1. major institution
voluntary association
impermanent, personal
(usually small) groups
2. coercive
non-coercive (you're
tolerant(unconcerned)
there from choice)
3. mass membership
strict believers only
"those with it" (the
enlightened)
4. adjust to world
separate from world
world irrelevant
5. infant baptism
adult baptism
ritual of separation
no choice
adult choice
adult choice
6. compromising
non-compromising
antinomian
7. redemption
redemption to come
redemption as
complete experience
8. hierarchy (clergy
equality (among clergy,
how high can one fly?
superior to lay-
parishoners, women and
merit determines
persons)
men)
status
9. utilizes state and
counter-cultural (com-
ignores class boundaries
ruling classes
prised of powerless
comprised of alienated
10.stabilizes exist-
revolutionary force
social order
ing social order
irrelevant
11.monastic orders
every member of com-
individual enterprise
compensate for
munity must achieve
inner-direction
laxity of masses
DENOMINATION: a social form
intermediate between church and sect. Combining the characteristics
of
both church and sect, the denomination
constitutes the mainstream of religion in the United States of America.
While some denominations are more churchly, and others more sectlike, all
have these additional characteristics:
1. Historylessness: little sense of history, of the past and tradition
2. Voluntarism: membership is always voluntary
3. Limited responsibility: not responsible for whole society, just own members
4. Revivalism: American religion is active
5. Competitiveness: American religion is competitive
_