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Different Types of Religious Organisations Topic 3 - Coggle Diagram
Different Types of Religious Organisations
Topic 3
Introduction
This categorisation or
typology
(generalisation used to classify things into groups based on characteristics)
Typologies = Ideal types
4 organisation categories:
Churches
Denomination
Sect
Cult
Wallis
- suggests 3 types of religious groups
World-Rejecting
- Groups are in opposition to the world / rejects ordinary norms and values
World-Accommodating
- General acceptance of dominant norms in society
World-Affirming
- Group accept society and offers opportunity for self improvement
Churches and Denominations
Minor differences
Bureaucratic structure (hierarchy and differences in authority)
Churches could be seen as obsolete
Bruce = churches are now obsolete in most Christian counties and should only be applied where a single religious organisation dominates society such as Islam in Iran
Many Westernised countries experience Religious Pluralism (monopoly of truth)
There is a lower commitment across religions due to the diversity in minor religions because of growing sacralisation
e.g.
Church of England has little support from population and now only has the status of one denomination
Sects and Cults
Barker
- Stigmatised and pejorative meaning and are often associated with groups that are 'evil' and 'extremists'
Sects
Wilson
- Tension / conflict - rejecting society and values
Stern discipline - sanctions deviators
Demands ongoing and complete commitment
E.G
- Peoples Temple - Tight knit
Dynamics of Sects
How / why they change over time
Niebuhr
- Sects tend to be short lived (eventually)
Examples:
1) Quakers = world rejecting sect now world affirming
2) Jehovah's Witnesses' = retain world - world-rejecting over a long period of time
3) Peoples Temple = Disappeared Completely
Why are Sects though to be only short lived
1) Problems with maintaining commitment and fervour
Barker
- World-Rejecting NRM's - people find it difficult to cope with the strict discipline and rules meaning it is hard to maintain and they therefore leave
Niebuhr
- Enthusiastic fervour is hard to maintain after 1 generation
Sect gradually withers away becoming more tolerant / allows people to live normal lives = more settled and means there's a better change of retaining members
Becker
= process of sects = 'domination is a sect that has cooled down'
2) Loss of Charismatic Leader
Inspirational personal magnetism / leadership that is attractive to people - eventually will loose support and sect will disappear after death (Jim Jones)
3) Changing Circumstances of Members and Appeal of Sects
Personal reasons / social circumstances = disappear, making the sect membership redundant
Barker
- NRM's younger people growing older = reasons that drove them into the sect diminish - disappears, becomes a denomination
4) Religious Diversity in Postmodern Society
Characterised by a fragmentation of belief and a wide diversity of religions
Personal matter - they can experiment without long term commitment - shopping about
Greater tolerance of all beliefs today
Religious sects = short lived = consumer taste changes
Are they all short lived?
Aldridge
= suggestion that sects must over time either disappear or turn into denomination is false
Many sects have existed a long time while still retaining features as sects
Not all sects depend on charismatic leadership
Many sects have been successful in socialising their children into acceptance of the sects beliefs and practices
Sects can maintain strict standards of conduct, expelling those who fail to conform to standards over time
Sects that demonstrate this :
Wilson
- rejected view that the disappearance of sects - suggests will affect whether a sect can retain it's status and will turn into a denomination to be saved
Amish
Introversions sect found in USA
Not interested in converting people
Live on own and reject any modern life processes (cars, TV)
Live inline with their own principles - life is a spiritual experience
Overview
- When working with soil they are their closest to God (Garden of Eden)
Anabaptists where you are baptised as an adult voluntarily committing to church - this used to be a capital offence meaning these people were once hunted and so became hidden and isolated which they remain today
They see themselves to be in our world but not part of it
Jehovah's Witnesses
Worldwide world-rejecting Christian Adventist millennia sect
Religious fervour despite not completely isolating members from contact with wider society
Protect members from evil without celebrating Christmas or Birthdays / Only friends with other witnesses / Attend peoples doors in pairs
Conversions / Introversions
Introversionist and Adventist / Revolutionary Sects
Wilson
2 types of sect
1)
Introversionist sects
- Amish where the only way to salvation is complete withdrawal from society avoiding corrupt influence
Only succeed by keeping apart from the world
The persuade people to join they preach corruption to the world - These sects will not last as part of a denomination
2) Adventist / Revolutionary Sects - Jehovah's Witnesses - Hold millenarian beliefs suggesting there's going to be some kind of imminent change in the world caused by the second coming of Christ, which will destroy anything ungodly - in turn the members of the sect will be saved
They spread beliefs - no question of compromise with wider society - they would be counted as sinners
Conversionist Sect
Wilson
- more likely to develop into denomination
Best way to save the world is to not be hostile and isolate but to be engaged converting individuals by spreading the word and 'saving souls'
Salvation Army = Small fervour conversions sect that has turned into a conversions denomination
Cults
Wallis & Bruce
- Loosely knit groupings, open to all & highly individualistic
Giddens
- Focus on individual expression and experience
Doesn't claim to be a monopoly of group truth
Aldridge
- Cults see themselves to offer just 1 route to self realisation / salvation
Cults are more appropriately regarded as client or customers rather than members
Purchase of service sold to individuals
Embrace a wide range of beliefs not always accepted - Alternative medicines
Stark & Bainbridge
Audience Cult
- Little information services of some individuals and little involvement with followers - Individually (horoscopes)
Client Cult
- Organisations, services / courses sold to followers
Cult Movements
- Organised, activities and personal commitment
From Audience Cult to Cult Movement
- Scientology
Scientology originated in 1950 as an audience cult
Founder Rob Hubbard's book on mental health
Developed into a client cult (formed a network of counsellors and therapeutic services)
Late 1950's there was a cult movement development - Grew into a highly organised and wealthy global church of scientology
NRM'S & NAG'S
New Religious Movements (NRMS)
NRM's arose at the end of WW2
Barker
= NRM's have some of the following (spectrum):
1) Temporary Membership
2) Charismatic Leader
3) Society see them as deviant
4) Short lived
Sects
The Peoples Temple
World Rejecting
Jim Jones - USA
Belief = Translation
Mass suicide to move to another land 'full of bliss'
Following a shooting in 1978 by a Temple Guard, killing 5 people - group suicide was initiated (638 adults, 276 children)
The Unification Church
World Rejecting
Korea - Reverend Sun Myung Moon = Moonies
1-3 million (150 countries)
Asked by God to complete the works of Christ - Uniting the Christian body
Cults
Transcendental Mediation
World Affirming
Yogi - India 1950's
Merges from Hinduism with science
Develop human potential and intelligence leading to better health and career success
Individuals eventually develop paranormal powers (levitating)
over 100 million have taken basic TM courses
Church of Scientology
World Affirming
Science fiction writer Rob Hubbard
8 million worldwide - now more accepted
Believes individuals can improve life through application of
' Philosophy of Dianetics'
Removal of
'engrams'
(causes of mental health) and problems through
'auditing
' by a member of the clergy using a
'E-Meter'
New Age Groups (NAG)
Used to refer to wide diverse belief of mind, body, spirit and therapy which became prominent in 1980's
Many idea's have little to do with the supernatural dimensions which define traditional religion
Hellas
Suggests NAG's have 2 features:
Self Spirituality
&
Detraditionalization
Self Spirituality
They have turned away from traditional external religions and instead look inside themselves
Everyone becomes their own spiritual specialist and can believe and practice whatever they fancy
Detradionalisation
The rejection of the traditional established religions being replaced by spirituality achieved by searching within oneself through personal experience
New Age idea's reject spiritual authority such as priests and texts
Personal experience is valued instead and we can then discover the truth within our self
What's a New Age Religion?
Bruce
- 5 main features:
1) Emphasis on the self (feeling from within)
2) Everything is connected (holistic approach)
3) Self is the final authority (No one about you)
4) The global cafeteria (vast range of beliefs)
5) Therapy
Examples : Astrology, Mediation, Herbalism, and Massages
Is there a New Age Movement?
Sutcliffe
- NA is a diverse range of idea's, lacking features like premises and leaders to such an extent that it can't be regarded as being a movement
Means more for individuals to peruse own self development - exploring inner spirituality
Spread through the media / shops (rocks and crystals)
Requires little commitment
Fit's somewhat into being a cult