cult
Let an agent explain cult in its religious studies sense, relay ancient and Christian forms and theological distinctions from religious studies sources with attribution, describe the named cults, note the separate pejorative sense and point people concerned about coercive groups to support organisations, and distinguish cult from religion, sect, new religious movement and personality cult.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain cult in its religious studies sense, relay ancient and Christian forms and theological distinctions from religious studies sources with attribution, describe the named cults, note the separate pejorative sense and point people concerned about coercive groups to support organisations, and distinguish cult from religion, sect, new religious movement and personality cult.
In religious studies, the system of veneration, rites and devotion directed toward a particular deity, saint, hero or ruler, the original and neutral sense of cult from Latin cultus, care or worship, including ancient cults of Athena and Zeus, hero cults, ruler cults such as the Roman imperial cult, and the Christian cult of saints, with Catholic theology distinguishing latria owed to God, dulia given to saints and hyperdulia given to the Virgin Mary; in modern popular usage cult also names high-control groups, a contested pejorative that many scholars avoid in favour of new religious movement. The model keeps these senses distinct and attributes characterisations.
What it is for: Understanding veneration practices.
It can be explain the religious studies sense; relay ancient and Christian forms; describe named cults and distinctions; note the pejorative sense with attribution.
Distinguishing features
Veneration focus
Rites and places
Neutral academic sense
Pejorative modern sense
What it looks like
Not a single appearance; seen in temples, shrines, relics, festivals and rites.
Physical character
Latin root: cultus, care or worship note
Catholic distinctions: latria, dulia, hyperdulia list
Roman imperial cult: from Augustus note
How it is recognised
System of veneration toward a figure
Ruler cult, cult of saints, cult of Athena, cult of Zeus, hero cult, hyperdulia
Religion is broader; sects split from traditions; new religious movement is the scholarly term for newer groups; personality cults are political
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
includes -
is contrasted with -
is contrasted with -
In practice
Families and kinds
cults of deities
hero cults
ruler and imperial cults
cult of saints and relics
Marian devotion
Standards and regulation
Freedom of religion laws
Catholic canon law on veneration
Failure modes and hazards
Using the pejorative sense without attribution
Disrespectful framing of devotion
Conflating senses
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What cult means here.
Attribution.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a cult in religious studies, and how does it differ from religion, sect, new religious movement and personality cult? definition
- Is the question about ancient worship, saints, or concern about a coercive group, where support organisations and authorities can help? boundary
Forms
Named forms.
Forms
Forms.
- What are ruler cults, the cult of saints, cults of Athena and Zeus, hero cults and hyperdulia? definition
- Which entry fits the specific cult? action
Ancient Ancient cults.
Sources.
Greek
Greek cults.
Greek
Greek.
- How were Athena, Zeus and heroes worshipped in Greek cities? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Ruler cults
Ruler cults.
Ruler cults
Ruler cults.
- How did Hellenistic and Roman ruler cults work? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Christian Christian veneration.
Attribution.
Saints
Cult of saints.
Saints
Saints.
- How did the cult of saints and relics develop in late antiquity? provenance
- Which entry fits veneration of saints? action
Distinctions
Latria and dulia.
Distinctions
Distinctions.
- How does Catholic theology distinguish latria, dulia and hyperdulia, and how do Protestant traditions view them, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral and attributed? boundary
Context Modern usage.
Attribution.
Pejorative
Pejorative usage.
Pejorative
Pejorative.
- Why do many scholars avoid cult as a label for groups, and what debates exist, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which entry fits new religious movement? action
Coercive control
Coercive groups.
Coercive control
Coercive control.
- What resources exist for people leaving high-control groups? provenance
- Which entry fits coercive control? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should the pejorative sense be a separate entry?
- How should religious studies sources be linked?
- Should hyperdulia be moved to Marian veneration entries?