6.7 The Elementary Forms of Religious Life

Summary

In 1912, Durkheim's 'Elementary Forms of Religious Life' explored the origins of religious beliefs through the study of Australian Aboriginals' totem religion. He emphasized the importance of understanding the sacred-profane divide and the powerful, external force that religious individuals attribute to their faith. Durkheim suggested that this force is actually society's influence, which provides support and a sense of unity, long before and after an individual's life. The book remains relevant for its insights into the sociology of religion and the role of collective consciousness.

Takeaways

• 📚 Durkheim's 'Elementary Forms of Religious Life' was published in 1912, focusing on the origins of religious beliefs and practices.
• 🌏 The book uses anthropological material, particularly studying Australian Aboriginals, to explore early forms of totem religion.
• 🔍 Durkheim's methodological principle emphasizes taking the experiences of the people studied seriously, even if they seem irrational.
• 🙏 He suggests understanding the significance of objects treated with reverence, such as a stone or a statue, in the context of the believers' worldview.
• 🛐 Durkheim differentiates between the profane and the sacred, highlighting the distinction between the mundane and the religious world.
• 🌟 Religious rituals and sacred objects are seen as sources of power that can be both frightening and comforting to believers.
• 💪 Participation in religious gatherings is described as empowering, providing a sense of strength and energy to the participants.
• ⏳ Durkheim views the power experienced in religious practices as a reflection of the enduring and external nature of society and its collective consciousness.
• 🌐 Religious imagery is interpreted by Durkheim as a sociological metaphor for the societal forces that bind individuals together.
• 🧠 The book is considered relevant for its insights into the sociology of religion and its exploration of how society shapes religious experiences.

Q & A

In what year was 'The Elementary Forms of Religious Life' published?

The book 'The Elementary Forms of Religious Life' was published in 1912.

What type of material did Durkheim use in his study of religious beliefs and practices?

Durkheim used anthropological and ethnographic material in his study, particularly focusing on field studies of societies such as the Australian Aboriginals.

What was Durkheim's methodological principle regarding the study of religious experiences?

Durkheim's methodological principle was that sociologists should always take the words of the people they study very seriously, even if their experiences seem irrational or crazy at first sight.

Why does Durkheim suggest not to mock or criticize religious practices that seem strange to outsiders?

Durkheim suggests not to mock or criticize because the experiences and objects involved hold deep reality for the believers, and they are set apart with special significance in their eyes.

What is the distinction Durkheim identifies between the profane and the sacred?

Durkheim identifies a clear distinction between the profane, which is the mundane everyday world, and the sacred, which is the religious world that is extraordinary and set apart.

How does Durkheim describe the power that religious believers feel when they participate in rituals or encounter sacred objects?

Durkheim describes the power as something that can be both frightening and comforting, a coercive force that can also provide strength and support during times of grief and distress.

What does Durkheim say about the source of the power that believers feel is external to them?

Durkheim suggests that the power believers feel as external and superior is actually the power of society, the collective conscience that unites and supports them.

How does Durkheim interpret the religious imagery of society?

Durkheim interprets religious imagery as a product of sociology, a metaphorical way to speak about the societal structures and collective consciousness that are difficult to imagine and comprehend.

What does Durkheim believe existed long before an individual's birth and will continue to exist after their death?

Durkheim believes that society, with its collective conscience and social networks, existed long before an individual's birth and will continue to exist after their death.

What is the role of religious rituals and sacred objects in the lives of believers according to Durkheim?

According to Durkheim, religious rituals and sacred objects serve to reinforce the collective conscience and social bonds, providing a sense of strength, energy, and empowerment to believers.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Durkheim's Analysis of Religious Beliefs

This paragraph discusses Emile Durkheim's influential work 'The Elementary Forms of Religious Life,' published in 1912. Durkheim used anthropological and ethnographic data to explore the origins of religious beliefs and practices, with a particular interest in the Australian Aboriginals' totemic religion. He posited that such religions represent early forms of human religiosity. Durkheim emphasized the importance of taking the experiences of religious individuals seriously, even if they seem irrational. He introduced the concept of the sacred versus the profane, suggesting that religious objects are imbued with a special energy that sets them apart. Durkheim also highlighted the dual nature of religious power as both coercive and comforting, something that exists beyond the individual and unifies the religious community.

05:02

🧩 Society as the Underlying Force of Religion

In this paragraph, Durkheim's interpretation of religious experiences is explored. He suggests that the power felt by believers, which they attribute to the sacred, is actually the power of society. Society, according to Durkheim, is the collective force that provides support and comfort, and it is this social network that gives individuals a sense of strength and energy. He views religious imagery as a metaphorical expression of societal forces, arguing that religion is a reflection of our social structures. Durkheim's perspective is that from birth, individuals are integrated into the fabric of society, which both precedes and outlives them, binding them together in a collective consciousness.

Keywords

💡Elementary Forms of Religious Life

This refers to the book 'The Elementary Forms of Religious Life' by Émile Durkheim, which is a foundational work in the sociology of religion. The book explores the origins and functions of religious beliefs and practices. In the script, it is mentioned as Durham's most beautiful book that appeared in 1912, focusing on the distant origins of religious beliefs and practices.

💡Anthropological Material

Anthropological material refers to the data or information collected through the study of human societies and cultures. In the context of the video, Durkheim used anthropological material to analyze the religious practices of the Australian Aboriginals, considering their religion as one of the oldest types on Earth.

💡Totem Religion

Totem religion is a term used to describe the religious practices of certain indigenous cultures, particularly those that involve the worship of totems, which are physical objects or natural phenomena that represent the spiritual ancestry of a family or clan. The script mentions Durkheim's interest in totem religion as one of the earliest primitive manifestations of religiosity in human societies.

💡Profane and Sacred

These terms are used to distinguish between the mundane, everyday world (profane) and the religious world (sacred). In the script, Durkheim discusses how religious individuals perceive certain objects or rituals as sacred, imbued with special energy, which sets them apart from ordinary, everyday items.

💡Religious Ritual

A religious ritual is a prescribed ceremonial act performed for a specific religious purpose. The script explores how religious rituals can evoke feelings of power in participants, which can be both frightening and comforting, suggesting a coercive yet supportive force.

💡Conscience Collective

Conscience collective is a sociological concept introduced by Durkheim to describe the collective consciousness or the shared beliefs and feelings of a society. In the script, it is suggested that the power experienced during religious practices is actually the power of society, enveloping and uniting the religious community.

💡Sociologist

A sociologist is a scholar who studies society and social behavior. The script emphasizes the sociologist's role in taking the experiences and words of the people they study seriously, even if those experiences seem irrational, to understand the deep reality they represent.

💡Irrational Experiences

Irrational experiences refer to those that defy logical explanation or seem illogical. The script discusses how sociologists should approach these experiences with respect and seriousness, attempting to understand them from the perspective of the individuals experiencing them.

💡Field Studies

Field studies involve research conducted outside of a laboratory, often in the natural environment of the subjects being studied. The script mentions Durkheim's interest in field studies about the Australian Aboriginals, highlighting the importance of direct observation and participation in understanding cultural practices.

💡Religious Community

A religious community refers to a group of individuals who share the same religious beliefs and practices. The script discusses how religious experiences can strengthen and empower individuals, often in the context of a religious community that provides support and a sense of belonging.

💡Sociology of Religion

The sociology of religion is a subfield of sociology that studies religious institutions, behaviors, and experiences. The script touches on core questions in the sociology of religion, such as how religious beliefs and practices are shaped by social structures and how they, in turn, influence society.

Highlights

Durham's book 'The Elementary Forms of Religious Life' was published in 1912.

The book explores the distant origins of religious beliefs and practices.

Durham used anthropological and ethnographic material in his study.

He was particularly interested in the religion of Australian Aboriginals.

Durham investigated totem religion as a primitive manifestation of religiosity.

The book's relevance today lies in its core questions in the sociology of religion.

Durham's methodological principle emphasizes taking the words of the people studied seriously.

He advises understanding the deep reality behind seemingly irrational experiences.

Durham suggests not mocking or criticizing religious practices that seem strange.

There is a distinction between the profane and the sacred in religious beliefs.

Religious rituals and sacred objects are seen as sources of power.

This power can be both frightening and comforting, with the potential for punishment for disobedience.

Religious gatherings are said to strengthen, energize, and empower participants.

Durham interprets the believers' experiences as the power of society.

Society is the source of support, comfort, and strength in times of trouble.

Religious imagery is a metaphor for the collective conscience of society.

Society envelops and unites the religious community, existing beyond individual lives.

Transcripts

Durham's most beautiful book appeared in

1912 the elementary forms of religious

life deformity monte la vie religiosa it

is presented as a study about the most

distant origins of religious beliefs and

practices Duke M used anthropological or

ethnographic material he was for example

very interested in field studies about a

tribe in Australia Australian

Aboriginals whose religion was supposed

to be one of the oldest types to be

found on the earth dirk i'm investigated

those cleanse societies and he tried to

prove that this kind of totem religion

must have been one of the earliest

primitive manifestations of religiosity

in human societies but that is not why

this is still such an illuminating

masterpiece i think the book is

especially relevant today because it

touches on some other core questions in

the sociology of religion let me begin

with Durham's methodological principle

that the sociologist should always take

the words of the people he studies very

seriously even if they tell you about an

experience that seems to be very

irrational or even crazy at first sight

do not doubt their honesty the

experience that they tell you about is a

deep reality for them so if you notice

for example that somebody treats a

seemingly very ordinary object with a

strange kind of awe and reverence try to

understand what is going on there don't

mock the aboriginal who seems to be

strangely impressed by what appears to

be an ordinary stone on the ground don't

react with a smile when a catholic prays

to a small wooden statue don't criticise

a patriotic citizen who experiences

genuine pain when he sees that his flag

is burned try to understand them try to

imagine

well their world must be like for them

and then the first thing you may notice

is that the stone the statue the flag

are in their eyes no ordinary everyday

object they are different they are set

apart they are charged with special

energy Duke M says that for those people

there is a clear distinction between the

profane and the sacred between the

mundane everyday world and the religious

world between the ordinary and the

extraordinary if you ask a religious

person what it is that she or he

experiences when they participate in a

religious ritual or when they are

confronted with an object that they

believe to be sacred then they of course

have to search for words first but then

they will eventually come up with with

an answer that you know they can feel a

kind of power something that at the same

time frightens them and also comforts

them it can be frightening at times

because it's a power that forces them to

do certain things and to refrain from

other things and if you do not obey you

may be punished so it's a coercive force

but it's also a source of strength

because in times of grief and distress

it will support you and comfort you you

can rely on it

for example when you mourn the loss of a

loved one it will catch you when you

have a sense of falling Duke M says that

somebody who has participated in a

religious gathering will often say that

she or he feels strengthened energized

and bold and empowered and again that's

not something that they imagined he says

it's something real maybe it's a feeling

that to come himself remembered from the

time when he still went to the synagogue

this power is so overwhelming that the

believers are convinced that it already

existed before they were born and that

it will exist long after they have

passed away

it is something that is not inside them

it is external to them it is superior to

everybody it envelops and unites their

whole religious community

now do your CEM is convinced that the

believers tell the researcher honestly

about what they feel but he interprets

those facts in a different way a way

that's far removed from the

interpretations of the believers

themselves this coercive and external

power he says can be nothing else than

the power of society it is society it is

our own social network that supports and

comforts us in times of trouble and

grief it is society that gives that

special feeling of strength and energy

it is society it is the conscience

collective that existed long before you

were born and that will continue to

exist long after you have passed away it

is society that is external to us that

over arches our lives and at the same

time binds us together religious imagery

is seen here as a kind of product

sociology a metaphorical way to speak

about something that is very difficult

to imagine and to comprehend at a time

when the science of sociology did not

yet exist the idea that from the moment

of our birth on we are inextricably

woven into the tissues of society