YR2 BELIEFS: organisations, movements, members

Question 1

In what 4 ways do religious groups differ?

Answer 1

1) how they worship
2) their leadership
3) their relationship with the state
4) who they appeal to

Question 2

How many (main) classifications is there of religious groups? Name them

Answer 2

SIX
1) Church
2) Sect
3) Denomination
4) Cult
5) Millenarian movement
6) New Age movement

Question 3

Give 3 key characteristics of Church (7)

Answer 3

-large organisations
-claim monopoly over the truth
-universalistic (aim to include all of society)
-don’t demand much from members
-run by bureaucracy
-closely tied to the state
-tend to attract higher classes

Question 4

Give an example of a Church

Answer 4

• Catholic Church
• Church of England

Question 5

Give 3 key characteristics of a sect (8)

Answer 5

-small organisation, small in members
-exclusive group
-led by 1 charismatic leader
-claim monopoly over the truth
-hostile to wider society
-expect high commitment
-no connection to the state
-draw members from poor oppressed groups

Question 6

Give an example of a sect

Answer 6

west - boro baptist Church

Question 7

Give 3 key characteristics of a denomination

Answer 7

-midway between church and sect
-not linked to state
-broadly accept societys values
-impose minor restrictions on members like forbidding alcohol
-tolerant of other religions

Question 8

Give an example of a denomination

Answer 8

Methodist Church

Question 9

Give 3 key characteristics of a millenarian movement

Answer 9

-believe in the coming of a new world through supernatural intervention
-demand full social change
-promise hope of a new, better life
-main theme tends to be regeneration and creation of a better person
-often includes worship of hero

Question 10

Give an example of a millenarian movement

Answer 10

Heaven’s Gate

Question 11

Give 3 key characteristics of a cult (SOCIOLOGY)

Answer 11

-least organised religious organisation
-highly individualised
-small group around a shared theme with no sharply defined belief system
-dont demand strong commitment
-tolerant of other organisations
-followers are like customers
-led by people who claim to offer specific knowledge

Question 12

Give an example of a cult

Answer 12

Transcendental meditation

Question 13

Give 3 key characteristics of a New Age movement

Answer 13

-loosely organised cults
-extremely diverse and eclectic
-put unconnected ideas together in new combinations
-focus on self spirituality and discovering truth within yourself
-focus on detraditionalization
-value personal experience
- offer mix of world affirming and rejecting ideas

Question 14

Give an example of a new age movement

Answer 14

Crystals

Question 15

What is an NRM? Name the 3 types Wallis identified

Answer 15

New Religious Movements that dont fit into previous classifications
1) World Rejecting
2) World Accommodating
3) World Affirming

Question 16

explain what a world rejecting NRM is

Answer 16

-clear notion of God
-highly critical of outside world + seek radical change
-members live communally, with restricted contact
-conservative moral codes

Question 17

explain what a world accommodating NRM is

Answer 17

-breakaways from existing mainstream denominations. neither accept / reject the world. focus on religious spiritual purity.

Question 17

explain what a world affirming NRM is

Answer 17

accept the world as it is. optimistic. tolerant of other religions. offer special knowledge eg scientology

Question 18

which group can act as a case study example of a sect?

Answer 18

the Westboro Baptist Church

Question 19

discuss the characteristics of the West Boro Baptist Church (sect)

Answer 19

-extremely right wing, widely considered a hate group
-known for its public protests against gay people
-Fred Phelps: charismatic leader before his death
-requires lifestyle changes, heavy commitment
-hostile to wider society
-small organisation: around 100 members

Question 20

which group can act as a case study example of a millenarian movement?

Answer 20

Heaven’s Gate

Question 21

summarise Heavens Gate (millenarian movement) and their characteristics

Answer 21

belief that there is a spiritual level above humanity + ‘leaving’ Earth would bring them ‘home’. promise hope of a new, better life. Mass suicide. worshipped leader. heavy member commitment - can’t see family, shaved heads etc

Question 21

NAME the 3 main explanations for the rise in sects + cults

Answer 21

• marginality
• relative deprivation
• social change

Question 24

Summarise marginality as an explanation for the rise in sects and cults

Answer 24

Weber- sects occur within groups who are marginal to society. These individuals feel dis privileged and sects offer a solution. They provide a religious explanation for their suffering. This is known as the theodicy of dis privilege.

Question 25

Summarise relative deprivation as an explanation for the rise in sects and cults

Answer 25

Many return to religious movements because they feel spiritually deprived. Sects can offer a sense of community or belonging + provide a sense of spiritual meaning.

Question 26

Summarise social change as an explanation for the rise in sects and cults

Answer 26

Wilson- periods of rapid social change disrupt existing norms – this produces anomie. In response to this uncertainty, individuals may return to sects in order to restore normality to their lives. Cults have grown in membership as a response to modernity and secularism .

Question 27

How does Bruce explain the growth of NRMS? - specifically world rejecting NRMS

Answer 27

World rejecting NRMS grew in 1960s - increased time in education + time of social change. Radical political movements + counter culture failed, so young people turn to NRMS

Question 28

NIEBUHR argued that sects are world rejecting organisations that come about by individuals doing what? And what is the name of this occurrence?

Answer 28

Come about by individuals breaking off from a Church Also known as a schism

Question 29

Summarise the ‘death or denomination’ theory about sects

Answer 29

Sects are short lived. They either die out (when leader dies / second generation leaves) or evolve into a denomination (beliefs become more world accommodating/relaxed over time)

Question 30

Which sociologists argue for the sectarian cycle?

Answer 30

Stark & Bainbridge

Question 31

Summarise the Sectarian cycle argument

Answer 31

A sect evolves into a denomination (beliefs become more world accommodating over time), but then it becomes a sect again as members break away to retain the original message. It then becomes a denomination again, then a sect.

Question 32

Explain Wilson’s concept of ‘established sects’. Can you give an example?

Answer 32

Not all sects become denominations or die out, some remain established by keeping themselves separate from the wider world. Eg- Amish and mormon groups

Question 33

Why might globalisation make it harder for sects to remain cut off from the outside world?

Answer 33

Internet- very tempting to stay in contact with friends/family no matter the distance Transport- very easy to go see them, + its easier now for members to leave when they wish. Plus theres now access to many other types of belief systems which may weaken sect ideas

Question 34

Why might globalisation help sects to become established?

Answer 34

Can help sects get more members via websites, social media etc

Question 35

Do men or women participate more in religion? Give some stats to back this up

Answer 35

Women participate more: •women more likely to attend Church •40% women call themselves religious, 25% of men •54% men call themselves atheist, only 34% of women

Question 36

NAME the 3 main sociological explanations for the gender differences in religiosity

Answer 36

• socialisation + gender roles • women + the New Age • compensatory factors

Question 37

Explain Miller and Hoffmans contribution to the ‘socialisation + gender roles’ explanation of gender differences in religiosity

Answer 37

•ppl are taking risk by being non-religious (hell). women are socialised into taking fewer risks than men - so they won’t take the risk of atheism •women are socialised into being passive, obedient, caring: qualities valued by most religions- attracts women. • women’s gender roles mean they more likely to work part time - more flexible to participate?

Question 38

Explain Davie’s contribution to the ‘socialisation + gender roles’ explanation of gender differences in religiosity

Answer 38

•women are closer to birth + death (eg give birth) which brings them closer to the ultimate questions about the meaning of life, which religion answers. •also differences in how gender views God: men likely to see God as powerful + in control, women likely to see God as loving, forgiving

Question 39

Explain Bruce’s contribution to the ‘women + the new age’ explanation of gender differences in religiosity

Answer 39

•women more associated with nature/a healing role - more attracted to new age movements •New age movements often celebrate the natural and give women a higher status •these movements also allow women to break away from their restrictive gender roles and be more authentic

Question 40

Explain Woodhead’s contribution to the ‘women + the new age’ explanation of gender differences in religiosity

Answer 40

•women in paid work experience a role conflict, between public sphere of work + private sphere of family •new age beliefs are attractive to women as they appeal to a third sphere, individualism and personal growth •new age beliefs bypass role conflict by creating a new source of identity for women based on inner self

Question 41

Explain Stark & Bainbridge’s ‘compensatory factors/sects’ explanation of gender differences in religiosity

Answer 41

•people participate in sects as they offer compensators for organismic, ethical and social deprivation. These forms of deprivation are more common among women and thus explain why women are twice as likely to join sects than men

Question 42

What is organismic deprivation, in which sects offer compensators for?

Answer 42

Stems from physical + mental health problems; women are more likely to suffer ill health and thus seek the healing that sects offer

Question 43

What is ethical deprivation, in which sects offer compensators for?

Answer 43

Women tend to be more morally conservative. They are thus more likely to see the world as in moral decline + be attracted to sects which often share this view

Question 44

What is social deprivation, which sects offer compensators for?

Answer 44

Sects attract poorer groups, and women are more likely to be poor

Question 45

Is womens participation in religion still higher than mens and is it still increasing?

Answer 45

Women’s participation still remains higher than men’s, but it is currently in decline

Question 46

Summarise the general trend in ethnic religiosity

Answer 46

Religious participation is higher than average in most ethnic minority groups

Question 47

Name the two sociological explanations for ethnic religiosity trends

Answer 47

• cultural defence • cultural transition

Question 48

summarise Bruce’s contribution to the cultural defence explanation of ethnic religiosity trends

Answer 48

Religion in situations offers support + and a sense of cultural identity in an uncertain/hostile environment. Religion among minorities can be a basis for community solidarity, a means of preserving one’s culture + language, + aware of coping with oppression in a racist society

Question 49

summarise Bird’s contribution to the cultural defence explanation of ethnic religiosity trends

Answer 49

Many white UK churches do not welcome black African Caribbean members and so some turn to joining black lead churches

Question 50

summarise Herberg’s contribution to the cultural transition explanation of ethnic religiosity trends

Answer 50

Religion can ease the transition into new culture by providing support + community for minority groups. This explains high levels of religious participation among first generation immigrants in the USA.

Question 51

summarise Pryce’s contribution to the cultural transition explanation of ethnic religiosity trends

Answer 51

Pryce’s study of the African Caribbean community in Bristol shows defence + transition being important. Pentecostalism is a highly adaptive ‘ religion of the oppressed’ that provided migrants with the values appropriate to the new worlds. Encouraged self reliance + thrift.

Question 52

Statistics suggest that the ______ a person is, the more likely they are to participate in religion

Answer 52

OLDER

Question 53

What age bracket is the anomaly in the age / religion trend?

Answer 53

Under 15s - more likely to participate than the age groups above them

Question 54

Give two reasons under 15s are more likely to participate in religion than the age groups above them

Answer 54

• go with parents ( no choice ) • impressionable • more curious • religion taught in school • go to Church to get into religious (better) secondary school

Question 55

NAME the three sociological explanations for the correlation between old age and religious participation

Answer 55

• THE AGEING EFFECT • THE GENERATIONAL EFFECT • SECULARISATION

Question 56

summarise the ageing effect explanation for the age - religion trend

Answer 56

People turn to religion as they get older. Heelas Kendal project showed that people became more interested in spirituality as their age. as we approach death, we naturally become concerned about the afterlife.

Question 57

summarise the generational effect explanation for the age - religion trend

Answer 57

People born during a particular period maybe more or less likely to be religious because of the particular events they lived through, such as war or rapid social changes

Question 58

summarise the secularisation explanation for the age - religion trend

Answer 58

As religion declined in importance, each generation becomes less religious than the one before it.