Readers of this column periodicly send in requests to research a particular word. This week’s word was submitted recently. If you would like to have a word researched and an article written about it, please email me: [email protected].
What started as a sect within the political arena of the United States of America has blossomed into a historic comeback victory for Donald J. Trump. The Tea Party movement in American politics began in 2007, the movement focuses on a significant reduction in the size and scope of the government.
The name ‘Tea Party’ is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, a protest in 1773 by colonists who objected to British taxation without representation and demonstrated by dumping British tea taken from docked ships into the harbor. The event catapulted colonial protests into American independence.
While the Tea Party was not a political party, research published in 2016 suggests that members of the Tea Party Caucus voted like a right-wing third party in Congress, a sect of the Republican party.
A sect is a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader. Its usage in English started in the 1300s to describe a dissenting or schismatic religious group regarded as extreme or heretical.
There have always been dissenting groups within the Christian Church that challenged the orthodox teachings of the Church or criticisms of the power and abuses of the Church. Sect was used to label the Lollards in the 14th century. Lollards were the followers of the English priest John Wycliffe (1330-1384) who advocated for drastic reform of the Church.
Their name may derive from a derogatory term applied to them by critics from the Dutch word for someone who mumbles prayers. John Wycliffe had the Bible translated from Latin into English, granting access to the scriptures to anyone who could read Middle English. The sect was persecuted throughout the 15th century but survived as an underground movement and emerged again after the English Reformation under King Henry VII and Thomas Cromwell in the early 1500s.
Sect has developed to imply any smaller group of adherents within the whole umbrella of a religion. The 2.5 billion Christians in the world are divided into over 45.000 denominations or sects, such as Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Pentecostal, Lutheran, etc.
The two main branches or sects of Islam are Sunni (1.7 billion people) and Shi’i (190 million followers). The three major sects of Hinduism are Vaishnavism (400 million), Shaivism (390 million), and Shaktism (300 million). Buddhism has three main branches or sects: Theravada (140 million), Mahayana (375 million), and Vajrayana (19 million).
Sect comes from the Middle English secte, which was derived from the Latin word secta meaning following (participle of sequi – to follow). Thus,a sect follows a particular understanding or leader within the whole group.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) used sect in a non-religious way. In the play Henry IV, Part 2, Act 2, Scene 4 Falstaff says, “So is all her sect.” Falstaff is commenting on Mistress Doll Tearsheet’s reaction as typical of women (all her sect), as a fraction of humanity. In Measure for Measure, Act 2, Scene 2 Shakespeare writes, “All sects, all ages smack of this vice.” Here he means all the sections of humanity.
Synonyms of sect include bloc, body, coalition, faction, party, side, and wing.
Bloc means a combination of persons, groups, or nations forming a unit with a common interest or purpose. The Central American countries do not have a trading bloc like the EU to put pressure on looming tariffs.
Body implies a group of individuals organized for some purpose. The high school’s student body put pressure on the school board to effect changes in the music program.
Coalition denotes a temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons, or states for joint action. The NDP / Liberal coalition has enabled the federal government to last as long as it has existed.
Faction means a party or group that is often contentious or self-seeking. The chair of the committee was able to force the various factions with the group to come together and approve the program.
Party suggests a person or group taking one side of a question, dispute, or contest. The parties involved in the lawsuit were able to reach an acceptable agreement.
Side implies a position that is opposite to or contrasted with another. There are two sides to every story. The relief pitcher struck out the side in the ninth inning for his 50th save of the season.
Wing means either of two opposing groups within an organization or society. The right wing of the party forced concessions at the national convention.
Sect is often viewed in a negative connotation, especially when used in religious, philosophical, or political contexts. The sect, a group with different beliefs or understandings, is frequently regarded as extreme or dangerous by the majority. Yet those within the sect are convinced they are more right, faithful, or truthful than the greater part of the group.
If you label something a sect it immediately erects barriers to unity. Naming a group a sect puts up barriers to reconciliation because it incites animosity. Be cautious using the term sect and take time to try to understand each position. Perhaps they are not so separate as they appear at first and have much in common that can be compromised.
