Religious Organizations

Question 1

Troeltsch on churches and sects

Answer 1

Developed the classic typology of religious organisations, distinguishing between churches (large, integrated with the state, accepting of wider society) and sects (small, exclusive, hostile to society).

Question 2

Niebuhr on denominations

Answer 2

Expanded Troeltsch’s typology by introducing denominations, which are more inclusive than sects but not as formal as churches.

Question 3

Sectarian cycle- Niebuhr

Answer 3

Argued that sects often become denominations over time as they compromise with society.

Question 4

Wallis on new religious movements

Answer 4

World-rejecting NRMs
Definition: These movements reject mainstream society and its values. They often see the world as corrupt or evil and promote a radical break from it.

World-accommodating NRMs
Definition: These groups do not reject the world, but rather focus on spiritual development while living in society.

World-affirming NRMs
Definition: These movements accept the world and claim to help individuals succeed within it through spiritual or psychological enhancement.

Question 5

Weber on theodicy’s of disprivilege

Answer 5

Sects attract the marginalised by offering religious meaning and future rewards.

Question 6

Wilson on sects

Answer 6

Suggested that the success of a sect depends on how it adapts or resists society (e.g., conversionist vs. introversionist sects).

Question 7

Stark and bainbridge on compensators

Answer 7

Religion offers rewards (or “compensators”) that people can’t get in real life, like eternal life.

Question 8

Davie on spiritual shopping

Answer 8

Individuals choose beliefs that suit them, rather than sticking with traditional religions.

Question 9

Cultural Amnesia in Religion- James

Answer 9

Cultural amnesia in a religious context refers to how societies forget or ignore important religious traditions, texts, values, or historical events that once shaped their identity and moral frameworks. This loss can happen due to modernization, secularization, colonization, or deliberate efforts to suppress religious memory.

Question 10

Woodhead and Heelas on Holistic Milieu

Answer 10

Focused on New Age Movements that promote self-spirituality and personal growth (e.g., yoga, meditation).

Question 11

What did the Kendal project show

Answer 11

Found a shift from traditional religion to spirituality of the self in modern society.