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The preeminent sacred symbol: Theorizing image of God outcomes.
- Source :
- Sociology Compass; Oct2017, Vol. 11 Issue 10, pn/a-N.PAG, 12p
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Images of God are the most consequential religious beliefs known to social science. Although sociologists have identified a wide and diverse range of outcomes of imagining different versions of God, more work is needed to show how these outcomes fit together within a multistep theoretical framework. To lay groundwork for such a theory, the present paper (a) briefly summarizes major theoretical perspectives on sources and outcomes of images of God, from psychology, social psychology, and sociology; (b) reviews a wide range of studies that identify specific outcomes of different images of God; and (c) recommends a new theoretical direction based on (a) and (b). Although this new direction will need to be developed in substantially greater detail in another context, the starting point for such work, suggested here, is that images of God function as humans' preeminent sacred symbols. This insight helps bridge an unnecessary chasm between Durkheim's theory of ritual and Stark's theory of gods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- OMNIPRESENCE of God
SOCIAL theory
SOCIAL control
SOCIAL psychology
FAITH
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17519020
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Sociology Compass
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 125422617
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12532