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