organisations

• church

  -organised in a bureaucratic structure

  -all people can be members

  -closed system (monopoly of truth)

  -tied to the state

  -world accepting

  -examples: christianity

  -Troeltsch (1931): church has 5 characteristics

  -AO3: Bruce (1996). The characteristics cannot be applied to organisations now
• denomination

  -organised in a bureaucratic structure

  -all people can be members

  -open system (do not have monopoly of truth)

  -not tied to the state

  -world affirming

  -example: methodist

  -Niebuhr (1929)

  -AO3: concept lacks use as it is too broad
• sect

  -a charismatic leader, no hierarchy of paid leaders

  -small, voluntary members

  -closed system (monopoly of truth)

  -not aligned with the state

  -world rejecting

  -example: mormonism

  -Troeltsch, Wallis

  -AO3: unlikely for all categories to be met, too exclusive
• cult

  -loosely knit group

  -members come and go as they want, not a lot of members

  -open system (members can interpret beliefs)

  -not involved with the state

  -example: scientology

  -Bruce (1995)

  -AO3: evidence of cults being closed (people committing suicide bc they were told to)
• world affirming; world accepting; world rejecting

  -world affirming: to make sense of their place in the world. Affirming the world, trying to unlock potential.

  -world accepting: are happy with the way things are in the world (do not try to change anything).

  -world rejecting: see the world as evil. Create their own world.
• new religious movements

  -religious/spiritual groups with modern origins

  -peripheral to society's dominant religion

  -1970s onwards
• new age movements

  -unconventional spiritual & therapeutic practices that reject traditional religion