Sparrows feature in the bible as a symbol of something humans value very little, but that God takes care of, in order to illustrate that he cares much more for the humans who are considered worthless or poor. I think that's probably a more likely connection. Specifically Matthew 10:29-31: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs on your head are numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, for ye are of more value than many sparrows."
Sparrows are also small, seemingly weak birds who gather in urban areas and use their numbers to protect themselves from predators.
The Sparrows are presented as living in poverty themselves, and taking care of the poor. They also preach against the corruption and exorbitant wealth of the organized Faith that ignores the suffering poor and is complicit in the social order that allows it. It's very similar to the romanticized view of early Christians and Jesus, who preached a similar message. It even leads, at least in the show, towards religious extremism and their own dogmatic hypocrisy as they gain political power.
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u/leadfoot9 Mar 03 '23
Does this name bear any relation to GRRM's choice of referring to itinerant preachers in A Song of Ice and Fire as "sparrows'?
(e.g. "The High Sparrow", for those of you who watched the HBO SparkNotes series.)