Types of Religious Organisation

Question 1

What is the church as a type of religious organisation?

Answer 1

• A Church is a stable, formal organisation with a hierarchy and structure of paid officials. A church embodies widely accepted beliefs.
• Churches may be involved in some secular activities (education). A Church will often have close relationships with the State and monarchy (e.g. Church of England)
• They’re universalistic, aim to include everyone, but tend to be more attractive to MC as they’re ideologically conservative
• Religious worship in church tends to be formal and ritualised and conducted by ordained clerics

Question 2

What is a denomination as a type of religious organisation?

Answer 2

• Has beliefs which are widely accepted but tends to have no formal links with the State
• Structure and hierarchy tend to be less developed than in a Church and worship is less formal
• Memberships to not too excusive btu don’t appeal to everyone like a church. They impose minor restrictions like no alcohol, but aren’t too demanding
• They’re tolerant of other religious organisations

Question 3

What is a sect as a type of religious organisation?

Answer 3

• A sect is a voluntary religious movement and tend to be led by a charismatic leader and members tend to be believe they’re superior and are ‘saved’. Sects draw their members from the poor and oppressed
• Sect beliefs often conflict with societal values. Sects are insular and emphasise loyalty and commitment among their own members.
• Sects repress the individuality of their members, e.g. members are encouraged to take on new name and identities on entering the sects. Contact with old friends and family can be restricted. Freedom of thought is minimal and claim monopoly of religious truth.

Question 4

What is a cult as a type of religious organisation?

Answer 4

• Cults share many of the features of sects but are different in that people normally join them to achieve some practical end.
• Cults tend not to conflict with or challenge social norms but usually appeal to the socially privileged.
• Cults are usually led by ‘practitioners’ who claim special knowledge and don’t demand strong commitment from members

Question 5

Outline the similarities and differences between the religious organisations?

Answer 5

• How they see themselves: Churches and sects claim that their interpretation of faith is the only legitimate or correct one. Denominations and cults accepts that there can be many valid interpretations
• How they’re seen by wider society: Churches and denominations are seen as respectable and legitimate, whereas sects and cults are seen as deviant

Question 6

How are new religious movements categorised?

Answer 6

• Wallis categories NRM, that now don’t claim monopoly of truth, based on their relationship to the outside world:
• World-rejecting NRMs
• World-accommodating NRMs
• World affirming NRMS

Question 7

Describe world rejecting NRMS

Answer 7

• They’re usually sects and are clearly religious organisations with a clear motion of God
• They’re highly critical ofc the outside world and expect or seek radical change
• To achieve salvation, members must make a sharp break with their former life
• Members live communally, with restricted contact with the outside world.
• They often have conservative moral codes e.g. sex

Question 8

Describe world-accommodating NRMs

Answer 8

• These are often breakaways from existing mainstream churches or denominations, such as neo-Pentecostalists who split from Catholicism
• They neither accept nor reject the world, and they focus on religious rather than worldly matters, seeking to restore the spiritual purity of religion e.g. Neo-Pentecostalists believe that other Christian religions have lost the Holy Spirit

Question 9

Describe world-affirming NRMs

Answer 9

• They accept the world as it is. They’re optimistic and promise followers success in terms of mainstream goals such as careers.
• They’re non-exclusive and tolerant of other religions, but claim to offer additional special knowledge or techniques that enable followers to unlock their own spiritual powers, achieve success or over problems. They psychologise religion by offering this-worldly gratification
• Most are cults e.g. scientology

Question 10

Give evaluation for the classification of NRMs

Answer 10

• Some argue Wallis isn’t clear whether he is categorising them according the movements teachings or individual members’ beliefs. He also ignores the diversity of beliefs that may exist within an NRM
• Wallis recognises that real NRMs will rarely fit clearly into his typology and some have have features of all 3 types
• Stark and Bainbridge reject the idea of typologies altogether. They argue we should distinguish between religious organisation using 1 criterion (the degree of conflicts between the religious group and wider society)

Question 11

Describe the 2 kinds of organisation in conflict with wider society identified by Stark and Bainbridge

Answer 11

• Sects result from schism (splits in existing organisations) They break away from church usually because of disagreement about doctrine
• Cults are new religions
  Stark and Bainbridge see sects as promising other-worldly benefits (heaven) to those suffering economic or ethical deprivations. While cults tend to offer this-worldly benefits to more prosperous individuals who are suffering psychic and organismic deprivation

Question 12

Describe the 3 types of cults identified by Stark and Bainbridge

Answer 12

• Audience cults: least organised, don’t involve formal membership or much commitment. Participants may be through the media and there’s no contact between members e.g. astrology
• Client cults: based on the relationship between a consultant and a client, and provide services to their followers. They provide ‘therapies’
• Cultic movements: most organised and demand more commitment than cults. The movement aims to meet all its members’ religious need and are rarely allowed to belong to other religious groups at the same time.