DIFFERENT TYPES OF RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS

What is Webers theodicy of disprivilage?

Explains why m/c white people turn to religion, feel deprived in comparison to others and thus turn to religion

What is doctrinal purity?

Sticking exactly to the doctrine and not straying from it

What does Weber say is the difference between a church and a sect?

Churches are large organisations and sects as small ones and noting various social differences between the two

Who developed the ideas of Weber?

Ernst Troeltsch

According to Troeltsch, what do churches claim?

A monopoly over the truth

According to Troeltsch, what is the connection between church and state?

They are closely connected to the state, with many countries having an official or state religion

According to Troeltsch, what is the church structure like?

Developed hierarchy bureaucratic structure, with clear lines of seniority, salary and regiulations but there are little demands made of people so it can easily fit around people’s lives

What does Troeltsch say about churches and mainstream culture?

Churches are mainstream conservative organisations that seek to defend the status quo, they seek to be open and universal but are attractive to those on high incomes who have an interest in preserving society

How do people often join churches?

Often born into it rather than choosing it, they are not expected to prove their faith or commitment

How does Troeltsch characterise sects?

As organisations that broke away from the church through a schism as they were dissatisfied with its teachings or practices this would be a small scale schism with the sect formed by dissatisfied members of a congregation

What does Troeltsch say about sects and the truth

Claim a monopoly over the truth

What are sects hierarchy according to Troeltsch?

Do not have a complex bureaucratic hierarchy

Who are sects usually led by by according to Troeltsch?

A charismatic leader

According to Troeltsch, what are the size of sects?

They a small

According to Troeltsch what is membership like in sects?

Demand total commitment from members and are therefore not accessible to members without significant sacrifices on the part of members

According to Troeltsch what are sects like to the state?

Usually hostile to the state and to mainstream society

According to Troeltsch who often makes up sects?

Often made up of marganilsed deprived groups such as those on low incomes or from marganilisee minority ethnic groups

How does Troeltschs theory develop?

Used the term sects to refer to small Christian organisations like the early Methodists baptists and calvinists who over time moved into the mainstream becoming what Niebuhr called denominations

What is the scope of churches?

National or international very large memberships, inclusive

What is the lifespan of churches?

Over centuries

What is churches attitude to wider society?

Recognise the state and accept society’s norms and values often seen as the establishment view

What are some examples of the churches?

Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism

What are some examples of denominations?

Baptists, Methodists, pentacostalists

What are some examples of sects?

Mormons, Jehovah witnesses, moonies, branch davidians, Salvation Army

What are some examples of cults?

Scientology, spiritualism, transcendent meditation, new age ideas

What are the life spans of denominations?

Often more than 100 years

What are the life spans of sects?

Sometimes more than a generation may evolve into a denomination

What are the size of cults?

Often short lived and will die with the leadership

What is the commitment for denominations?

Stronger commitment and rules such as teetotalism or non gambling

What is the scope of denominations?

National or international, large memberships inclusive

What are cults views on truth?

No monopoly, borrow from a range of sources

What are denominations views on truth?

No monopoly, less ritual but clear emotional fervour

What is the membership of sects?

Exceptional commitment

What commitment is expected from cults?

Membership flexible

What is the scope of sects?

Local or national tend to start small but can become extremely large

What are the scope of cults?

Local national or international inclusive vary in size

What are denominations views on wider Soc?

generally accepted but not part of female structure seen as a basis of non conformist views

What is the nature of leadership in denominations?

Professional clerg less bureaucratic use lay preachers

What is the internal organisation of denominations?

Formal bureaucratic

What is the internal organisation of sects?

Voluntary tight knit informal

What are the internal organisation of cults?

Voluntary loose structure

What are sects attitude to wider Soc?

Critical of the mainstream often reclusive with own norms and values

What are the attitudes to wider Soc of cults?

May be critical or accepting but often has a unique approach

What is the nature of leadership in sects?

No professional clergy of beautcratic structure often a charismatic leader

What is the nature of leadership in cults

Individualistic may be based on common interest a provision or service or an inspirational leader

How do sects tend to grow?

Sects tend to grow quickly especially if there’s a charismatic leader but also decline quickly especially if the leader dies or a specific prediction is false

What happens if a sect survives and grows?

It is likely to lose the characteristics of a sect becoming more formal established and respectable

What are the two likely endings of a sect?

either die or transform into a denomination

What does Bahai say about faith?

believes that all major religions are divinely inspired and thus followers are encouraged to consort with the followers of all religions

Who disdcusses denominations as sects become more formal and churxh like?

Niebuhr

What is the key evaluation point?

many religious organisations have some elements of more than one type

What is an example of a church fitting multiple sectors?

in some countries like Iraq or Sweden the Catholic church is very small