sect

A sect is a subgroup within a larger religious, political, or philosophical tradition that maintains its own distinctive beliefs, practices, and leadership. Sects typically arise when a portion of adherents dissents from or seeks to reform the parent movement, often emphasizing a return to what they view as an authentic or original form of the tradition. They may retain elements of the parent group while adopting new interpretations, rituals, or organizational structures.

Etymology and usage notes: The term comes from the Latin secta, meaning a “way” or “school,” and entered English through Old French. In scholarly contexts the term is descriptive rather than normative, but in common usage it can carry negative or pejorative connotations. Some scholars prefer neutral or less value-laden terms such as “new religious movement,” “dissident group,” or “denomination” depending on the context. Distinctions among sects, denominations, and churches are not uniform across traditions; in sociology, a church is often a large, established, socially integrated body, whereas a sect tends to be smaller, more exclusive, and more separatist.

Characteristics and dynamics: Common features of sects include a clearly defined leadership, a strong in-group identity, heightened obedience or conformity to doctrinal rules, and some degree of separation from mainstream society or from the parent movement. Sects may claim exclusive access to truth or salvation and may reject or reinterpret existing authority structures within the broader tradition. Relationships to the parent movement vary from close alignment to outright schism, and over time some sects may evolve into denominations or dissolve.

See also: new religious movements, schism, denomination, church, cult.