Religious Group Dynamics

1
Religious Group Dynamics
2
Key Points

• Religious groups vary immensely in their
  ability to generate and sustain commitment.
• The higher a groups tension with society, the
  more committed its members will be.
• People adhere to religions to gain otherworldly
  or religious rewards.
• High tension groups with more committed members
  are more likely to grow.
• Growth often leads to decreasing solidarity
  within a group and a decrease in its level of
  tension with society.

3
Churches vs. Sects

• Tension the degree of distinctiveness,
  separation, and antagonism between a religious
  group and the outside world.
• Church a religious body in relatively lower
  tension with society
• Sect a religious body in relatively higher
  tension with society

4
Axis of Tension with Environment
Low
High
Churches
Sects
Commitment Required is Less Extensive
Less Expensive Less Exclusive
Reform Judaism Unitarian
Commitment Required is More Extensive
More Expensive More Exclusive
Orthodox Judaism Jehovahs Witness
5
Religious Group Change
High Tension
High Commitment
Less Dense Social Networks
More External Ties Maintained
Larger Congregations
Growth
Lower Member Commitment
Less Efficient Monitoring
Free Riding
Larger Administrative Sector
Professional Clergy
Pressure to Reduce Tension
Shift to a Lower Tension Niche
Religious Motives Less Important
Preference for Lower Tension
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Discussion Questions

• Given what we know about the impact of growth on
  religious group solidarity and commitment, what
  might religious groups do to stay strong in the
  face of rapid growth?

7
The Religious Economy
8
Key Terms

• Religious Economy consists of all of the
  religious activity going on in any society a
  market of potential adherents, a set of religious
  firms seeking to attract adherents, and the
  religious culture offered by those firms
• Niches market segments of potential adherents
  sharing particular religious preferences (needs,
  tastes, and expectations)

9
Key Points

• The variation of religious desires and tastes in
  any given population can be held constant and
  will resemble a bell-shaped curve.
• Religious firms compete with each other to supply
  religious goods to potential adherents.
• The only way for a religious group to become a
  monopoly is through coercion.
• The degree to which a religious economy is
  unregulated, it will tend to be pluralistic.
• Overall levels of religious participation will be
  high in unregulated, competitive religious
  marketplaces because many different forms of
  religion are being supplied.
• Conflict can substitute for competition as the
  basis for generating high levels of religious
  commitment.

10
American Demand Niches
Low Tension
High Tension
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Church and Sect Niche Shifting
Schism
Higher Tension Sect Forms
Movement to Higher Tension (Larger Niche)
Growth
Reduction of Tension (Larger Niche)
Growth
Reduction of Tension (Smaller Niche)
Tension Too High
Schism
No Growth (Small Sect)
Lower Tension Church Forms
Tension Too Low
Declining Membership
Church Disappears via Merger
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Discussion Questions

• How would you characterize the niche shifting
  seen in the Simpsons episode we watched?
• How might the changes made by Mr. Burns
  ultimately influence the commitment of Reverend
  Lovejoys parishioners?

13
Discussion Questions

• Stark and Finkes approach holds the distribution
  of demand for religion constant and predicts that
  religious involvement will depend on the
  available supply of religion. Do you agree with
  their assumption?
• What might produce lower or higher levels of
  demand for religion?
• How might you determine if demand for religion is
  increasing or decreasing?