Durkheim and Religion

Durkheim and Religion

[Name of the Institute]

Durkheim and Religion

Introduction

Émile Durkheim, a French sociologist, presented his study of society as scientific and unruffled, placing himself in positivist tradition. He defines religion as an appearance of social structure. In his studies, he is deeply interested in understanding the forces and problems that will hold modern societies together. In one of his greatest works, “Elementary Forms of Religious life”, Durkheim considers the anthropological records of indigenous Australians; his primary aim was to evaluate different form of religious life in different societies. Durkheim argues the totems idealized by Aborigines are the reflection of their held believes of the society. This philosophy is true not only for Aborigines but all other societies of the world.

Although raised up in a Jewish family, with strong religious influences, Durkheim hold secular approach to life, yet defines religion as real. According to him religion is not imaginary, and it is an expression of the society, as there is no society without a religion. Being an individual, we perceive something greater than ourselves, which is our social life, and portrays a supernatural association with that perception. Religion is a result of our social associations and collective perception, which is the combination of all our individual awareness and thus creates a realism of its own. His analysis of Aborigines claims it to be a less compound religious structure, involving totem of certain clans (Durkheim, Cosman, Cladis, 2001). According to Durkheim, the complexity of a religious system depends upon the complexity of the society. On the whole he define religion in Elementary Forms as, “A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden; beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them”.

Totemic Principle

In ancient system of social and religious organizations, totemism demonstrated in Durkheim studies of Aborigines and Native American tribes distinguish as bands or clans integrated by kinship. Clan refers to a group of individuals, associated with relations or bloodline, however, according to Durkheim the presence of social element cannot be ignored. Clan is eminent by the name of a plant, animal or any other natural phenomena. Those belonging to clan group given protection and subjected to religious emotions. Totemic principle as presented by Durkheim related to a spiritual relation between the group and a plant, animal ...