Religious community

A religious community is a community (group of people) who practice the same religion. The term is used in a wider and a narrower sense.

In the wider sense, the term is used to refer to members of a religion who live in the wider community, not explicitly segregated from others and not dedicated solely to religion, but often worshipping together, usually in a religious venue such as a temple, synagogue, church or mosque; in many religions a group worshipping in common is called a congregation. People who define themselves as having a particular religion are considered to be members of the religion's wider community. Members of one community may tend to live near each other, but this is not an obligation. In this sense reference is made to, for example, the Catholic community of Belfast (a city), or the Jewish community of France (a country). In some cases a person must be formally accepted as a member of a religion and part of the community. In Israel only couples both from the same officially recognized religious community may marry, although marriage elsewhere is recognised.

In a different, narrower sense, a religious community is a group of people of the same religion living together specifically for religious purposes, often subject to formal commitments such as religious vows, as in a monastery. This article is about such communities dedicated to religion.

Christianity

Catholicism

Order

Orders are Institutes in which solemn vows are made by at least some of the members. All members of these orders are called regulars, and if they are women they are called nuns ("moniales"). Additionally, Orders are typically dated in history as older than Congregations.

Congregation

In addition to the general usage of a group of people assembled for religious worship, the Congregation is a type of department of the Roman Curia.

Clerical

These Christian institutes, in accordance with the intentions of the Founder or by reason of legitimate tradition, are governed by clerics, assume the exercise of sacred Orders, and are recognized by the Church as clerical Institutes.

Lay

Lay, also known as lay affiliates or associates, play an important part in a religious community. Men and women who take part, formally, in a religious community, to make their mission and spirituality, and have great influence on the like of the community are known as lay affiliates.

Canons regular

Canons regular

Lay religious congregations

Lay religious communities include groups such as the Hutterites, Bruderhof, Amish and some Mennonite churches. Some of these communities are tightly-bound, such as the Bruderhof and Hutterites. The Amish and similar groups tend to be more loosely formed, but still act in a communal way. All of these communities will claim to be Christ-centred.

Eastern Orthodoxy

See also: Meteora and Mount Athos

Buddhist monasteries

Tibetan monasteries

See also: List of Tibetan monasteries

See also

• Full communion in Christianity
• Religious organization
• Ummah, the Muslim worldwide community

Further reading

• Campbell, H. (2005). Exploring Religious Community Online: We are One in the Network. Digital formations. P. Lang. ISBN 978-0-8204-7105-1. Search this book on 213 pages.
• Hanretta, S. (2003). Constructing a Religious Community in French West Africa: The Hamawi Sufis of Yacouba Sylla. University of Wisconsin--Madison. Search this book on 615 pages.

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