ABSTRACT
The norm-giving role of religion was gradually taken over by public morality. Religion became a separate province by dint of being more and more restricted in its effectiveness and in its sphere of action. The Protestant movement, as a secularization of religion, changed the direction of piety. The pious mind was diverted from a contemplative, spiritual preparation for salvation, from the devotion to holy works alone, to the seeking for salvation in active life and through achievements in the affairs of this world. The principle of the nation, exemplified in the development of France, means the establishment of a rule in which a profane and popular community participates for the first time. The whole complex of customs, habits, achievements, becomes a focus of life for the individuals of the community, a focus which is a profane analogy to the role of the deity among ancient tribes, and thus tradition is the profane religion of a nation.
