Organisation, Movements and Members
Religious organisations come in diverse forms. Churches are large, established institutions with professional clergy and broad appeal. Sects are smaller, more demanding groups often led by charismatic figures and attracting marginalised people. Denominations fall between these, while cults tend to be individualistic with less formal commitment.
New Religious Movements (NRMs) can be categorised in several ways. Roy Wallis divided them into world-rejecting (critical of mainstream society), world-accommodating (seeking to restore religious purity), and world-affirming (accepting society while promising personal success). Stark and Bainbridge identified audience cults (least organised), client cults (providing services), and cultic movements (most organised).
Why do people join religious movements? Marginality theory suggests they appeal to disadvantaged groups seeking solutions to suffering. Relative deprivation explains how even privileged individuals might feel spiritually deprived. Social change creates uncertainty that religious movements address, while the sectarian cycle shows how movements evolve over time from fervent sects to established denominations.
The growth of New Age spirituality, with its emphasis on self-discovery and personal experience, reflects broader shifts toward postmodernity. These loosely organised movements offer sources of identity in a rapidly changing world where organised religion is declining.
Religious involvement varies significantly across social groups. Women typically show higher religiosity than men, possibly due to socialisation, closer experience with birth and death, or as compensation for social disadvantages. Ethnic minorities often maintain stronger religious ties, using religion for cultural defence and to ease transition between cultures.
Social pattern: Consider why certain demographics might be more drawn to specific types of religious organisations – what needs are being met that mainstream society fails to address?