Scientology-Fakten.de

Is Scientology a religion?

Introduction

You can find many critics views of the Scientology religion on the Internet if you search the word Scientology, Church of Scientology or Scientologists. Some show opposing views, some show opinions, some are positive and some are negative. This is a short one I found while doing research for my religious studies class that is simple and interesting from a man who has lived all over the world.

Dr. Gary D. Bouma wrote this in October 1979 when he was faculty at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

He has attended the following universities: B.A. Calvin College (Greek and Philosophy) B.D. Princeton Theological Seminary (Church and Society) M.A. Cornell University (Sociology) Ph.D. Cornell University (Sociology of Religion).

I have been active in the scholarly study of religion for over a decade during which I have published extensively in the field, chaired symposia on the definition of religion, and lectured on the sociology of religion at Dalhousie University, Michigan State University and Monash University.

I have read various books about Scientology and visited the church in Victoria. On the basis of these documents and that visit it is my professional opinion that the Church of Scientology can reasonably be categorized a religion. Permit me to elaborate.

While there is some debate in the study of religion concerning the definition of religion, all of the definitions would include without debate the Church of Scientology, its beliefs and practices, as a religion. The debates in the field center on the utility of applying the term religion to groups holding to meaning systems that do not have a clearly specified meaning system which is anchored in and articulated around a basic commitment to a supranatural being, principle or entity. Since Scientology's credo clearly centers on and flows from such a commitment there would be no doubt among sociologists of religion that in Scientology they are dealing with a religion.

Emile Durkheim, one of the founding fathers of the Sociology of Religions, defined religion as "a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things...which unite into one, single moral community called a church, all those who adhere to them."

Gerhard Lenski, in his influential study "The Religious Factor," defines religion as "...a system of beliefs about the nature of the force(s) ultimately shaping man's destiny, and the practices associated with, shared by members of a group."

If one were to use these definitions of religion, one would surely conclude that Scientology is a religion.

Gary D. Bouma, October 30, 1979