An Intellectual Challenge, Ending in a Prayer
The reading this week was challenging and engaged my intellect and emotions from a variety of angles.
Main Points from Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism (1904-1905)
Max Weber, German Social Scientist and author of The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism (PESC) argues that the Protestant work ethic, promoting hard work, frugality, and saving one’s earnings, was causally linked to the rise of a capitalistic economy and the Industrial Revolution in the West.[1] He believed that the Protestant Reformation created new attitudes toward work, especially among the Puritans, such that “work was no longer seen as either degrading or as a punishment for sin, but rather as a calling or vocation that should be undertaken for the glory of God.”[2] Along with the new belief that asceticism extended to all of life’s activities, arose an anxiety about “individual salvation that sought relief by finding in worldly achievement evidence of God’s grace.”[3] Success in business became an indicator of salvation, spurring the common people to invest their time and labor in industrious efforts that, in Weber’s opinion, could be linked to the development of capitalism. Weber says, “The religious valuation of restless, continuous systemic work in a worldly calling, as the highest means to asceticism, and at the same time the surest and most evident proof of rebirth and genuine faith, must have been the most powerful conceivable lever for the expansion of that attitude toward life which we have here called the spirit of capitalism.”[4]
The context, both personal and national, from which Weber wrote is significant for his work. I will mention his personal context later in this blog. Regarding national context, Weber belonged to a network of intellectuals “who rose to prominence in the 1890s and contributed to a fundamental ‘reorientation of European social thought’ over the next four decades.”[5] The examination of the influence of religion on politics and economics was of great interest to many people in Weber’s circle at the time. They also undertook projects pertaining to the role of the middle classes, the role of women, the transition from traditional to modern societies, and the history of the German state. “These interests represented Germany’s rapid transformation from a loose confederation of largely agrarian communities into an industrial superpower, with attendant labor unrest, and [political unrest], along with the increasing sense that Imperial Germany was slipping ever further into a political abyss from which it might not emerge. It was an age of ‘permanent crisis.’”[6] Over a century after its publication, the PESC still remains one of the most influential and widely read works in social science.”[7]
Main Points from Jason Clark’s Third Chapter of “Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship” (2018)
In the third chapter, “Assurance, Anxiety, and the Protestant Work Ethic,” of Jason Clark’s thesis, Clark engages Max Weber’s work to point out areas of agreement and disagreement, for the purpose of building his larger thesis. For example, Clark “modulates” Weber’s thesis and sign posts his own direction, saying, “I now examine how the doctrine of assurance migrated into a focus on the doctrine of providence to provide an alternative ascetic to that proposed by Weber. This is the ascetic that I believe generated the greatest resonance by Evangelicalism with Capitalism.”[8] He points out that Evangelical anxieties around assurance of their salvation migrated into anxieties about providence and adds, “Life in the new Protestant world generated anxiety about assurance of faith. That anxiety was attended to with a relocation of assurance into providence.[9]
Further building his case, he stresses that Evangelicals initially used the disciplined ascetics of the market for identity and relationships, and that these market ascetics ultimately deformed and replaced Christian social imaginaries, with market imaginations around Providence.[10] He adds, “But the terms and limits of providence became increasingly set by market imaginations, rather than the original Evangelical horizons of faithful Christian living in the material world… The resistance evinced in the Protestant Work Ethic resisted the deforming forces of capitalism, and quickly gave way to new and emerging ethics that were intertwined with nonreligious imaginations for life.”[11] Clark argues that Evangelicalism is both a creature of and response to capitalism.
Three Points of Interest
As I read, researched, and pondered the ideas of Weber and Clark, three issues stuck out for me.
- Translation Matters
Many people have translated Weber’s work from German to English. These translations have various reputations for accuracy. For example, the first English translation by Talcott Parsons was finished in 1930.[12] This is the version I read. Interestingly, many people think this version does not accurately represent Weber’s ideas on every account. Yale professor, Philip Gorski comments, “For as anyone who has read the Protestant Ethic in the original can attest, Parsons took considerable liberties with Weber’s language.”[13] Some of these liberties were “harmless,” as when he translated the German word which literally means “steel-hard shell,” instead to “iron cage.”[14] “Iron cage” became the term attributed to Weber and mistakenly used by social scientists for the last century.
Some of Parson’s incorrect translations were more substantial, such as his translation of Antriebe as “sanctions” rather than “drives.”[15] “This translation leads the reader to understand Calvinism as a repressive force that limits action (which may be how Parsons himself experienced it during his upbringing) rather than as a dynamic force that impelled actions (which is clearly how Weber understood it.)”[16] This illustration of errors in translation, especially in a well-respected book such as Weber’s, reminds me that if we are going to gain the truest meaning of an author’s words, we must read them in the original language and context in which they were written. At the very least, we must realize that a translation may not be completely accurate on every point.
- The Influence of an Author’s Personal Story
In reading about Max Weber, I learned that he wrote The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism as he was emerging from a serious, seven-year illness. His illness followed the death of his father and appeared to be rooted in a difficult upbringing and familial life. Historians studying Weber’s writings and life argue that “the hatred [Weber] felt for…the authoritarian realities in the political and domestic spheres [the Kaiser and his father], drove him to develop his notion of ethical personality and otherworldly asceticism, which is central to PESC.”[17]
I found this interesting, and I gained an appreciation of Weber as a complex human being who brought together deep intellect and deep emotion, reflected in his work. This was a reminder to me that an author’s personal story is often woven into his or her writing and adds layers of intricacy to their message and perspective. This may not be obvious as we read, but it is most likely there.
- The Influence of Faith on Culture and Culture on Faith
Clark’s thesis that religion affects our economy, and our economy affects religion offers an interesting phenomenon to ponder. It’s understandable that we as humans are affected by our environment and the historical context in which we grow up and develop as adults. We are impressionable beings. We also have the power to impact and contribute to our culture, as individuals and as a community. Awareness of this phenomenon is important, so that we can be as deliberate as possible in forming our values and beliefs and carefully and prayerfully know, and alter if needed, our impact on the people around us.
Ending with a Prayer
God, please help us to align with your heart and vision and to see ourselves and our world as clearly as is humanly possible. Please give us your wisdom in discerning the influence of our culture on our lives and guide us in living each day, that we might reflect your love to those around us. Thank you for your grace and care and for your deep love for us, in all of our imperfections.
[1] Mervyn F. Bendle, “Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the ‘spirit’ of Capitalism (1905): A Centennial Essay” James Cook University (London, England: Equinox Publishing Ltd, 2005), 236-237.
[2] Bendle, 236.
[3] Bendle, 236-237.
[4] Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (New York, NY: Routledge, 1992), 116.
[5] Stuart Hughes in Bendle, 239.
[6] Golo Mann in Bendle, 242.
[7] Philip S. Gorski, Social Forces 82, no. 2 (2003): 833–39. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3598212, 833.
[8] Jason Paul Clark, “Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship” (2018). Faculty Publications – Portland Seminary. 132. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes/132, 98.
[9] Clark, 120.
[10]Clark, ii.
[11] Clark, 121.
[12] Gorski, 833.
[13] Gorski, 833-834.
[14] Peter Ghosh in Gorski, 834.
[15] Gorski, 834.
[16] Ghosh in Gorski, 834.
[17] Guenther Roth in Bendle, 242.
About the Author
Jenny Steinbrenner Hale
9 responses to “An Intellectual Challenge, Ending in a Prayer”
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Jenny, I don’t know how you do it. Your blogs are consistently thorough, well-written, and broadly researched. One practical question for you (followed by one related to your blog): What do you do to consistently produce these blogs?
I am fascinated by what you wrote about translations. I don’t necessarily have a question about it, but it was an interesting point that I didn’t even think of.
What are some practical steps we can take to mitigate the influence of capitalism in Evangelicalism?
David, Thanks so much for your kind words and your encouragement. I feel like I’m still trying to develop a weekly reading and writing routine that’s effective and stress-free. Is that possible? 🙂
One thing I’ve been doing lately is having fun looking at the books early in the week, without the pressure to understand them right away. That way, I can just mull them over for few days in the back of my mind. Wednesday afternoons I try to devote to reading and writing and my goal is to at least come away with a rough draft, even if I don’t think it’s very good. Then I finish it up Thursday or Friday. One thing that really helped me this week was finding book reviews on Weber from the George Fox Library. I found a couple unexpected articles that gave me some outside material to write on and also helped me better understand Weber. Prayer on what to write is helping me, too.
I found it helpful to hear what you shared in our last class about your writing. I am learning so much from everyone in our class!
Your question: What are some practical steps we can take to mitigate the influence of capitalism in Evangelicalism? I have been wrestling with that. One thing that keeps coming to mind is to be aware of how we are influenced and to be purposeful in forming our beliefs about God and how to live our lives. Also, it does seem that as we pursue our relationship with God and are always trying to know God more deeply, we will align more with God’s heart. Also, I thought Kristy’s point about mindful stewardship was a good one. And, have you read Laura’s blog? She has a really great question at the end. What are your thoughts? This is really something I want to learn more about and give some good thought to.
Thanks, David!
Jenny,
As always, I loved your well-written post. They are always so well put together. I never even gave a thought to translations and the differences that they would make. And I loved your prayer at the end. Exceptional as always!
Thank you so much, Tonette, for your comments and encouragement. I so appreciate it.
Jenny, your writing is amazing, you shared great points both from Weber and Clark. I was intrigued by how you pointed out Weber’s personal story and how much it influenced his writing plus the linguistic challenges. Thanks for a beautiful prayer at the end.
Thank you so much for your comments. I appreciate your encouragement!
My pleasure Jenny, Blessings.
Jenny your writing is always on point! I appreciated every inch of it!
I wonder if you have any more thoughts on how an individual’s faith and culture interact with each other….How can this be leveraged to bring about positive change?
Hi Alana, Thanks for your encouragement and for your question regarding the interaction between our faith and culture and how that can be used for positive change. I have been giving that some thought. One thing that stands out for me is that there is quite a lot that we don’t “see” in our lives, but that we have incorporated into who we are and what we believe. I think praying that God will show us these things and weave together our current time in history with our understanding and practice of faith, is a good start. Maybe that’s not only a good start, but also a good ending. Pray, pray, pray. 🙂