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Showing papers by "Alvin W. Gouldner published in 1957"



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For example, Johnson as discussed by the authors pointed out that most of the growth of the Holiness movement in the South had taken place in those areas characterized by rapid industrial or agricultural development and viewed the resulting upsurge of Holiness religion as "reactionary and [morally] reformist" rather than "constructive."
Abstract: The author has strong preliminary indications from his research into Holiness groups of a basic ethical primacy obscured by a more striking emotionalism.'3 The content of this ethic is largely what Weber calls "inner-worldly asceticism"; it is oriented to production rather than to consumption, to achievement for its own sake, to leading consistent, disciplined lives. In short, in many new Sectarian movements the underlying ethical themes are already framed in the same general terms as those of the older denominations. John Holt noted some years ago that most of the phenomenal growth of the Holiness movement in the South had taken place in those areas characterized by rapid industrial or agricultural development.'4 He saw this as an attempt on the part of new lower-class elements in these areas to cope with the disruption of their traditional rural life patterns. He viewed the resulting upsurge of Holiness religion as "reactionary and [morally] reformist" rather than "constructive." As an alternative hypothesis, Holiness religion may be a powerful agent in socializing lower-class groups in the values and usages of our predominantly middle-class society. Certainly the appearance in any region of industrial or market agriculture developments poses the need for the internalization of a rather specific type of value orientation on the part of those who are to participate in the system. The lack of such internalization is most apparent in lowerclass groups. Insofar as Holiness religion, among other things, requires a steady, conscientious involvement in the new system, it is more than just a reactionary coping with a strange new life by an appeal to rural values. This is a problem area in which a good deal of work needs to be done and may lead to better integration of the sociology of religion with other phases of sociology, notably social mobility and stratification. Although the proposed reformulation of the Church-Sect typology reflects only one range of theoretically important considerations, it is hoped that this paper will provoke renewed interest both in the basic theory of the sociology of religion and in the realm of concrete research problems. 13 G. Benton Johnson, A Framework for the Analysis of Religious Action with Special Reference to Holiness and Non-Holiness Groups (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Harvard University, 1953). The author found nearly unanimous agreement among his Holiness informants that a person cannot be a sincere, converted Christian (despite "spiritual" manifestations such as prayer, testimonials, and even speaking in tongues) without leading a scrupulously moral life. It is possible, however, to lead a moral life, refrain from "spiritual" signs and be considered a Christian so long as commitment to the religious ideals is understood. The author does not assume that all Pentecostal or Holiness groups are ethical Sects. 14 John B. Holt, "Holiness Religion: Cultural Shock and Social Reorganization," in American Sociological Review, 5 (October, 1940), pp. 740747.

81 citations