SOCB43H3 Lecture 5: SOC B43 Lecture 5.docx
Document Summary
He was very interested in a certain category of religion: salvation religion. Because salvation religion promised people redemption, to be saved from suffering, sin, corruption. He was interested in the social consequences of believing something can save you. These religions are historically one of the major influences of social change. When people start believing there is a nation of people they are more connected to than their biological brothers, that allows people to mobilize and eventually creates a universalistic ethic to treat everyone the same. He proposed to do this by dividing religion into different dimensions: Active don"t sit back and let things happen, take initiative. If it"s meant to be, it"ll find me. Go out and do whatever you want to do, not part of a plan to change the world. Other worldy you have to withdraw from the regular world and stay with the church. Monkish, work all day, separated from the world.
