Charismain Max Weber's Sociology of Religion

Abstract Weber's concept of charisma has received diverse and contradictory interpretations. The essay argues that this diversity is caused less by inadequate readings of Weber than by inconsistencies in Weber's own conceptualization. Weber introduced his concept of charisma in two different contexts: his political sociology and his sociology of religion. In his political sociology he formulates the ideal type of charismatic authority informed by R. Sohm. In his sociology of religion Weber connects it with the anthropological debate of the turn of the century on magic and religion, especially the debate on pre-animism initiated by R. R. Marett, and uses it as an alternative for concepts like mana or orenda. Both conceptualizations of charisma are located on quite different levels of abstraction, which Weber has not sufficiently clarified and systematized. This leads to inconsistencies, contradictions, and overgeneralizations. Especially problematic is his claim of a supposedly anti-traditionalist or even revolutionary character of charisma. The article argues that while this claim may apply to certain types of charisma under specific conditions, many types of charisma actually seem to be integral parts of institutionalized and traditionalized social orders.