Essentialism is a mode of understanding that relies upon hidden, partly unknown essences. This ch... more Essentialism is a mode of understanding that relies upon hidden, partly unknown essences. This chapter examines whether disciples actually limited themselves to such interpretations or if there can be found essentialist thinking behind representations of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's charisma. It describes the role played by religious experience in the formation of the essentialist notions of Prabhupāda. The moods and feelings produced either in routine rituals or unique encounters with Prabhupāda form an integral component of the representations disciples formed of him. The encounters with Prabhupāda frequently evoked feelings in the devotees that they tried to account for by essentialist notions. The devotees also are acutely aware of the feelings and moods that arise in their interactions with the guru, which often take place on special occasions and which are often personally consequential. The essentialistic modes of thinking can help to make sense of such events.Keywords:Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda; charisma; emotional feelings; essentialism; guru
This chapter explains the Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's life prior to his arrival in New Y... more This chapter explains the Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's life prior to his arrival in New York. It provides some illuminating background information on Prabhupāda's character and the type of religiosity he exemplifies. The proselytising activities during the first decade of the movement's history in the West are examined next. International society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON) is known internationally for its colourful and sometimes aggressive street proselytisation techniques and such practices for long constituted the primary source of income for the movement. The chapter is devoted to the issue of the "routinisation of charisma", that is, the institutional structures that Prabhupāda developed for the maintenance of unity in the movement he had founded. Preaching was indeed included in Prabhupāda's methods, but preaching in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement included elements that one would hardly recognise as such. One of the first practices he instituted in the West included public preaching tours called saṇkīrtana.Keywords:Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda; charisma; Hare Kṛṣṇa movement; institutional structures; International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON); saṇkīrtana
... a cognitive approach to ritual systems 113 Acknowledgement I thank Jutta Jokiranta, Petri Luo... more ... a cognitive approach to ritual systems 113 Acknowledgement I thank Jutta Jokiranta, Petri Luomanen, Luther H. Martin, Ilkka Pyysiäinen, Tom Sjöblom and Risto Uro for helpful and encouraging comments on ... Rethinking Religion: Connecting Cognition and Culture. ...
This book offers a new account for the emergence of the Hare Krishna movement from the perspectiv... more This book offers a new account for the emergence of the Hare Krishna movement from the perspective of cognitive science of religion. It focuses especially on the charisma of its founder guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda (1896-1997) through the writings of his disciples.
This chapter begins with an introduction to the basic tenets of the cognitive approach to religio... more This chapter begins with an introduction to the basic tenets of the cognitive approach to religion before proceeding to examine the cognitive approach to charisma. By critically examining some of the previous theories and conceptualisations of charisma, the chapter shows how the cognitive approach can help to improve on the previous attempts to explain the phenomenon of charismatic leadership. Then, the chapter demonstrates how the cognitive approach will be able to enrich and strenghten our overall theoretical grasp of the phenomenon of charisma on both psychological and sociological levels. Max Weber approaches the phenomenon of charisma from a slightly different point of view, namely, from that of power, domination and authority. The chapter introduces each conceptualisation in turn. Towards the end of this chapter the cognitive approach to both religious social categorisation and the dynamics of religious systems is explored in more depth.Keywords:charismatic leadership; Max Weber; religious powers; social crisis
Essentialism is a mode of understanding that relies upon hidden, partly unknown essences. This ch... more Essentialism is a mode of understanding that relies upon hidden, partly unknown essences. This chapter examines whether disciples actually limited themselves to such interpretations or if there can be found essentialist thinking behind representations of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's charisma. It describes the role played by religious experience in the formation of the essentialist notions of Prabhupāda. The moods and feelings produced either in routine rituals or unique encounters with Prabhupāda form an integral component of the representations disciples formed of him. The encounters with Prabhupāda frequently evoked feelings in the devotees that they tried to account for by essentialist notions. The devotees also are acutely aware of the feelings and moods that arise in their interactions with the guru, which often take place on special occasions and which are often personally consequential. The essentialistic modes of thinking can help to make sense of such events.Keywords:Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda; charisma; emotional feelings; essentialism; guru
This chapter explains the Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's life prior to his arrival in New Y... more This chapter explains the Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's life prior to his arrival in New York. It provides some illuminating background information on Prabhupāda's character and the type of religiosity he exemplifies. The proselytising activities during the first decade of the movement's history in the West are examined next. International society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON) is known internationally for its colourful and sometimes aggressive street proselytisation techniques and such practices for long constituted the primary source of income for the movement. The chapter is devoted to the issue of the "routinisation of charisma", that is, the institutional structures that Prabhupāda developed for the maintenance of unity in the movement he had founded. Preaching was indeed included in Prabhupāda's methods, but preaching in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement included elements that one would hardly recognise as such. One of the first practices he instituted in the West included public preaching tours called saṇkīrtana.Keywords:Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda; charisma; Hare Kṛṣṇa movement; institutional structures; International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON); saṇkīrtana
... a cognitive approach to ritual systems 113 Acknowledgement I thank Jutta Jokiranta, Petri Luo... more ... a cognitive approach to ritual systems 113 Acknowledgement I thank Jutta Jokiranta, Petri Luomanen, Luther H. Martin, Ilkka Pyysiäinen, Tom Sjöblom and Risto Uro for helpful and encouraging comments on ... Rethinking Religion: Connecting Cognition and Culture. ...
This book offers a new account for the emergence of the Hare Krishna movement from the perspectiv... more This book offers a new account for the emergence of the Hare Krishna movement from the perspective of cognitive science of religion. It focuses especially on the charisma of its founder guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda (1896-1997) through the writings of his disciples.
This chapter begins with an introduction to the basic tenets of the cognitive approach to religio... more This chapter begins with an introduction to the basic tenets of the cognitive approach to religion before proceeding to examine the cognitive approach to charisma. By critically examining some of the previous theories and conceptualisations of charisma, the chapter shows how the cognitive approach can help to improve on the previous attempts to explain the phenomenon of charismatic leadership. Then, the chapter demonstrates how the cognitive approach will be able to enrich and strenghten our overall theoretical grasp of the phenomenon of charisma on both psychological and sociological levels. Max Weber approaches the phenomenon of charisma from a slightly different point of view, namely, from that of power, domination and authority. The chapter introduces each conceptualisation in turn. Towards the end of this chapter the cognitive approach to both religious social categorisation and the dynamics of religious systems is explored in more depth.Keywords:charismatic leadership; Max Weber; religious powers; social crisis
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