RELIGIOUS POLITIES AS INSTITUTIONS

This article explores the application of neoinstitutional theory to re ligious organizations, focusing on how institutionalized myths and rit uals of ecclesiastical authority influence members' behavior and attit udes toward organizational policy. Research done on hierarchical and d ecentralized religious polities (which are structures of church govern ment) reveal differential processes of informing parishioners about ch urch policy. Hierarchical (or ''tightly structured'') religious instit utions foster knowledge of organizational policy because of the myths and rituals of recognized ecclesiastical authority, while decentralize d (or ''loosely structured'') religious institutions, whose myths and rituals focus on local autonomy, rely upon members' external motivatio n for awareness of organizational policy. In part, this article argues for the theoretical usefulness of the application of neoinstitutional theory to various organizational fields, such as religious organizati ons.