Aspects and possible models of the link between mentality and religion

Abstract

The article discusses the relationship between “religion” and “mentality” as related to the concept of “denominational mentality.” It speculates on the suitability of the concept to designate certain social phenomena, and on the factors that should be taken into account to explain such a historically observable specific denominational mentality. To this end, it presents a number of options, which it discusses using historical examples. Is denominational mentality a mentality that follows from a confessional creed, that is, from the theological doctrines of a particular denomination? If so, does this mentality also exist among the masses of believers at large, and not only among the learned representatives of the religion? Or is the denominational mentality a mentality that can be detected among the members of a particular denomination, among the masses that belong to that denomination according to its own rules? The author argues that denominational mentality should be understood as the mentality that can be observed within a denomination. She sees it as a descriptive concept. Its background includes the social position of its bearers, their (former) “feudal” position, economic forms, education, group experience, traditions passed down through generations. For the same reason, and because of the same factors, one can expect the appearance of stratified (group) mentalities within the denomination as well.