6.8 The Social Functions of Religion
Summary
TLDRThis transcript discusses Emile Durkheim's views on religion as a societal phenomenon. It highlights how religious objects and rituals create a sense of collective effervescence, fostering social unity and cohesion. Durkheim, a functionalist, saw religion as essential for social regulation and countering egoism. Despite secularization, he believed new institutions could replace religion's functions, such as nationalism or large-scale events, suggesting a shift in how societies experience collective unity.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Religious objects impress believers because they seem to emanate a power that Durkheim attributes to society.
- 🎉 Collective effervescence, a state of euphoria or ecstasy, is produced during religious gatherings, reinforcing social unity.
- 🔍 Durkheim was a functionalist thinker who analyzed the sociological functions that phenomena like religion fulfilled for society.
- 🧩 Religion serves to repair social ties and contribute to social cohesion within the larger social system.
- 🔬 Durkheim's functionalist analysis was systematic and programmatic, distinguishing it from mere cause and effect relationships.
- 🌐 As religion's importance wanes with secularization, modern social sciences have taken over some of its cognitive functions.
- 📚 Sociology provides a clearer and more critically discussable image of society compared to religious imagery.
- 🏛️ New institutions and belief systems may arise to fulfill the functions traditionally served by religion, such as nationalism.
- 🏟️ Large-scale events like national celebrations or sports matches can evoke a sense of collective unity akin to religious experiences.
- 🌐 Durkheim suggests that even non-religious phenomena like global consumer culture can elicit semi-religious feelings of solidarity.
Q & A
What is the primary reason religious objects are impressive to believers according to Durkheim?
-Religious objects are impressive to believers because they appear to emanate a power that Durkheim believes can only be the power of society.
How does Durkheim describe the production of collective power during religious meetings?
-Durkheim describes the production of collective power as occurring when people are gathered together, possibly dancing or singing, and collectively reach a state of euphoria or ecstasy, which he calls 'collective effervescence.'
What is the significance of the state of collective effervescence in Durkheim's view?
-The state of collective effervescence is significant because it is the moment when the feeling of social unity is created and reinforced.
How does Durkheim's functionalist perspective view the role of religion in society?
-Durkheim, as a functionalist thinker, views religion as not only a product of society but also as fulfilling important functions for society, such as contributing to social cohesion and supporting social regulation.
What is one of the sociological functions of religion that Durkheim identifies?
-One of the sociological functions of religion identified by Durkheim is to repair the ties between people when they have been harmed, such as in mourning rituals.
What problem does Durkheim confront in relation to the process of secularization?
-Durkheim confronts the problem of secularization, which he himself experienced as a son of a rabbi who became an agnostic professor of sociology.
How does Durkheim suggest modern societies might replace the sociological functions of traditional religion?
-Durkheim suggests that modern societies might develop new institutions and belief systems, such as nationalism or large-scale events, that can fulfill the functions traditionally fulfilled by religion.
What does Durkheim say about the potential immortality of the gospels?
-Durkheim states that the gospels are not immortal and that mankind will always create new ones, implying that religious and societal structures will evolve over time.
What examples does Durkheim provide to illustrate the replacement of religious functions in modern society?
-Durkheim provides examples such as nationalistic gatherings, like the French celebrating Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity on the 14th of July, or Americans on Independence Day.
How do large pop concerts and international soccer matches relate to religious functions according to the script?
-The script suggests that large pop concerts, rock concerts, and international soccer matches can also fulfill religious functions by providing a deep feeling of unity with everyone present.
Outlines
🙏 Religion's Social Function and Collective Effervescence
This paragraph discusses the sociological perspective on religion, particularly focusing on the work of Émile Durkheim. It explains how religious objects hold power for believers, which Durkheim suggests is a reflection of society's power. The concept of collective effervescence is introduced, describing how groups can reach a state of euphoria during religious gatherings, thereby reinforcing social unity. Durkheim is noted as a functionalist who analyzed the functions religion serves for society, such as social cohesion and regulation. He also observed the process of secularization and pondered the future of religion's role in society. The paragraph concludes by suggesting that new institutions and belief systems may arise to fulfill the functions traditionally served by religion.
🎤 Modern Rituals and the Search for Collective Unity
The second paragraph extends the discussion on the functions of religion to modern contexts, suggesting that large-scale events like pop concerts and international soccer matches may serve similar purposes as religious gatherings. These events are said to evoke a sense of collective unity and effervescence among participants. The author also touches on the idea of consumerism, where the release of a new product can create a semi-religious feeling of global solidarity. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging Durkheim's contributions to understanding the sacred and profane, and how his work provides a theoretical framework for comprehending contemporary societies.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Religious objects
💡Collective effervescence
💡Social cohesion
💡Functionalist thinkers
💡Secularization
💡Social regulation
💡Egoism and anomie
💡Nationalistic gatherings
💡Global solidarity
💡The sacred and the profane
💡Durkheim
Highlights
Religious objects impress believers by seemingly emanating a power that Durkheim associates with societal power.
Collective effervescence, a state of euphoria or ecstasy, is produced during religious gatherings, reinforcing social unity.
Religion fulfills sociological functions for society, such as contributing to social cohesion.
Durkheim was a pioneer in functionalist thinking, analyzing how phenomena serve societal functions.
Religion repairs social ties, exemplified by mourning rituals that restore social relationships.
Durkheim's functionalist analysis is systematic and programmatic in the science of sociology.
Religion strengthens social cohesion, supports social regulation, and counters egoism and anomie.
Durkheim observed the process of secularization and its impact on the importance of religion in society.
Modern social sciences have taken over some cognitive functions previously fulfilled by religion.
Durkheim suggests new institutions and belief systems may emerge to fulfill traditional religious functions.
Nationalistic gatherings can serve as a modern form of collective effervescence, similar to religious functions.
The concept of the flag as sacred, akin to religious symbols, demonstrates the emotional power of nationalism.
Large pop concerts and international soccer matches may fulfill religious functions by creating a sense of unity.
Durkheim's theories provide a theoretical framework for understanding the role of religion in society.
The emotional aspects of religion, such as its strengthening power and social cohesion functions, are still relevant.
Durkheim's work on religious life offers insights into the sacred and profane, and the importance of collective experiences.
The concept of global solidarity, as seen in consumer behaviors, may have semi-religious feelings transcending national borders.
Transcripts
religious objects are so impressive for
the believer because they appear to
eminate a power that according to durm
cannot be anything else than the power
of
society we can observe how such a power
is produced during religious meetings
here people are gathered they are close
to each other they may dance or sing
together and then all of a sudden
something spectacular may happen they
may collectively reach a state of
euphoria a kind of ecstasy or Rapture
that he calls a state of effes
collective Collective eff foressence
they feel
uplifted and that is the moment when the
feeling of social Unity is created and
reinforced and it is no accident that
this can only happen in a collective
ritual that is the outcome of
accumulated group
energy religion is not only a product of
society it also fulfills functions for
society durm was one of the first
thoroughly functionalist thinkers a man
who always tried to discern what
sociological functions certain
phenomenon fulfilled for example in
contributing to the social cohesion of
the larger social system he stressed
that this search for functions is
completely different from the search for
cause and effect
relations we already saw that con was a
precursor of functionalist thinking but
durm was the man who used functionalist
analysis in a more systematic way and
who programmatic wrote about this way of
reasoning in the science of
Sociology one of the many functions of
religion is to repair the ties between
people when they have been harmed for
example in mourning rituals the networks
of social relationships between people
that have suffered from the passing away
of one of them are glued together again
in this way and in many other ways
religion has important functions to
fulfill it strengthens social cohesion
it supports social regulation it is a
powerful antidote to egoism and anomi
those negative Tendencies behind the
rising suicide
figures but here durm is confronted with
a
problem he also witnessed the Advent of
a process of
secularization he himself the son of a
rabbi who became an agnostic professor
of sociology was living proof of this
process so where are we heading if
religion becomes less important under
conditions of
modernity when it comes to religion as a
source of sociological orientation you
could say that the modern social
sciences have adopted some of the
cognitive functions that in the past
were fulfilled by religion they now help
us to understand our place in
society well the image of society in
religious imagery is still blurred and
vague in sociology it has become not
only clearer but also easier to
criticize and discuss without having to
fear the risk of being treated as a
heretic but what about the more
emotional aspects of religion what about
its strengthening power what about its
functions as a source of social
cohesion here durkheim says something
very interesting the gospels he says are
not Immortal and Mankind will always
ride new
ones we may develop completely new
institutions and belief systems that
fulfill the functions that traditional
religions fulfilled in the past durm
even mentions nationalistic Gatherings
of citizens who celebrate a membership
of their beloved nation and to the moral
principles that they all share
the reader here is reminded of the
French when they celebrate Liberty
equality and fraternity on the 14th of
July or you may be reminded of Americans
on Independence
Day and the example that I just gave of
the outrage that a nationalist person
may experience when she must watch the
burning of the national flag that
example was in fact not taken from the
world of religion but from the world of
nationalism and it makes clear that a
flag can be seen as just as sacred as a
cross sometimes my students tell me that
they believe that large pop concerts
rock concerts international soccer
matches also fulfill religious functions
and when I speak about effes Collective
they tell me that moving with hundreds
of people on the repetitive beats of
electronic dance music may have that
very same effect attended by a deep
feeling of unity with everybody present
and when a large company announces the
appearance for example of a new cell
phone and we feel at one with people all
over the world who stand in long lines
to buy that elegant small computer we
also may experience a kind of semi-
religious feeling that transcends
National borders a kind of global
solidarity
DM's book on religious life all those
arguments about the sacred and the
profane about effervescence about the
functions of religion still offers us
today a very impressive theoretical
framework that can help us to understand
our own societies and for that we should
thank the son of the rabbi
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