Cults and New Religious Movements Cults and New Religious Movements The Emergence of NRM’S

Questions Why did NRMs emerge? How do NRMs develop? What role does secularization play in emergence of NRMs?

The Secularization Thesis Suggests that as society becomes more industrial and technological, religion is replaced by science

Secularization: Two Views The Old Paradigm –Peter Berger & Thomas Luckmann –Assumptions Religion has become an individual choice (privatization) We have been exposed to new cultures and religions from which to choose (pluralism) –This leads to the relativism of all religions Secularization leads to the eventual decline of religion

The New Paradigm –R. Stephen Warner –Roger Finke, Rodney Stark & William Bainbridge –Assumptions Secularization leads to religious revival or innovation

Has Secularization Occurred In the Way That the Old Paradigm Suggests? Question: What do you think? Seems to be the case in Europe, but not in the U.S. –Churches receive more money than any other charity –Over 90% say they believe in God –Around 57% say they pray on a regular basis –Around 70% report that religion is “very important” in their lives –Church membership has increased over the years, not decreased

Rates of Church Affiliation, U.S., Percent of Church Membership Year

An Alternate View Others suggested that secularization leads to religious revival and/or innovation –Religion will not be replaced by science

Why Does Religion Remain Relevant In The U.S. ? 1. Cultural Compatibility –Early churches emphasized self-government and voluntary affiliation Fits well with cultural values about freedom of choice and individual initiative 2. Social Identity –Churches help those who move around find a sense of community

3. Disestablishment & Competition (Finke, Stark & Bainbridge)Disestablishment –Separation of church and state ensures that no one religion or denomination is funded by the government Thus, religious monopolies are prevented due to competition –This wasn’t the case in many European countries »Catholicism as an example This creates an environment that encourages competition between churches –Churches have to adapt to meet the needs and wants of “the marketplace” »a.k.a. “a religious economy” But how do these denominations emerge to provide a religious economy?

First Ammendment (1791): "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

Church/Sect Theory Formulated by H. Richard Niebuhr Tried to explain why there were so many denominations He distinguishes between two types of religious organizations, churches & sects

Church-Sect Theory Churches intellectualize religious teachings and restrain emotionalism in their services. Characterized by low degree of tension with society Churches Sects stress emotionalism and individual mystical experiences and tend toward fundamentalism. Sects are based on intense local networks. Characterized by high degree of tension with society Sects

Churches and Sects Degree of Tension With Society Attitude Towards Other Institutions and Religions Type of Authority Organization Membership Churches Low Tolerant Traditional Bureaucratic Establishment Sects High Intolerant, Rejecting Intolerant, Rejecting Charismatic Informal Alienated

Rankings on the Church-Sect Continuum Church Sect Expert Rankings of Selected Denominations on the Church-Sect Continuum Episcopal United Church of Christ Unitarian Presbyterian Methodist Disciples of Christ American Baptist Evangelical Lutheran Reform Catholic Missouri Synod Lutheran Southern Baptist Quaker Nazarene Assemblies of God Mormon Seventh-Day Adventist Jehovah’s Witness

The Process of Church/Sect Formation Sects –Dense social networks –Members who are predominately lower in social status Churches –Cosmopolitan social networks that are not as dense –Members who are higher in social status

The most important variable is social class –As the sect grows it attracts members from higher social classes These members are more likely to want trained leadership, intellectual teaching, etc. Eventually, class schism results between the upper and the lower social classes

Church-Sect Formation Church Sect

Expanding The Theory Niebuhr limited his theory to religious organizations Stark and Bainbridge have expanded it –They link church-sect theory with their concept of religious economies –They argue that secularization creates either revivals or innovations (nrms)

Secularization And Revival In the 60’s & 70’s many social scientists predicted that religion was going to be replaced by science –They noticed that the largest established denominations were losing members

Market Shares of Mainline per 1,000 Church Members, Denomination Percentage loss or gain United Methodists % Presbyterian, U.S.A % Episcopal % Christian (Disciples) % United Church of Christ %

Yet, these scientists neglected to look at other non-mainline denominations

Market Shares of Evangelicals per 1,000 Church Members,

In short, these social scientists had mistaken the decline of once powerful denominations (The Mainline Churches) for a general decline of religion Stark argues that “secularization is a self-limiting process that leads not to irreligion but to a shift in the sources of religion” –In short, “secularization” creates either: Revivals: The process by which sects form to re-embrace the emotionalism at the roots of a religion Innovations: The emergence of NRMs as new religions with new beliefs and traditions

The Geography of NRMs NRM’S typically arise in those areas where sects and churches have failed to satisfy the religious market What are NRMs? –“The beginning phase of an entirely new religion” Differs from a sect in that sects attempt to purify or return to elements of an established religion

Research has shown that NRMs are more successful in areas where “secularization” has occurredsecularization –The unchurched belt in the Western U.S. –Scandinavian countries have low church membership but many NRMs

588.37To To To To To Church Membership Rates Per 1,000

Why Have NRMs Emerged? Several Theories –NRMs as a response to cultural change Changes in values –The 1960s Changes in social structure –E.g. the family Changes in the role and character of religious institutions –Churches have declined in authority & influence –NRMs as an expression of cultural continuity NRMs and American Religious History –Feel that NRMs are simply part of a Fourth Great Awakening NRMs and the History of Religions –Point out that all religions borrow from others, adapt, and change