When theology erodes and organization crumbles, when the institutional framework of religion begins to break up, the search for a direct experience which people can feel to be religious facilitates the rise of cults.

Summary

This quote suggests that when traditional theological beliefs weaken and religious organizations lose their structure, individuals seek a more personal and direct religious experience. As people long for something tangible and deeply spiritual, this can lead to the emergence of cults or alternative religious groups that claim to offer direct and personal connections to a higher power or spiritual realm. It reflects how a vacuum in organized religion can pave the way for the rise of unconventional and often more individualistic religious movements.

Topics