How Religion is Organised

How do religions develop – and who joins them?

Learning Objectives1. Describe the key features and differences between four types of religious organisation:

Church Denomination Sect Cult

2. Identify two examples of a religious group belonging to each type

3. Explain the origins and key beliefs of a chosen religious cult 

4. Describe the following two cult-related movements: Cult apologists The anti-cult movement

You will need your Sociology handbook (the blank grid)!

Which organisations do the following represent?

The Typology* of Religious Organisations Church Denomination Sect Cult

In Pairs:Discuss – which of the above have you

heard of and what do they mean?

* A typology is a system of classifying things into ideal ‘types’

Church vs. Sect

Early typologies, such as those described by Weber (nd) and Troeltsch (1912), differentiated between churches and sects.

1. Church

“A well-established religious body” – Troeltsch (1912)

Not a building!!! We would associate the concept of ‘church’ with the “big”,

old, global religions.

Features of a Church

1. Universal appeal; members from all social classes.2. Complex hierarchy of paid officials3. Huge! National or international.4. Accept the norms and values of society; usually close

relationship to the State.5. The level of members’ involvement varies; often members

don’t need to do much at all!6. Claims a monopoly on truth

Examples: The Roman Catholic Church, Islam, Hinduism

Evaluation Point: “The Church is Obsolete” (Bruce; 1996)

The concept of ‘church’ is outdated in most modern societies…

Countries like the UK have religious pluralism and the ‘churches’ are tolerant of other religions, no longer claiming a monopoly of truth…

The connection between Church and State is disappearing.

COE close to extinctionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEPp4xeFZPA

2. Sect

A sect is a small, exclusive group which people are not usually born into – they ‘choose’ to join.

Sects usually are created when a group breaks away from a church (or denomination) due to a disagreement or different way of understanding something.

Features of a Sect

1. Membership mainly comes from lower social classes2. No hierarchy of paid officials; often a single, charismatic

leader3. Small; strongly integrated4. Challenge the norms and values of society; oppose the

State5. Members are expected to make a deep commitment;

sometimes expected to withdraw from society6. Claim a monopoly of truth

Examples: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Amish, Mormons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBhnyIVWwl4

Watch the clip and read the Jonestown handout: Complete the activity.

Exam Question: 15 mins

Identify & Explain two differences between a church and sect [17]

Remember:Two paragraphs Introduce the difference Explain Evidence/Further Explanation Example

Denominations & CultsThe typology gets more complicated…

In the 1920s, Niebuhr compared sects with denominations.

More recently, the concept of cultwas added to some typologies.

3. Denominations Denominations are offshoots of

established churches. Becker (1950) argues that

denominations are sects that have ‘cooled down’.

Features of Denominations

1. Membership tends to be from the middle-classes2. Hierarchy of paid officials; bureacratic3. National or international4. Do not identify with the state5. Little pressure on members to participate6. Do not claim a monopoly of truth; usually practice

religious tolerance

Examples: Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostalists

Further Points

Sects become denominations because, once the charismatic leader has died, they need to establish a bureaucratic,

hierarchical structure to survive (Niebuhr)

Many sects do survive for a long time without becoming denominations

(Wilson)

4. Cults The least coherent form of religious

organisation A bringing-together of like-minded

individuals; people don’t usually formally ‘join’.

Hard to differentiate from sects. Many sociologists now describe cults as

either NRMs or NAMs.

Features of a Cult

1. Membership usually middle-class (rarely any diversity within the group)

2. No hierarchy; usually a single, charismatic leader3. Can be local, national or international4. Some are critical of society, others accept it: All

have a unique approach which offers something new

5. Membership is usually flexible; easy to join, easy to leave

6. No monopoly on truth; simply offer ‘a’ truth (usually)

Examples: Scientology, transcendental meditation

Cults & Moral Panics Cults have often been the centre of moral

panics. Extreme examples have led to the concept

having very negative connotations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFQpblt2yvw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4qZB2ytq10

Cult-Related Movements

Cult Apologists The Anti-Cult Movement

• Defend the right of cults to exist

• Claims they are misunderstood and only seem strange because people don’t know enough about them

• Accuses their critics of spreading lies and fear

• Concerned about cults (often made up of parents or ex-

members)• Some anti-cult members become deprogrammers

(‘kidnapping’ members and forcing them to abandon

their beliefs)

Group Research In groups, research one of the following

and prepare a 5 minute presentation to the class.

The Divine Light Mission The Unification Church (Moonies) The Church of Scientology The Children of God Hare Krishna

Typology of Religious Organisations: Evaluative Points

The typology is vague, confusing and should be abandoned (Stark & Bainbridge; 1985). For example, Scientology is called a ‘cult’ but doesn’t really fit into any of the types.

The typology is also accused of being ethnocentric (too focused on Christian examples)

HomeworkEssay or Blog

Religious cults and sects should have freedom to believe and practice

whatever they want.

Using evidence from this section, write a short essay (500-1000 words) that either

supports or refutes this viewpoint.