SOCIOLOGY: BELIEFS IN SOCIETY, CHURCH/SECT DISTINCTION (WALLIS/WEBER)
- Created by: ameliab2001
- Created on: 05-11-21 12:58
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- CHURCH
- The church/sect distinction
- SECT
- Sects are overtly emotional in nature which takes away from them being an intellectual discovery
- Derived from Weber's distinction between rational/ charismatic organisations
- rational (authority rests in hierarchy and formality)
- people follow pre-determined rules and have specific behavioural expectations for each other and the system.
- those who qualify are given obedience and power due to peoples belief in their position
- people follow pre-determined rules and have specific behavioural expectations for each other and the system.
- charismatic (belief in leader, often during hard-times)
- people follow an individual due to special status, obedience due to emotional involvement. not intellect.
- rational (authority rests in hierarchy and formality)
- Wallis 2 characteristics
- How they see themselves
- churches and sects claim their interpretation of faith to be the only legit one.
- denominations and cults accept many interpretations
- churches and sects claim their interpretation of faith to be the only legit one.
- How they're seen by wider society
- churches and denominations = respectable
- sects and cults = deviant
- How they see themselves
- evaluation
- Bruce (1995) churches and sects have drifted to denomination
- churches no longer claim a monopoly and aren't universal
- e.g. Jehovah's witness is now a denomination
- churches no longer claim a monopoly and aren't universal
- Alridge (2000) groups such as Mormon's have an unusual position
- in the USA seen as denominations, in the UK seen as a deviant group/sect
- Bruce (1995) churches and sects have drifted to denomination
- SECT
- Argued churches are formal organisations which have taken religious belief to an intellectual level
- Tradition and hierarchy work to restrain emotional reactions
- The church/sect distinction
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