Religious Organisations & NRMS

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Traditional religious organisations

  • Church - Troeltsch defined it as a 'large religious organisation' which claim the 'monopoly of the truth' and are universalistic; aiming to include the whole of society. They are also ideologically conservative, closely linked to the state & attract higher classes .
  • Sect - Small exclusive groups that have members mostly from poor, opressed groups, they expect high levels of commitment (or exiled) & are hostile to wider society. Unlike churches they have one charismatic leader; not a hierarchy of priests, but also claim the truth.
  • Denomination - Niebuhur defines it as halfway between a church & a sect (like Methodism), membership is less exclusive than a sect but not as appealing to all of society like churches. They accept some of society's values but unlike churches are not linked to the state, they are not as demanding as sects but still restrict members in some way, e.g, no alcohol. They are also tolerant of other religious organisations & do not claim a 'monopoly of the truth'.
  • Cults - Bruce described them as a loosely knit group organised around common themes but lacking an exclusive belief system. Very individualistic and tolerant of other beliefs, not as much commitment needed and groups are often like costumers or trainees not members.
  • Cults and Sects are seen as deviant & accept many valid interpreations of faith. Church's and Denominations are seen as respectable & see their faith as most legitimate. 
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NRMs - Roy Wallis

  • World-rejecting NRMS - Are usually sects (Moonies, Children of God) that are highly critical of the outside world and expect radical change, they must commit to conservative moral codes and may be restricted from things such as; sex. To achieve salvation they must leave their former life & begin to share possessions, leaders often accused of 'brainwashing' members.
  • World-accomodating - They seek to revive the purity of mainstream, organised religion yet live conventional lives, they neither accept or reject the world. Neo-Pentecostalist believe other Christian religions have lost the Holy Spirit & value speaking in tongues, or spiritual posession.
  • World-affirming -  They accept the world as it is, being individualistic & life-positive by offering their members the knowledge to unlock their potential in order to achieve mainstream goals of success in careers or personal relationships. They psychologise religion, helping members overcome problems & are the most popular form of NRM (particularly Scientology). 
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Criticisms

  • Bruce criticises Troeltsch's idea as the church hasn't had a religious monolopy since the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Church's are now watered down like denominations and are competing with other religions, sects and cults have flourished & religious diversity is the norm.
  • Wallis ignores the diversity of beliefs that may exist in NRM's, as many may have features of all three (the Healthy Happy Holy Organisation). Stark & Bainbridge argue that religious organisations should be defined based on the tensions & conflicts they have with wider society.
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Explanations for the rise in NRMs

  • Marginality - Weber believes that sects arise in groups who feel that they are disprivileged & not recieving enonomic rewards or social status. They offer their members a theodicy of disprivilege, which is religious justification for their suffering. For example; the Moonies may recruit middle class whites yet they are still hippies, dropouts and drug users. Also the Nation of Islam recruited many disadvantaged blacks in 20th century USA.
  • Relative deprivation - Although middle-class people are materially well-off they may feel spiritually deprived in today's consumerist world and use religion as a source of moral value, or as Willis suggests; a sense of community. Yet those in material relative deprivation will use world-rejecting religions as compensators; it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 
  • Social change - Wilson argues that periods of social change create anomie & normlessness, so many turn to sects as a solution for the distruption. In the industrial revolution Methodism was created to offer a sense of community, clear norms and values with promise of salvation. 
  • Bruce believes secularisation leads people to be attracted to cults because they are less demanding & require fewer sacrifices than churches or strict sects. 
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NAMs

  • New Age Movements are ideas and groups that developed in the 1980's & 90's, Bruce notes that they are very broad and requires very different levels of commitment and involvement from supporters. 
  • New Science - They are interested in pre-scientific ways of looking at the world (detraditionalisation) and they do not require scientific proof for unusual events like flying saucers & messages from the dead, they reject the closed-mindedness of modern science. They regard personal experience and knowledge as superior over the truths of traditional religion and modern science, some believe they were abducted by aliens etc...
  • New Ecology - They see the planet itself as a living organism which has the rights of a person, they favour the Natural Burial Movement which favour biodegradable coffins made of cardboard that are transported to Natural Death centres
  • New Psychology and spirituality - Seek self-improvement by getting in touch with their inner spirituality so they can feel empowered and fulfil their true personal life potential. Salvation isn't provided by an outer God but by the power of the individual, using therapies and some religious & mystical teachings in a less strict manner as official doctrines. 
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Explanations for the emergence of NAMs

  • Growth of rationality - The decline in community leads to a provided source of individual self-identity instead of replacing a sense of community, Heelas defines NAMs as a culturally stimulated interests in the self, its values, its capacities and problems. 
  • Heelas believes that New Agers appear to reject mainstream society; they don't use self-improvement in terms of material consumerism but spiritual paths to achieve perfection. Helping people construct their self-identities and plan their lives.
  • Bouman argues that NAMs are a sign of postmodernity because they reject traditional forms of authority (religion, science) and believe personal morals and ethnics is more important, making them a matter of personal choice. Instead following competing experts & gurus as guidance when choosing the morals they base their lives on. 
  • Secularisation - Bruce & Wilson argue that they show society's decline in religiosity, as they emphasise on the individual, their lack of cohesion have little impact on society.
  • Heelas rejects this and suggests they show the continuation & growth of religion in society, a poll in 1993 shows that 72% of people have an 'awareness of the sacred presence of nature' and 40% believe in some kind of spirit, 
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