1. Early Modern Miracle Making and the Routinization of Charisma.
- Author
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Lainer-Vos, Dan and Parigi, Paolo
- Subjects
ROUTINIZATION of charisma ,ACOLYTES - Abstract
In order to reexamine Weber's theory of routinization of charisma, this article explores the relationship between cults of charismatic miracle makers and the Catholic Church in early modern Europe. We show that the routinization of charisma was related to the ability of a miracle maker's acolytes to gain recognition from the Church. In order to routinize their nascent structure of authority, acolytes of miracle makers appealed to Rome for the recognition of their leader as a saint. The Church, in turn, canonized those miracle makers whose acolytes formed densely connected networks capable of harnessing local support. Rather than being inimical to each other, charismatic authorities formed symbiotic relationship with existing institutional structures. Routinization of charisma, from this perspective, also depends on the ability to secure from existing institutions the resources needed to stabilize the relationships between leader and her staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011