Beliefs religious organisations

• church definition (toreltsch)


  -open membership

  -universal- found all over the world

  -inclusive of anybody who shows interest

  -have restrained worship usually involving routines and rituals

  -have professional, paid clergy or established leaders

  -claim a monopoly of the truth

  -is morally conservative, upholding traditions as far as possible

  -tried to accept a compromise with society's norms and values
• Sects definition


  -highly exclusive organisations

  -create moral and physical boundaries between members and non members

  -membership gained through conversion

  -no formal hierarchy but instead a charismatic leader

  -firm belief in God

  -firm level of commitment required of members

  -emotional, highly charged styles of worship

  -claims a monopoly of the truth

  -considered to be devant by wider society

  -eg the Amish the Moonies Jim Jones Peoples Temple
• Steve Bruce 2011


  -secs tend to draw their members from the working class poor

  -as countries such as Britain and america become wealthier people become much better off this reduces the need for sects and they can quickly loose their appeal

  -as modern societies face secularisation sects find it hard to attract and maintain peoples loyalty

  -only those who are completely isolated from society will survive eg the Amish
• The sectarian cycle (Stark and Bainbridge 1985)

  1) schism: tension within established religion or the church

  2) initial intensity or fervour feeling within the sect

  3)denominationalism as the second generation emerges who lack the same excitement and commitment

  4)the sect compromises so the sect loses radicalism and becomes a denomination

  then this repeats

  
  

  *too simplistic and doesn't apply to all sects
• Bryan Wilson (2003)


  Conversionist sects

  -believe the only way to salvation is by being born again

  -these sects attempt to save souls and convert others often by widespread evangelism

  -the bureaucratic structures which help guide the converted

  -likely to become denominations

  
  

  Adventist sects

  -withdraw from the world

  -their community is seen as the only place of salvation and the outside world is evil

  -little interest in evangelism

  -tend to be small

  -eg the Amish

  
  

  *ignores contradictions eg denominations into sects

  *ignores how many contemporary sects are appealing to the young
• cults definition


  -Loosely knit groups, open to all

  -based on personal choice, isn't controlling, not many rules

  -No God involved

  -Tolerate other beliefs

  -Members are consumers not believers

  -It's a system of religious worship and devotion towards a certain figure

  -do not claim a monopoly of the truth

  -not formed thrugh schism

  -usually seen as deviant
• who do cults appeal to?

  -more middle class (bc they can afford courses and services offered).

  -Women more likely than men - research suggests women more open minded than men to personal improvements etc.
• Wallis - New Religious Movements


  world affirming NRMs

  -accept the world and often positively embrace it

  -they offer their members techniques to enable them to be more successful the world

  -eg pastafariamism jediidsm

  
  

  world accommodating NRMs

  -these encourage their members to remain within wider society although they remain critical of its secular nature and prefer members to not take part in sinful activities eg drinking and partying

  -they are not as positive as world affirming NRMs

  
  

  world rejecting

  -these are sect like often founded by a charismatic leader, critical and hostile to the wider society and have clear boundaries between members and non-members

  -strict conditions for entry and continuous membership

  -they expect high commitment

  -see themselves as the sole means of access to the truth and salvation eg the peoples temple

  
  

  *the term NRM creates more confusion

  *NRMs overlap

  *hard to apply

  *ignores diversity within different NRMs
• Paul Heelas New Age Movement


  -A belief in the power of natural healing and 'spiritual energy'... as found within Tai Chi and Reiki.

  -The belief that nature is sacred, as found in beliefs in Gaia and Paganism.

  -A belief in the idea that individuals have a 'deeper' inner potential to be realised - with the help of various psycho-therapeutic interventions.

  -A belief in mysticism, clairvoyance and the psychic power of certain individuals.

  -A belief in fate which might be uncovered through practices such as the tarot or astrology.

  -A belief in extra-terrestrials, and 'cosmos' religions.

  -more popular in our postmodern society

  -no concept of membership

  -self spirituality