FROM VIRTUOSOS RELIGIOSITIES TO MASS RELI GIOSITIES - ORIGINS OF COMPROMISE ACCORDING TO WEBER,MAX

Although not central to Max Weber's sociology of religion, the theme o f compromise is nonetheless present. In fact, the question of compromi se runs through all his reflections on relationships between religions , cultural traditions, magic and world. From Weber's perspective, comp romise is at the heart of the passage from virtuoso religiosities to m ass religiosities; the second being-under certain conditions-the desti ny of the first in the long run. Weber analyses compromise in terms of feedback of the production of virtuosos, following the masses' recept ion of this production. Social stratification the constitution of lait y in organizational terms and their effects on religious production pl ay important roles. The compromises appearing in the transformations o f virtuoso religiosities into mass religiosities are tied to interpret ations of the world and the means of salvation. In this perspective, c ompromise appears to be virtuoso religiosities' path to self-perpetuat ion.