Anthropology nd Sociology
To summarize Durkheim’s ideas on religion, we can use the mnemonic
“S.A.C.R.E.D. R.I.T.E.S.”:
S - Sacred and Profane
• Durkheim distinguishes between the sacred (respected, set apart) and the profane (ordinary, desecrating). This dichotomy is central to his theory of religion.
A - Assembly and Collective Effervescence
• Religion originates in moments of collective effervescence, where societal gatherings create shared energy, unity, and emotional excitement.
C - Community and Moral Unity
• Religion unites individuals into a moral community through shared beliefs and practices, reinforcing societal bonds.
R - Rituals for Social Cohesion
• Repeated rituals reaffirm collective unity, maintaining social integration and solidarity within a group.
E - External Symbols and Sacred Objects
• Collective energy is projected onto external symbols, turning objects (e.g., gods, flags) into sacred representations of society’s collective force.
D - Death of the Gods
• Modernity weakened traditional religions like Christianity due to societal disorganization, leading to a loss of collective force and moral cohesion.
R - Religion as a Social Construct
• Religion is not divine but a social product, reflecting society worshipping itself and its collective values.
I - Individualism as the New Sacred
• Durkheim foresaw the emergence of a modern religion, the cult of the individual, where individual rights and dignity become sacred.
T - Totemism and Primitive Religion
• Durkheim studied totemism among Australian aborigines to identify the fundamental elements of religious life in its simplest form.
E - Effervescence Generates Belief
• The high emotional energy of collective gatherings creates a sense of contact with extraordinary forces, forming the basis of religious beliefs.
S - Society Worships Itself
• Religion is society’s way of representing itself through sacred objects, which are infused with collective force.
Simple Mnemonic to remember Durkheim idea on religion..
To summarize Durkheim’s ideas on religion, we can use the mnemonic
“S.A.C.R.E.D. R.I.T.E.S.”:
S - Sacred and Profane
• Durkheim distinguishes between the sacred (respected, set apart) and the profane (ordinary, desecrating). This dichotomy is central to his theory of religion.
A - Assembly and Collective Effervescence
• Religion originates in moments of collective effervescence, where societal gatherings create shared energy, unity, and emotional excitement.
C - Community and Moral Unity
• Religion unites individuals into a moral community through shared beliefs and practices, reinforcing societal bonds.
R - Rituals for Social Cohesion
• Repeated rituals reaffirm collective unity, maintaining social integration and solidarity within a group.
E - External Symbols and Sacred Objects
• Collective energy is projected onto external symbols, turning objects (e.g., gods, flags) into sacred representations of society’s collective force.
D - Death of the Gods
• Modernity weakened traditional religions like Christianity due to societal disorganization, leading to a loss of collective force and moral cohesion.
R - Religion as a Social Construct
• Religion is not divine but a social product, reflecting society worshipping itself and its collective values.
I - Individualism as the New Sacred
• Durkheim foresaw the emergence of a modern religion, the cult of the individual, where individual rights and dignity become sacred.
T - Totemism and Primitive Religion
• Durkheim studied totemism among Australian aborigines to identify the fundamental elements of religious life in its simplest form.
E - Effervescence Generates Belief
• The high emotional energy of collective gatherings creates a sense of contact with extraordinary forces, forming the basis of religious beliefs.
S - Society Worships Itself
• Religion is society’s way of representing itself through sacred objects, which are infused with collective force.
Simple Mnemonic to remember Durkheim idea on religion..