13.11 Types of Religious Groups

 Types of Religious Groups 13.11 

Compare cult, sect, church, and ecclesia. 

Sociologists have identified four types of religious groups: cult, sect, church, and ecclesia. 

Why do some of these groups meet with hostility, while others tend to be accepted?

 For an explanation, look at Figure 13.4. Figure 13.4 Religious Groups: From Hostility to Acceptance NOTE: Any religious organization can be placed somewhere on this continuum, based on its having “more” or “less” of these characteristics. SOURCE: Based on Troeltsch, Ernst. The Social Teachings of the Christian Churches. New York: Macmillan, 1931; Based on Pope, Liston. Millhands and Preachers: A Study of Gastonia. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1942; Based on Johnson, Benton. “On Church and Sect.” American Sociological Review, 28, 1963:539–549. The figure divides a box into two and lists the following on each side: The more that a group has these emphases, the less it is accepted: Rejection of society (the culture is a threat to true religion). Hostility from society. Hostility toward other religions. Hostility from other religions. Personal salvation. Emotional expression of religious beliefs. Revelation (God speaks directly to people). God intervenes in people’s lives (such as healing or giving guidance). A duty to spread the message (evangelism). A literal interpretation of scripture. A literal heaven and hell. The more that a group has these characteristics, the more the group is accepted: The organization is large. The organization is wealthy. The members are well to do (”worldly success”). The clergy are required to have years of formal training. The groups that have less acceptance are cults and sects and the groups that have more acceptance are church and ecclesia. Let’s explore what sociologists have found about these four types of religious groups.