Religious Organistaions And Movements

Question 1

Weber

Answer 1

First sociologist to attempt to distinguish and classify different types of religious organisation

Question 2

Troeltsch

Answer 2

Weber’s student
Developed and influential typology to aid our understanding of different types of Christian organisation

Question 3

Typology of organisation- Bruce

Answer 3

Recognises that religious pluralism undermines and fragments the monopoly churches hold

Question 4

Typology of organisation- stark and Bainbridge

Answer 4

Likened a denomination to a watered down version of a church

Question 5

Typology of sects- Wilson

Answer 5

Developed 7 types of sect based on their particular response to the world;
Coversionist, revolutionary, introversionist, manipulationist, thaumatugical, reformist and utopian.

Question 6

NRM- Wallis

Answer 6

World affirming NRM, world accommodating NRM and world rejecting NRM

Question 7

Evaluation of typologies- Stark and Bainbridge

Answer 7

Reject the idea of constructing such typologies altogether and are critical of all such attempts

Question 8

Typologies of sects and cults- stark and bainbridge

Answer 8

Sects and cults
Sects result from schisms- break away from churches usually due to disagreements
Cults are new religions such as Scientology and Christian Science. They offer this worldly benefits

Question 9

New age movements- Heelas

Answer 9

Sees the NA as heclectic ‘hotch potch’ of beliefs practises and ways of life
Self spirituality and detraditionalistaion

Question 10

Postmodernity and the New Age- Drane

Answer 10

The popularity of NA comes from its appeal as part of a shift towards postmodern society

Question 11

Modernity and the New Age- Heelas and Bruce

Answer 11

Both argue that NA was only possible because of modernity rather than postmodernity
Modern society values individualism which is a key feature of NAMs

Question 12

Modernity and the New Age- Bruce

Answer 12

NAMs appeal most to MC graduates university in the expressive professions’ concerned with human potential and developments

Question 13

Dynamics of new religious movements- Niebuhr

Answer 13

Made a number of observations about the development of NMRs and suggested they evolve from and around sects

Question 14

Cult to sect- Wallis

Answer 14

In an effort to counteract their precariousness some cults become more sect-like

Question 15

Sect to denomination- Niebuhr

Answer 15

All sects must evolve into a denomination or face extinction

Question 16

Stark and bainbridge

Answer 16

The sectarian cycle
Stage 1 schism
Stage 2 intitial fervor
Stage 3 denominationalism
Stage 4 establishment
Stage 5 further schism