From en.wikipedia.org:
[Subgroup of a particular religious or ideological doctrine] [religious
groups] [state=collapsed] A SECT is a subgroup of a religious, political, or
philosophical belief system, typically emerging as an offshoot of a larger
organization. Originally, the term referred specifically to religious groups
that had separated from a main body, but it can now apply to any group that
diverges from a larger organization to follow a distinct set of beliefs and
practices. Sects often form when there is a perception of heresy either
within the subgroup or from the larger group.
In an Indian context, sect refers to an organized tradition.<ref
name="sai.uni-heidelberg"/>
** Etymology
The word _sect_ originates from the Latin noun _secta_ (a feminine form of a
variant past participle of the verb _sequi_, to follow) which translates to "a
way, road".<ref name=oel_sect> {{cite web | url =
https://www.etymonline.com/word/sect#etymonline_v_23088 | title = sect (n.) |
work = Online Etymology Dictionary | publisher = Douglas Harper | access-date
= 10 May 2022 | quote = mid-14c., "distinctive system of beliefs or
observances; party or school within a religion," from Old French secte, sete
"sect, religious community," or directly from Late Latin secta "religious
group, sect in philosophy or religion," from Latin secta "manner, mode,
following, school of thought," literally "a way, road, beaten path," from fem.
of sectus, variant past participle of sequi "follow," from PIE root *sekw- (1)
"to follow." Confused in this sense with Latin secta, fem. past participle of
secare "to cut" (from PIE root *sek- "to cut"). Meaning "separately organized
religious body" is recorded from 1570s.}} Figuratively, it signifies a
(prescribed) way, mode, or manner. Metonymously, sect refers to a discipline
or school of thought as defined by a set of methods and doctrines. The
various modern usages of the term stem largely from confusion with the
homonymous (but etymologically unrelated) Latin word _secta_ (the feminine
form of the past participle of the verb _secare_, to cut).
** Sociological definitions and descriptions
[Church-sect typology] Sociologists have developed various definitions and
descriptions for the term "sect." Early scholars like Max Weber and Ernst
Troeltsch (1912) were among the first to define sects within the church-sect
typology, viewing them as voluntary associations of individuals who meet
specific religious qualifications. Unlike churches, membership in a sect is
not inherited at birth; rather, it arises from a person's voluntary acceptance
of the sect's doctrines and disciplines, which requires ongoing validation
from both the follower and the sect itself. Sects often attract individuals
from marginalized or underprivileged social groups and typically form from
schisms within established churches that align with the dominant social
order.[1]
Sects frequently critique liberal trends within mainstream denominations,
advocating for a return to what they view as authentic religious practices.
Their beliefs and practices are usually more radical and ethically strict than
those of mainstream churches, acting as a form of protest against the
prevailing societal values.<ref name="Dawson2009" /> The American sociologists
Rodney Stark and William Sims Bainbridge argue that sects present themselves
as authentic, reformed versions of the faith they have separated from,
maintaining a high degree of tension with the surrounding society.[2] They
further assert that sects have, in contrast to churches, a high degree of
tension with the surrounding society.[3] Other sociologists, like Fred Kniss,
suggest that sectarianism is best understood through the lens of what the sect
opposes. Some religious groups may be in tension primarily with other
co-religious groups of different ethnic backgrounds, while others may conflict
with society at large rather than the church they originally separated
from.[4]
Sectarianism in the sociology of religion, is sometimes defined as a worldview
that emphasizes the unique legitimacy of a sect's creed and practices, often
heightening tension with broader society by maintaining strict boundaries.[5]
In his book _The Road to Total Freedom_, the English sociologist Roy Wallis[6]
describes that a sect is characterized by "epistemological authoritarianism":
meaning it has an authoritative source for determining heresy. According to
Wallis, sects claim to have unique and privileged access to truth or
salvation, and their followers often view those outside the group as being in
error. In contrast, Wallis describes cults as being marked by
"epistemological individualism," [7][8]
** In other languages
The corresponding words for "sect" in European languages other than English –
_Sekte_ (German), _secte_ (French), _secta_ (Spanish, Catalan), _sectă_
(Romanian), _setta_ (Italian), _seita_ (Portuguese, Galician), _sekta_
(Polish, Czech, Slovak, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian, Latvian,
Lithuanian), _sekt_ (Danish, Estonian, Norwegian, Swedish), _sekte_ (Dutch),
_sekti_ (Finnish), - _szekda_ (Hungarian), _секта_ (Russian, Serbian,
Bulgarian, Ukrainian), σέχτα (Greek) – refer to a harmful religious sect and
translate into English as "cult".[date=October 2014]
** In Buddhism
[Schools of Buddhism] The _Macmillan Encyclopedia of Religion_[9]
distinguishes three types of classification of Buddhism, separated into
"Movements", "Nikāyas" and "Doctrinal schools":
- Schools:
- Theravada , primarily in South Asia and Southeast Asia ;
- Mahāyāna , primarily in East Asia ;
- Vajrayāna , primarily in Tibet , Bhutan , Nepal , India , Mongolia and the Russian republic of Kalmykia .
- Nikāya s, or monastic fraternities, three of which survive at the present day:
- Theravāda , in Southeast Asia and South Asia ;
- Dharmaguptaka , in China , Korea and Vietnam ;
- Mūlasarvāstivāda , in the Tibetan tradition;
** In Christianity
[List of Christian denominations] While the historical usage of the term
"sect" in Christendom has had pejorative connotations, referring to a group or
movement with heretical beliefs or practices that deviate from those of groups
considered orthodox,[10][11] its primary meaning is to indicate a community
which has separated itself from the larger body from which its members came.
*** Orthodox
[Orthodoxy]
*** Roman Catholic sects
[Independent Catholicism]
*** Protestant sects
[List of the largest Protestant denominations]
** In Hinduism
[Hindu denominations] The Indologist Axel Michaels writes in his book about
Hinduism that in an Indian context the word "sect does not denote a split or
excluded community, but rather an organized tradition, usually established by
founder with ascetic practices."[12] According to Michaels, "Indian sects do
not focus on heresy, since the lack of a center or a compulsory center makes
this impossible – instead, the focus is on adherents and followers."<ref
name="sai.uni-heidelberg"/>
** In Islam
[Islamic schools and branches] [Fiqh] Islam was classically divided into two
major sects, known as Sunni Islam and Shia Islam. Kharijite and Murijite
Islam were two early Islamic sects. Each sect developed several distinct
jurisprudence systems reflecting their own understanding of the Islamic law
during the course of the history of Islam.
*** Current sects
Sunnis are separated into five _maddhab s_; Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali
and Ẓāhirī. The Shia, on the other hand, first developed Kaysanism, which in
turn divided into three major groupings known as Fivers, Seveners and
Twelvers. The Zaydis separated first. The non-Zaydis were initially called
"Rafida". The Rafidis later divided into two sub-groups known as Imamiyyah
and Batiniyyah.[13]
- The Romani Islam, A special brand of Islam influenced by Romani mysticism emerged in the Western Balkans among the Muslim Romani people there. [14]
- The " Imami - Shi'a " later brought into existence Ja'fari jurisprudence . Akhbari sm, Usuli sm, and Shaykhism were all ensued as variations of "Ja'fari fiqh", while Alawites and Alevis who are not the strict followers of "Ja'farism" are developed separately from the teachings of _Ithna'ashari Imām s._
- Batiniyya groups, on the other hand, were divided into two sub-groups known as Sevener s and Ismā'īlī s. Qarmatians who did not follow the Fatimid Caliphate were branched from the Seveners . Those groups of Batiniyya who followed the Fatimids are the ancestors of today's Ismā'īlī s. Druze was emerged as an offshoot of Ismāʿīlism at the beginning of the 11th Century. Isma'ilism at the end of the 11th Century split into two major branches known as Nizārī Ismā'īlī _( Assassins of Alamut )_ and Musta’li Ismaili . As a result of the assassination of Fatimid Caliph Al-Amir bi-Ahkami'l-Lah , Mustaali was once more again divided into Hafizi s and Taiyabi Ismaili s _( Dawoodis , Sulaymani s and Alavis )._
- The Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali Sunnis, the Twelver groups, the Ismā'īlī groups, the Zaydis, the Ibadis, and the Ẓāhirīs continue to exist. In addition, new sects like Black Muslim movements , Quranists , Salafis , Wahhabis , Allahiyahs , and Zikris have been emerged independently.
*** Former sects
- The Khawarij were initially divided into five major branches: Sufri s, Azariqa , Najdat , Adjarites and Ibadi s.
*** Amman Message
[Amman Message] [Islamic denominations] An Islamic convention held in Jordan
in July 2005, which brought 200 Muslim scholars from over 50 countries
together, announced the official recognition of eight schools of Islamic
jurisprudence[15] and the varying schools of Islamic theology.[16] The eight
recognized Islamic schools and branches are:
1. Sunni Hanafi
2. Sunni Maliki
3. Sunni Shafi'i
4. Sunni Hanbali
5. Shi'i Imāmī _(followers of the Ja'fari jurisprudence )_
6. Shi'i Zaydi
7. Khariji Ibadi
8. Sunni Ẓāhirī
** In Jainism
[Jain schools and branches]
** In Taoism
[Taoist schools]
** See also
- Religious denomination
- One true church
- Religious exclusivism
- Religious pluralism
- Sectarianism
- Sectarian violence
- Non-denominational Islam
- Non-denominational Christianity
- Non-denominational Judaism
- Classifications of religious movements
- Cult
- Cult (religious practice)
- New religious movement
** References
[reflist]
** External links
[wiktionary] [Wikiquote]
- Church sect theory (see http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/cstheory.htm) by William H. Swatos, Jr . in the Encyclopedia of Religion and Society by Swatos (editor)
- Apologetics Index: research resources on cults, sects, and related issues. (see http://www.apologeticsindex.org/) The publisher operates from an evangelical Christian point of view, but the site links to and presents a variety of viewpoints.
- ReligionNewsBlog.com (see http://www.religionnewsblog.com) Current news articles about religious cults, sects, and related issues.
[Religion topics] [New Religious Movements]
[Authority control]
Category:Sociology of religion Category:Pejorative terms