topic 6- religious organisations

churches (Weber and Troeltsch)

bureaucratic hierarchy of professionals

claims monopoly on religious truth

accepts wider society

tries to appeal to all

ideologically conservative

linked to state

eg. CofE

Bruce- view of religious monopoly only applies to catholic church before the 16th century protestant reformation

denomination (Niebuhr)

halfway between sects and churches

don’t appeal to all

accept society’s values

aren’t linked to state

tolerant of other religions

don’t claim monopoly of truth

eg. Methodism

cults

individualistic and loose knit

small grouping around shared interests

defined and exclusive belief system

tolerant of others

world affirming- claim to improve this life

eg. Peoples Temple/Jim Jones

sects

small and exclusive

hostile to wider society

high level of commitment

members from poor and oppressed

charismatic leader

Wallis- characteristics

churches and denominations are viewed as legitimate & claim their interpretation of faith is the only legitimate one

sects and churches are viewed as deviant & accept there are many interpretations

sects and churches are in conflict with wider society (Stark and Bainbridge)

Wallis NRMs

believed new categories were needed post 1960s

world accommodating- breaks away from existing churches, doesn’t accept or reject world, religious matters, want to restore purity to faith, members live normal lives eg. Pentecostalism

world rejecting- similar to sects, critical of outside world, members must break from old life, live communally and movement controls life eg. West Borough Baptist

world affirming- unlike other religious groups, don’t have collective worship, not organised, limited contact, offer access to spiritual or supernatural powers eg. Scientology

Wallis found NRMs rarely fit into his categories

Stark and Bainbridge- religious organisations should be distinguished by tension or conflict between the group and wider society