Dynamics of sects & NRMs
- Created by: rebeccamellors
- Created on: 02-03-17 10:15
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- Dynamics of Sects & NRMs
- Denomination or Death
- Niebur (1929) argues sects are world-rejecting organisations that come into existence due to schism
- Niebur argues sects are short lived & within a generation they will either die out or compromise with the world
- There are several reasons for this:
- The second generation
- Born into the sect, may lack the commitment
- The protestant ethic effect
- Sects that practise hard work & saving tend to become prosperous & upwardly mobile
- Such members will be tempted to compromise with world
- Sects that practise hard work & saving tend to become prosperous & upwardly mobile
- Death of the Leader
- Sectys with charismatic leader either collapse on leaders death or transforms into denomination when charismatic leader takes over
- The second generation
- The Sectarian Cycle
- Stark & Bainbridge (1986) sees religious organisation moving through cycle
- First Stage = Schism
- Tension between needs of deprived & privileged members, deprived members break away
- Second stage = initial fervour
- Great tension between the beliefs of the sect & wider society
- Third Stage = denominationalism
- The protestant ethic effect & coolness of 2nd generation means fervour disappears
- Fourth stage = establishment
- Sect becomes more world accepting & tension reduces
- Final stage = further schism
- Less privileged members break away to find sect true to the original message
- Established Sects
- Wilson argues not all sects follow these patterns
- Depends on how the sect answers the question 'what shall we do to be saved?'
- Conversionist
- Sects who aim to convert large number of people are likely to grow into larger, formal denominations
- Adventist
- Sects that believe they must hold themselves separate from the corrupt world around them to be saved
- Wilson argues some sect have survived many generations, they have become established sects rather than denominations
- Have succeed in socialising their children into high level of commitment
- However Wilson argues, globalisation will make it harder in future for sects to keep themselves separate from outside world
- Wilson argues not all sects follow these patterns
- Denomination or Death
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