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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber

Theodicy of Fortune and Misfortune
The Theodicy of fortune and misfortune within sociology is the theory, as Weber suggested, how "members of different social classes adopt different belief systems, or theodices, to explain their social situation."

The concept of theodicy was expanded mainly with the thought of Weber and his addition of ethical considerations to the subject of religion. There is this ethical part of religion, including "(1) soteriology and (2) theodicy. These mean, respectively, how people understand themselves to be able to be in a right relationship with supernatural powers, and how to explain evil - or why bad things seem to happen to those who seem to be good people" However there is a separation of different theodicies with regard to class. "Theodicies of misfortune tend to the belief that weath and other manifestations of privilege are indicications or signs of evil...In contrast, theodicies of fortune emphasize the notion that privileges are a blessing and are deserved" In addition, Weber also states that "the affluent embrace good fortune theodicies, which emphasize that prosperity is a blessing of God...[while] theodices of misfortune emphasize that affluence is a sign of evil and that suffering in this world will be rewarded in the next." Thus these two distinctions can be applied not only to class structure within society but denomination and racial segregation within religion.

Class Weber defines the importance of societal class within religion by examining the difference between the two theodicies and to what class structures they apply. To the theodicy of fortune, there is attached the concept of "work ethic." Thus, because of the Protestant "work ethic," there was a contribution of higher class outcomes and more education among the Protestants. Thus those without the work ethic, clung to the the theodicy of misfortune, believing wealth and happiness was granted in the afterlife. Another prime example of how this belief of religious theodicy influences class, is that those of lower status, the poor, cling to deep religiousness and faith as a way to comfort themselves and provide hope for a more prosperous future, while those of higher status cling to the sacraments or actions which prove their right of possessing greater wealth.

Denomination Segregation and Social Class These two theodices can be found within denominational segregation within the religious community. The main division can be seen between the mainline protestant and evangelical denominations and their relation to the class in which their particular theodicy pertains to. An example of this is that of the mainline churches and their upper class congregations. Because much of the wealth of the church comes from the congregation, the leaders of the mainline churches "promote[d] order, stability, and conservatism, and in so doing proved to be a powerful source of legitimation of the status quo and of existing disparities in the distribution of wealth and power". An example of how churches who adopted the theodicy of misfortune contrasted that of fortune would be that of the Pentecostal. In contrast of supporting disparities in wealth, they instead "advocated change intended to advance the cause of justice and fairness". Thus the learned and upper class religious churches who preach the theodicy of fortune, ultimately support capitalism and corporation, while the churches who adopted the theodicy of misfortune, instead preached equality and fairness.