CHURCH AND SECT |
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DEFINING “A RELIGION”
Defining what “a religion” is rather than what “religion” is Uniqueness: A group of adherents who profess what they deem to be a unique set of beliefs INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) DEFINITION OF A CHURCH Because of First Amendment religious freedom concerns, Congress has never passed any statute anywhere which defines what a church is beyond saying that it is a "a church or convention or association of churches." The IRS has established criteria which, in its view, define a church for tax exempt status purposes: 1. A distinct legal existence 2. A recognized creed and form of worship 3. A definite and distinct ecclesiastical government 4. A formal code of doctrine and discipline 5. A distinct religious history 6. A membership not associated with any other church or denomination 7. An organization of ordained ministers 8. Ordained ministers selected after completing prescribed studies 9. A literature of its own 10. Established places of worship 11. Regular congregations 12. Regular religious services 13. Sunday schools for religious instruction of the young 14. Schools for the preparation of its ministers. Not all of the 14 criteria must be met by every individual church GLOBAL STATUS OF MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS Most religions have some type of associational unit. Sometimes there are more elaborated levels of organization
DIVISIONS WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION A subdivision of a religion Denominational Family (Presbyterianism) An alliance of denominations that at an earlier point in history were a single movement or religious body Denomination or Body (Presbyterian Church, USA) An administrative organization that represents (by serving or orchestrating) participating congregations Congregation (Oakview Presbyterian Church) An associational unit of adherents who gather as stipulated by doctrines and rituals
CHRISTIANITY
Weber Emphasis is on internal structure of organization Church is an inclusive group in which membership is open and commitment and conformity is limited
Troeltsch Shifts emphasis to relationship to society Church accepts the secular order and compromises Christian values More open, accepting expression of faithSect rejects secular order and maintains a prophetic ministry Fundamentalist theology
Identifies the social conditions associated with each type of group and adds concept of denomination Primary distinction between church and sect is compromise Church represents a deterioration of Christian ethics and sect as attempt to recapture strong ethical stance Traces denominational differences to race, class, nationality, and region Argues that sectarian form rarely lasts longer than a generation before moving toward denominationalism Religious education programs supplants conversion CHURCH VERSUS SECT 1. Theology
Universalistic, modernist (continuing revelation and adaptation) 2. Membership
Birth, religious education, not closely guarded, low commitment, inclusive, no expulsion for deviance 3. Salvation
Granted through grace of God and transmitted through sacraments 4. Leadership
5. Relationship to society
Adjustment and compromise
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