Institutionally Embedded Democratic Equalizers: Differential Political Involvement Effects of Voluntary Associations across Language Regions in Switzerland

The Christian church, including all its various branches, has been consistently susceptible to the forces that form or change cultures. Scholars claim that this adaptability has been extremely important in the rise and spread of the religion. In the American environment, Protestants formed voluntary associations that attracted people individually and by family groups. This environment actually shaped “denominations” even during the colonial period. One such denomination was the Presbyterians, who pioneered in the formation of a communion that existed as neither a “state church” nor a “dissenting” church body. As the United States experienced industrialization and growing complexity in economic and cultural patterns, the Protestant denominations were affected by those same forces. Thus, denominations naturally became what came to be termed “non-profit corporations,” subject to the limitations and problems of such organizations but also the beneficiaries of that system as well.

Download Full-text

Voluntary Associations and the Social Integration of the Poor

Social Problems ◽

10.1525/sp.1971.18.3.03a00050 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 339-357

Author(s):

Russell L. Curtis, Jr. ◽

Louis A. Zurcher, Jr.

Keyword(s):

Social Integration ◽

Voluntary Associations ◽

The Poor ◽

The Social

Download Full-text

Quirky Neighbors or the Cult Next-Door?

International Journal for the Study of New Religions ◽

10.1558/ijsnr.v3i2.163 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 163-211

Author(s):

Bernard Doherty

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Public Perceptions ◽

Political Involvement ◽

Television Programs ◽

High Degree ◽

Media Transformation

Beginning in 2005 the tiny Christian sect then known as the Exclusive Brethren suddenly underwent a media transformation from a virtually unknown or ignored group of quirky and old-fashioned Protestant sectarians to being touted as “Australia’s biggest cult” by tabloid television programs. This explosion of controversy came on the heels of media revelations about the involvement of Brethren members in providing financial donations to conservative political causes across the globe and a snowballing effect in response which brought forth a number of ex-members eager to expose their former group. This article looks at how this media transformation has been received by the wider Australian public. By studying the hitherto little utilized data contained in readers’ letters to Australia’s three mainstream broadsheet newspapers this article identifies which events or undertakings had the most impact on public perceptions of the Exclusive Brethren and which specific articles and issues struck the most responsive chord with readers. This content analysis found that Australian public opinion toward the Exclusive Brethren, while on the whole negative, was more indicative of their political involvement than their beliefs. The study also found that prior to what I call “The Brethren Controversy” the Exclusive Brethren had maintained a high degree of “sectarian tension” in Australia for almost four decades with little public outcry or media vilification.

Download Full-text