Religion And Its Role Of A Peace Keeper By French Sociologist E ́ Mile Durkheim

Sociologists argue that in Britain, there has been an overall steady decline in the importance of religion since the 19th century, which has led some sociologists to suggest there was a ‘golden age’ of religiosity. Many sociologists have proposed explanations for the secularisation thesis, for example Weber, Berger and Bruce. However Postmodernists criticise the secularisation theory as they believe that religion hasn’t declined it has just become modernised. Other theories, such as religious market theory and existential security theory, also go against the view that Britain is becoming a secular society as they believe religion takes form in

Through ethnographic research, Durkheim can explain the fundamentals of religion and its relation to society. We are not born with the innate knowledge of structural situations or cultural effects that occur within a society. Nor, are we aware of the effects our behaviors and attitudes have on a society. Durkheim’s worked untimely explained how the moral realm functioned by focusing on primitive religion. Religious ceremonies closely resemble social life, containing highly routined acts. The essential elements of religion include rites which are expressed by rituals and practice. Rituals unite social groups regardless of individual differences, which are found in both modern and traditional societies because rituals are a part of both. Durkheim noted, to have a

Another religion that is seemingly immune to the market theory at first glance is Catholicism, according to Stark and Finke. The authors contend, however, that although Catholics in Western Europe are more active than one would expect given the homogenous religious makeup of those countries, this deviation from the theory can be explained away by the fact that Catholic clergy rely on “voluntary oblations of the people”. All in all, Starke and Finke’s Acts of Faith presents a compelling narrative of religion acting according to the rules of a market

“Religion is often still another determinant of political behavior, and in many societies, plays a role in the formation of social and political values, especially when religions diversity is present”. (Camp.1993.Pg. 86) Even though the pre-dominance of Catholicism has strong religious differences, it can be described as a battle between secularism and religion.

The majority of today's society, will accept that we live in a extremely secular society and as a result there is growing doubt in about both what religion constitutes and why it is a compulsory subject within the school curriculum. Callum Brown (2001) argues that secularisation in Britain has not been a gradual process since the enlightenment, but has been massive since the 1960s. He states that post 1960 secularisation has sent “organised Christianity on a downward spiral to the margins of social significance” (Callum Brown, 2001, p.1). He continued to claim that “churches will continue to exist in some skeletal form with increasing commitment from a decreasing number of supporters” (Callum Brown, 200, p.198). In Northern Ireland church

Most religions, according to Fordham University’s Theology professor Christiana Peppard, creates a societal structure that often fails to include millennials because millennials are open minded and millennials often think religions as a barricade to their open minded self. According to Peppard, millennials are not interested in any institutional religion is because a lot of millennials are very skeptical about religious institutions and view it as chaotic and corrupt. As it is stated by the Pew Research Center, about half of the current religious “nones” were raised in a religious household; it indicates that a lack of religious belief has led them to move away from their childhood religious belief. Likewise, some people tend to move away from their childhood organized religion because, as they grow adult, they begin to dislike the “hierarchical nature of religious group” (pew research). Moreover, Although a common goal of all religion is to bring peace in this world, the failure of religions to turn everyone to work towards this goals is both very puzzling and very much unsettling. Even more troubling is that often these religious ideals itself is the reason for many wars, murders, and social tensions.

In this essay I will be looking at the theories of Edward Burnett Tylor and Émile Durkheim, and comparing them to see which theory I think gives a better explanation about what religion is, or whether religion is actually definable. On the one hand we have Tylor’s theory that tells us that religion is belief in spiritual beings and that religion is just a step on the way to reaching full evolutionary potential. Durkheim’s theory, however, says that religion is very much a social aspect of life, and something can only be religious or “sacred” if it is something public (Durkheim 1965:52). Ultimately these theories do not give us an outright explanation about what ‘religion’ is, but there are aspects of the theory that can be used to gain an understanding or idea.

Sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) described religion as ‘a unified system of beliefs and practices (…) which unite into one single moral community called a Church’: for him, ‘the idea of religion is inseparable from that of the Church’ (Durkheim cited in Harvey, 2013, p. 8). This definition fits well with established religion in the past – a strong cohesive force within society, bounding its members together, most often centralised and institutionalised (as the Roman Catholic Church). By contrast, in our modern society, individual choices tend to be prevalent in religious matters, allowing people to freely shift their religious affiliation or even build up their own spirituality – a trend sometimes labelled ‘the privatisation of religion’. People are increasingly

Russell McCutcheon urges terms like “religion” and “religious” should not be used by scholars when referring to the study of religion. McCutcheon even suggests these words should be abandoned and removed from our vocabulary all together. He claims studying social sciences like anthropology, sociology, and psychology and using appropriate terminology will lead to a more accurate understanding of why we as humans are religious and how our religion ultimately affects our behaviors. Feuerbach, Marx, and Nietzsche all suspect the study of religion is not about God at all, but rather the people who believe or do not believe in God. In this essay, I will elaborate on the similar yet completely different ideologies of Feuerbach, Marx, and Nietzsche and compare them to the argument made by McCutcheon.

In an application to religion, the followers of the religion worship the best attributes of society that they want to see in themselves. I find this analysis of religion fascinating. Religion is the most complex human social behavior. There does not seem to be any real function to the worship of other worldly beings or some sore of supernatural force. Through Durkheim, I am able to understand the function of these behaviors. This is the most important and valuable aspect of Durkheim’s work. While many scholars had focussed on the individual function of religion, Durkheim looked to the true nature of religion as a societal act. Religion, in most cases, is a communal and social behavior that serves as a way to bring human beings together for what they believe to be a purpose greater than themselves. Durkheim is able to shed light on the purpose of these communal behaviors and the importance of them to the tribal nature of humanity.

According to author Randall Collins, Emile Durkheim has been deemed sociologies most famous representative (Collins, The Durkheimian Tradition, 211.) The Durkeimian Tradition is “sociology’s most original and unusual set of ideas but revolutionary in the same sense ” (Collins, 211). Durkheim contributed an insightful view on the role of religion and how “God is the symbol of the society and its moral power over individuals” (Collins, 211.) By proving that “religion is the moral foundation of society” simply shows the dire need of religion in order to live. As a result of following any religion comes a consistent ritual, no matter what steps it consists of and a link to social interaction. According to Durkheim, rituals are instrumental in the process of providing concepts or ideas that directly echo the structure of society (Collins, 212.) Durkeim’s original beliefs still apply to the structure of society today. Though it may not be solely focused on religion, people identify themselves within other social groups. I myself identify to be apart of a social group with my involvement in the women’s basketball team at Hofstra. Like other student-athletes, there is an obvious distinction of athletes around campus and noticeable segregation between athletes and regular students. Durkheim discussed rituals that took place amongst those who followed a religion, and like that social group; my team performs

Secularisation is defined as the process of social and cultural rejection of religious traditions by separating the state from the church. In the UK this process has notably increased since the beginning of the 21st century, but it is arguable whether it has significantly impacted the church negatively or positively. Therefore, this essay will examine the impacts secularisation has had on the Christian Church in the UK, and assess whether the impacts are harmful to the church, and religion or beneficial. Although the UK is historically associated with the Christian church, the 2011 census data shows that the number of individuals associating themselves with the faith has decreased from 79% in 2001 to 59% (Census Data, 2011). This is possibly because Christianity is deeply rooted in an old culture, which has had its roots torn up (Brown, A. 2015), due to the increasingly accepting society of the modern day. As a result of secularisation, and the progressively modernising world, the church’s customs will be challenged, causing them to consider whether their traditional beliefs are relevant in modern civilization. Consequently, this essay will analyse the lessons modern believers, and the church can learn from secularists, and from the development of secularisation.

The concept of religion is a vastly complex and broad idea that many social theorists have tried to define over the course of history. Emile Durkheim and William James are two main theorists whose research has had a significant effect on how religion is viewed by many today. Although Durkheim and James are on different sides of the spectrum when it comes to their explanations of the role of religion in society and in the individual, there are also many similarities that arise between their findings.

A religion can be seen as a unified system of beliefs and practices which are relative to sacred things and beliefs (Giddens 1972, p.224). It can shape ones thoughts and feelings and gives people a sense of hope and something to believe in. All three main sociologist writers Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim offer different perspectives on religion and how important it is to society. Some of the theorists chose to have a positive view whilst others argue the unimportance of religion. This essay attempts to discover which theorist has the most accurate perspective of religion in modern times. This is done by firstly explaining the basic ideas regarding to religion put forward by Marx, Weber and Durkheim. Then both Marx's and

Emile Durkheim is a sociologist, born 1858 in northeastern France. As a young boy he was also, strongly affected by a schoolteacher who was Romance Catholic. The influence by the school teacher may have contributed something to his general interest in religious endeavors but they did not make him a believer (86). Durkheim spent much of his academic career studying religions, especially those of small societies. The toteism, or primitive kinship system of Australian aborigines, primarily interested him (98). This research formed the basis of Durkheim 's 1921 book, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, a well know book on the sociology of religion. Durkheim viewed religion with the context of the entire society and acknowledged societies influences of thinking and behaviors by the members