Wikipedia—Organized Religion

Organized religion (or organised religion—see spelling differences), also known as institutional religion, is religion in which belief systems and rituals are systematically arranged and formally established. Organized religion is typically characterised by an official doctrine (or dogma), a hierarchical or bureaucratic leadershipstructure, and a codification of rules and practices.

Definition

Organized religion is distinguished from the broader idea of religion especially in anthropology, sociology and philosophy. American philosopher William James considered organized religion to be distinct from and secondary to religion in and of itself, stating that "out of religion in the sense in which we take it, theologies, philosophies, and ecclesiastical organisations may secondarily grow".^[1] James further comments that the essential elements of "institutional religion" are "worship and sacrifice, procedures for working on the dispositions of the deity [i.e.] theology, and ceremony and ecclesiastical organisation".^[2]

Organised religion seems to have gained prevalence since the Neolithic era with the rise of wide-scale civilization and agriculture.^{[citation needed]} Organized religions may include a state's official religion, or state church. However, most political states have any number of organised religions practiced within their jurisdiction. Due to their structured, standardized, and easily proliferated form, organised religions comprise many of the world's major religious groups.^{[citation needed]} The Abrahamic religions are all largely considered organised (including Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Baháʼí Faith), as well as some schools of thought within Indian religions (for example, Sikhism and Buddhism).^{[citation needed]}

Religions that are not considered organised religions, or only loosely so, include many indigenous and folk religions, such as traditional African religions, Native American religions and prehistoric religions, as well as Hinduism.^[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organized_religion