Religious typologies Flashcards by Eliza Bernal

Weber & Troeltsch

First distinguished between churches and sects

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Churches: feautures

Very structured hierarchy (pope, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests etc)
Regular place of worship and regular gatherings
Higher power
Holy text/scripture/guidebook
Believe in life after death
Believe they have the only truth
Wide open memberships (varied commitment)

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Churches: examples

5 out of the 6 world religions 
Christianity
Hinduism
Sikhism 
Judaism
Islamism

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Sects: features

Tend to be very small, exclusive membership
Total commitment- sometimes vow of poverty
World rejecting
One, all powerful, charismatic leader (present themselves as the voice of God)
One belief in one truth- intolerance to other ‘truths’
Always a higher power

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Sects: examples

Strong city
Jim Jones
Westboro Baptist Church

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Becker

A denomination is a sect that has cooled down and is no longer a protest group

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Neiebuhr

Long surviving sect will inevitably become a denomination (because once the leader dies, the structure must become more bureaucratic and organized)

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Denominations: features

Scriptures/guidebooks
Meeting place
Higher power
Low to medium commitment
More tolerant of other truths
More 'low church' - very plain and simple, not very ritual
Less of a hierarchical structure  
Gradually less deviant and become offshoots of a mainstream religion

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Denominations: examples

Mormons
Methodists
Hare Krishna
Baptists
Protestants
Moonies

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Cults: features

Least coherent form of religious organization
Focus on individual experience
Bringing people together for self improvement
No higher power/focus on inner power
Led by a teacher/instructor
Branch or businesslike structure (pay for sessions)
Completely open membership

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Cults: examples

Crustal healing
Reiki (hands on healing)
Scientology
Transcendental meditation 
Yoga

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Stark and Bainbridge

Audience cults
Client cults
Cultic movements

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Audience cults

Little to none face to face interaction (eg buying a crystal online with a guidebook)
eg astrology, belief in UFOs

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Client cults

Particular service to followers

eg crystal healing, tarot readings, colour therapy

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Cultic movements

Most organised and demand higher levels of commitment

eg Doomsday organisations, the People’s Temple

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Bruce

Argues that in the 15th century there was one dominant church and one dominant conception of God
Freedom of the individual and freedom of thought had hardly developed at all
The reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries saw the growth of greater religious freedom
Through the process of industrialization competing belief systems arose including scientific ones- practice became more diverse
Belief have become a matter of personal choice
New Religious Movements and New Age Movements have developed

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Classification of New Religious Movements

Many attempts to classify the wide variety of religious groups that have emerged
Some stem from particular religious traditions- Han Krishna (inspiration from Hinduism)
Others have no connection to other religions

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Barker

Human Potential Movements- liberating human potential

eg transcendental meditation, spiritualism

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Wallis

Divided new religious movements into 3 categories:
World Rejecting
World Accommodating
World Affirming

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World Rejecting NRMs

Most like a sect 
Definite concept of God
Highly critical of the outside world
Total institutions controlling members' lives
Limited contact to outside world
Quite radical but can hold conservative views
Communal lifestyle
Can be millenerian

World Accommodating NRMs

Most like denominations
Offshoots of an existing church or denomination
Concerned with religious matters
Seek to restore spiritual purity
Usually lead normal and respectable lives

World Affirming NRMs

Lack some features normally thought to be central to religion
Access to spiritual or supernatural powers
Not exclusive
Tolerate other religions

Wallis Evaluation

Often still debated
Categories are sometimes difficult to apply- does he categorize according to movements teaching or member’s beliefs
Insufficient attention to diversity- many do not fit into his typology- some have features of all three
No group can afford to reject the world all together
Stark and Bainbridge believe that it is more useful to distinguish between religious organisations depending how much tension or conflict there is between the religious group and the wider society

Strong City

Type of Religion:

Sect

Strong City | Wallis Typology:

World Rejecting

Strong City | Key Features:

``` Charismatic leader Michael (Wayne Bent) Communal living Exclusive membership Very little contact with outside world Leader puts himself above the scripture Some took vow of poverty Over a decade following his teaching ```

Strong City | Members:

Left the 7 day Adventists (small denomination) Many more women than men People that need a sense of belonging/vulnerable Brainwashed believers People born into/socialised into sect

Strong City | Reasons for joining

Michael promised them a life without sin Wanted total commitment to their faith Want to get as close as they can to God Waiting for the end of the world

Scientology | Type of religion:

Cultic movement/sect

Scientology | Wallis typology:

World Affirming

Scientology | Key features:

``` Charismatic leader Tommy Treat ex members + critics not very well Want total commitment from members Business like structure- paying for some services It's about inner power/improvement Psychological treatments Consider themselves a religion ```

Scientology | Members:

Wealthy people Vulnerable people eg drug users Famous people People seeking inner peace/improvement

Scientology | Reasons for joining:

Work towards a state called 'clear' Psychological treatment Drug users get sober Wanting spirituality

Transcendental meditation/yogic flying | Type of religion:

Cult

Transcendental meditation/yogic flying | Wallis typology:

World Affirming

Transcendental meditation/yogic flying | Key features:

About inner peace rather than a higher power Business like structure eg paying for sessions Low commitment Teachers for guidance Inclusive membership

Transcendental meditation/yogic flying | Members:

``` Stressed people wanting to release it People that want to be creative People that want to change eg ex drug users More affluent, middle class People that want a hobby Fans of Russel Brand More educated People that have time ```

Transcendental meditation/yogic flying | Reasons for joining:

Self improvement Pursuit of happiness Sense of oneness/world being

Reiki | Type of religion:

Cult

Reiki | Wallis typology:

World Affirming

Reiki | Key features:

About inner power rather than a higher power Low commitment Inclusive membership Business like

Reiki | Members:

People wanting to release stress Middle class Hippies More women than men

Reiki | Reasons for joining:

Self improvement An injury Seeking spirituality

The Moonies/Unification church | Type of religion:

Sect -----> denomination

The Moonies/Unification church | Wallis typology:

World Accommodating

The Moonies/Unification church | Key features:

``` Higher power- messiah Complete commitment eg followers are married to complete strangers, no drinking or smoking Large membership + bureaucratic Inclusive membership- need to be pure Tolerant of other religions Denomination of Christianity (sectarian cycle) Mainstream lives Charity/missionary work ```

The Moonies/Unification church | Members:

``` People wanting world peace Very religious/committed to faith Born/socialised into it Middle class movement Anti-wars Wanting commitment Ex hippies ```

The Moonies/Unification church | Reasons for joining:

Wanting world unity To become pure Spiritual phenomenon

Jim Jones and the people's temple

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