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Meredith Mcguire's Religion: The Social Context (Fourth Edition)
Chapter 5 -- Religious Collectivities

Michael R. Leming, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
Spring Semester 1998

  1. Distinguish between Troeltsch's three types of religious organizations--church, sect, and mysticism. Now distinguish further the concepts of denomination (Niebuhr), cult (Becker), and established sect (Yinger).
  2. What social variables serve as crucial differentiation factors in distinguishing between the 5 concepts found above?
  3. Explain the effect of the religious group's acceptance of the norms of society and the group's self-conceived legitimacy upon the "type" of religious organization.
  4. What are the effects of each of the following upon the typing of religious organization:
  5. What effect do segmented religious and secular life and level of religious commitment have upon types of religious orientations (Church, Denominational, Sectarian, and Cultic)? Give examples of each.
  6. What are the three types of religious sub-cultures within religious organization? Describe and give examples of each. Why do these religious sub-cultures tend to be sectarian and cultic?
  7. McGuire says "Increasing sectarianism may well be necessary for certain religious groups to survive in contemporary society. Why would she make this claim?
  8. How do the factors of deprivation, social dislocation, and socioeconomic change lead to the formation of sects and cults?
  9. McGuire cites 4 central themes for new religious movements (sectarian and cultic). What are they and give examples of each.
  10. What are O'Dea's five inherent dilemmas of institutionalization and how do they lead to organizational transformations? Give examples of each.

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leming@stolaf.edu

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