects are WRMs that have come into
existence because of schism (division) Short lived and often die out within a
generation Or, compromise with wider society,
abandon their ideas and become a denomination
Denomination or Death??
Several reasons for this:
1. The second generation2. ‘Protestant ethic’ effect3. Death of the leader
Using the textbook (p. 53), research these reasons and then feedback
Stark and Bainbridge (1985)
See religious organisations moving through a cycle
1. Schism – tension between the needs of deprived and privileged members of a church. Deprived members breakaway to found a WRM
Stark and Bainbridge (1985)
2. Initial fervour – charismatic leader and sect have tensions with wider society
3. Denominationalism – coolness of the second generation means the fervour disappears
4. Establishment – sect becomes more world-accepting and tensions reduce
5. Further schism – less privileged members breakaway to found a new sect
Established Sects
However, Wilson argues that not all sects follow the patterns of the sectarian cycle
Whether or not they do so depends on how they answer the question ‘what shall we do to be saved?’ Conversionist – Evangelicals – membership grows
-> becomes a denomination Adventist – Seventh Day Adventists – wait for a
saviour; don’t compromise
Activity
In pairs, you will be given a sect to research. You will need to swap contact details (e.g. Email address)
You will need to prepare a PowerPoint presentation
Presentation – beginning of next lesson
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