In
sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
, elite religion is defined as the symbols, rituals and beliefs which are recognized as legitimate by the leadership of that religion. Elite religion is often contrasted with
folk religion
Folk religion, traditional religion, or vernacular religion comprises, according to religious studies and folkloristics, various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized religion. ...
, or the religious symbols and beliefs of the masses. Elite religion is then the "official religion" as championed by the leaders of a religion.
[Liebman, Charles. ''The Ambivalent American Jew''. Jewish Publication Society. (1973): 83-86.] Some researchers see the concept as potentially applying to a range of internal religious divisions such as
orthodoxy
Orthodoxy () is adherence to a purported "correct" or otherwise mainstream- or classically-accepted creed, especially in religion.
Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical co ...
versus
heterodoxy
In religion, heterodoxy (from Ancient Greek: , + , ) means "any opinions or doctrines at variance with an official or orthodox position".
''Heterodoxy'' is also an ecclesiastical jargon term, defined in various ways by different religions and ...
, between the
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
and the
laity
In religious organizations, the laity () — individually a layperson, layman or laywoman — consists of all Church membership, members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-Ordination, ordained members of religious orders, e ...
, or between the religion's wealthy adherents and the poor.
[Duffy, E. (2006). Elite and popular religion: The Book of Hours and lay piety in the Later Middle Ages. Studies in Church History, 42, 140-161.]
Contrast with folk religion
Whereas the primary expression of elite religion is in religious ideology, folk religion is primarily expressed in
religious rituals and
symbols
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise different concep ...
. Elite religion's ideology is characterized as internally unified, while the beliefs or ideas that underlie different religious folk rituals may be incompatible with one another. Folk religious practices concerning key rituals, such as
coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
ceremonies, may become the object of intense elite criticism.
[Schoenfeld, S. (1987). Folk Judaism, elite Judaism and the role of bar mitzvah in the development of the synagogue and Jewish school in America. ''Contemporary Jewry'', 9(1), 67.]
Strengthening denominationalism
Sociologist
Charles Liebman theorized that the strengthening of elite religion over members of a particular group led to the growth of
denominationalism.
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See also
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References
{{reflist, 30em
Sociology of religion