Peace and Love
2007-01-23 01:19:36 · 5 answers · asked by digilook 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Max Weber made a distinction between innerweltliche and ausserweltliche asceticism, which means (roughly) "inside the world" and "outside the world". Talcott Parsons translated these as "worldly" and "otherworldly" (some translators use "inner-worldly", but that has a different connotation in English and is probably not what Weber had in mind).
"Otherworldly" asceticism is practiced by people who withdraw from the world in order to live an ascetic life (this includes monks who live communally in monasteries, as well as hermits who live alone). "Worldly" asceticism refers to people who live ascetic lives but don't withdraw from the world.
Weber claimed that this distinction originated in the Protestant Reformation, but later became secularized, so the concept can be applied to both religious and secular ascetics.
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2007-01-23 02:14:22 · update #1
There is no getting around it - John the Baptist was unique. He wore odd clothes and ate strange food and preached an unusual message to the Judeans who went out to the wastelands to see him.
But John did not aim at uniqueness for its own sake. Instead, he aimed at obedience. He knew he had a specific role to play in the world - announcing the coming of the Savior - and he put all his energies into this task. Luke tells us that John was in the wilderness when God's word of direction came to him. John was ready and waiting. The angel who had announced John's birth to Zechariah had made it clear this child was to be a Nazirite - one set apart for God's service. John remained faithful to that calling.
Jesus said "I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is." (Mat 11:11)
2007-01-23 15:18:05 · answer #1 · answered by Freedom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, John the Baptist was baptizing people and being used to tell of Jesus - who would baptize with fire- He preached a message of repentance that should lead to producing fruit. He lived in the world- but he pointed the people to Jesus, and preached a message that would change the world. Hermit- no way.
2007-01-23 03:06:17 · answer #2 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John was not a Hermit as such,there is a school of thought that suggests He was an Essene,God appointed Him as the Prophet who would announce Christ and so He had to be a public figure to do this.
2007-01-23 01:30:26 · answer #3 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ascetic is the word rather than hermit-he didn't hide himself away from others (apparently).
2007-01-23 01:23:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, he was baptising people, doesn't sound like a hermit to me.
2007-01-23 01:32:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋