Sacred Community

Overview Religion as a Social System Natural vs. voluntary religions Natural vs. voluntary religions Denominations Denominations Monastic communities Monastic communities Sects Sects New Religious Movements (NRMs) New Religious Movements (NRMs) Cults Cults Log in to Blackboard Go to: Extended Learning Institute TelecoursesExtended Learning Institute Telecourses Exploring Society SOC201 video #16 (3.5 – 10.5 min)

Religion as a Social System Institutionalized religions maintain aspects common to any social system: Groups: e.g. a church or temple community Groups: e.g. a church or temple community Roles : religious leaders, lay persons Roles : religious leaders, lay persons Values: e.g. social justice, the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, etc. Values: e.g. social justice, the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, etc. Norms: expectations for participation, dress, etc. Norms: expectations for participation, dress, etc. Fulfillment of needs: providing a sense of meaning and purpose, a support group, etc. Fulfillment of needs: providing a sense of meaning and purpose, a support group, etc.

Religion as a Society The social structure of sacred communities Natural or Ethnic religions: Bound by kinship, family, culture, a common history and ancestry Bound by kinship, family, culture, a common history and ancestry Membership is automatic, through marriage and birth Membership is automatic, through marriage and birth Do not proselytize nor actively seek converts Do not proselytize nor actively seek converts Examples: Examples:  Judaism (the religion of the Hebrew people) What is Judaism? What is Judaism?  Hinduism (the religion of the Indian people)  Shinto (the religion of the Japanese people)  African and Native American tribal religions African Traditional Religions African Traditional Religions

Universal or voluntary religions: Bound by common belief, doctrine, and/or religious experience Bound by common belief, doctrine, and/or religious experience Joined voluntarily through proselytizing and conversion Joined voluntarily through proselytizing and conversion Begin as breaks from pre-existing ethnic religions: Begin as breaks from pre-existing ethnic religions:  Christianity broke from Judaism Jewish Origins of Christianity Jewish Origins of Christianity  Buddhism broke from Hinduism  Islam broke from Arab tribal religions Founded by charismatic leaders: Founded by charismatic leaders:  Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad Muhammad Religion as a Society The social structure of sacred communities

Division and Reform movements (Denominations) Division within Christianity: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant Christianity: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant Divisions of Christianity Divisions of Christianity Orthodox & Catholic Christianity Orthodox & Catholic Christianity Judaism: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative Judaism: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative Islam: Sunni, Shi’ite Islam: Sunni, Shi’ite Sunni-Shi'ite division Sunni-Shi'ite division Hinduism: Vaishnava, Shaivite, Shakta, Smarta Hinduism: Vaishnava, Shaivite, Shakta, Smarta Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana Develop during the historical unfolding of the religions

Monastic Communities A legitimized option within a religion Individuals take vows of celibacy, poverty, obedience to become monks or nuns Individuals take vows of celibacy, poverty, obedience to become monks or nuns Separate out from, but remain associated with the larger religious body of which they are a part: Separate out from, but remain associated with the larger religious body of which they are a part: Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism   Mepkin Abbey (on tape)   Called to be a Nun (Christianity) Called to be a Nun   Becoming a novice monk (Buddhism) Becoming a novice monk Not all religions have monasticism: Not all religions have monasticism:  Judaism, Islam, Sikhism  These religions live their faith in the world

Sects Break from (further sub-division) Tend to be smaller than denominations Tend to be smaller than denominations Tend to be younger breaks from larger denominations Tend to be younger breaks from larger denominations Tend toward more dramatic reforms to the point of being labeled “heresy” by the larger and older groups they broke from Tend toward more dramatic reforms to the point of being labeled “heresy” by the larger and older groups they broke from May separate from the larger society (to avoid persecution and/or to divorce themselves from a society they consider to be “evil” or “impure”) May separate from the larger society (to avoid persecution and/or to divorce themselves from a society they consider to be “evil” or “impure”) May develop into new religious movements, remain a sub-division of the larger religion, or die out (Shakers) May develop into new religious movements, remain a sub-division of the larger religion, or die out (Shakers) Examples: Examples:  The Amish, Mormons (Christian) Mormons  Druze, Ismailis, Ahmadiyah (Islam)

New Religious Movements All religions were, at one time, “new religious movements” All religions were, at one time, “new religious movements” Independent religions or sects that are less than 100 years old Independent religions or sects that are less than 100 years old Often considered with suspicion, especially when the charismatic founder is still living and drawing a large following (may be labeled a “cult”) Often considered with suspicion, especially when the charismatic founder is still living and drawing a large following (may be labeled a “cult”) Will need to outlive their founders and first generation to prove their worth and develop into full-fledged denominations or independent religions (Mormons) Will need to outlive their founders and first generation to prove their worth and develop into full-fledged denominations or independent religions (Mormons) Examples: Examples:  Scientology  Eckankar  New Age Spirituality (on tape)

Cults O ne person’s “cult” is another’s “religion” Many meanings: Simply any small religious group centered around a charismatic leader, spiritually innovative (Christianity while Jesus was alive, the Unification Church today) Simply any small religious group centered around a charismatic leader, spiritually innovative (Christianity while Jesus was alive, the Unification Church today) Not necessarily a bad or destructive group but often the term is used pejoratively against suspect groups (Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Falun Gong) Not necessarily a bad or destructive group but often the term is used pejoratively against suspect groups (Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Falun Gong) Used especially in reference to new religious groups or sects that “go bad” harming themselves and/or others (Jim Jones’ People’s Temple, Heaven’s Gate, Branch Davidians) Used especially in reference to new religious groups or sects that “go bad” harming themselves and/or others (Jim Jones’ People’s Temple, Heaven’s Gate, Branch Davidians) Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups:

Explore more on the Web: Overview of the World’s Religions: Shows divisions of major religions of the world as branching “family trees”, outlining basic history and beliefs of each sub-group Religious Movements: provides profiles of over 200 sects, cults and new religious movements Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups: (many of which are also characteristics of most legitimate religions) Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance: Cult Menu: provides definitions and clarification of issues related to this touchy subject