Catholics/sect

Advertisement

Expert: - 1/7/2007


Question
Hello Mr Michael!
I'd like to ask you today about sects. Which groups can we call so, on what basis? For example, does the Roman Catholic Church say that the devotees of Hare Krishna constitute a sect? How about Jehovah's witnesses, is it a sect? How about Buddhism, as far as I know Buddhism is rather more a philosophical movement not a religious one, so can we call it a sect as well? How do you define which is a sect and which is not? Thank you!


Answer
Very good question Luke! I'm not entirely sure because I think the meaning of this term changes somewhat - or at least its usage - as opinions and agendas change.

See this definition (it's old):

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13674a.htm

And also this interdenominational one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sect

Note also that the current Catholic catechism doesn't even use the word "sect," probably because it has negative connotations and the Church doesn't wish to be as condemning as it once was in times past. Groups like Anglicans are now called "Churches" because, I suppose, this encourages dialogue rather than division.

As for non-Christian religions, these tend be called just that. They're viewed as "non-Christian" or "World Religions."

Although some groups are still described as cults, sects, heresies and splinter groups. This may happen, for instance, when a group that was once Catholic begins to adopt practices which clearly contradict the Catholic Code of Canon Law.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/cdc/index.htm

I hope this helps.

Catholics

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Michael Clark, Ph.D.

Expertise

I'm a progressive Catholic--not a liberal, conservative nor a single-minded critic of Catholicism. I simply believe that adults in the 21C should use the mind God gave them and not just repeat ancient and medieval modes of thinking.

I can probably help with questions that intelligently and respectfully question those aspects of Catholicism that are not infallible. But if you're looking for someone to vigorously defend or perhaps refute Catholicism as a whole, that's not me. So please ask another expert.

Experience

I run an educational website earthpages.org and know what the web has to offer. I might suggest hyperlinks and/or book titles as I have a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and a considerable personal library.

Publications
Print Media:
My table from "Religions and Cults" at earthpages.org is reproduced with permission in L. Lindsey, S. Beach and B. Ravelli, Core Concepts in Sociology, 2nd ed., p. 157

World Wide Web:
My online article "Letter to God" coauthored with Buddhist monk, E. Raymond Rock, appears on several different spirituality-based websites, including http://tinyurl.com/db7a5o

I've interviewed, as a Christian, a self-proclaimed mystic: http://tinyurl.com/cawykr

My articles appeared at the former New View magazine nuvunow.ca and are published at earthpages.org.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in Religious Studies
M.A. in Comparative Religion
B.A. Hon. in Psychology/Sociology
For more info, please see my CV and letters of recommendation and my blog at michaelwclark.com.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.