The Elementary Forms of the Religions Life,is most important, fourth major sociological work of Durkheim, It was written between 1902 and 1911 and published in 1912. This work is often regarded as the most profound and original writings of Durkheim. This text is second-hand” study of the religion of Australian aborigines. Durkheim never went to Australia but uses the studies of those who has investigated these tribes first hand, with some extra evidence from studies of native However, this study is based on the description and detailed analysis of the clan system and totemic present in the Arena tribe of Australian aborigines. He assumed that all the essential aspects of religious life would be visible in the simplest religious forms and the most simple was totemic, found in societies closest to “the beginning of evolution”. In fact, Emile Durkheim presented what is probably the most influence interpretation of religion from a functionalist perspective. Durkheim began with a reputation of the reigning theories the origin of religion. Tyler of animism, i.e., spirit worship expression. Max Mueller put forth the concept of naturism, i.c., the worship of nature’s forces.
Durkheim made an observation on his theory of religion that throughout history worshipped any other reality, whether in the form of the totem or of God, than the collective social reality transfigured by faith. In fact, Buddhism and Confucianism recognise as well as Spencer supported the notion as the most basic form of religious men have never no central god or deity.
Basic Purpose of the Work:
The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life has five central aims: The first is to study primitive religion and explain its basic structure. This, Durkheim believed, would lead to an understanding of religion and the religious nature of society.
The second aim, according to Durkheim, is to arrive at an understanding of contemporary religions by going back to the most primitive. He believed that only by going back to the earliest religious institutions can we understand the nature of religious life.
The third aim of the study is to undertake an examination of religion from the perspective of positive science. This is based on the rejection of earlier views on religion, i.e., animism and naturism. This, he thought, leads to the discovery of most elementary forms of religious life.
The fourth aim of the study is to look of the relationship between religious ideas and organisation of bodies of knowledge and systems of classification.
Finally, the fifth aim is to demonstrate that, when reduced to its basic elements, religion is nothing more than the expression of society consecrated.
Origin of Religion:
Durkheim rejects, “animism” of Tylor and Spencer and “naturism” of Max Mueller as explanation of the origin of religion. Both these theories, according to Durkheim do not explain the distinction between the sacred and the profane. Religion is not a mystery, it is not belief in transcendental God, it is not an illusion. Throughout history any other reality than the collective social reality transfigured by faith and called God.
Durkheim explain the origin of religion with reference to totemism,’ an example of which he points out among the Australian tribes. He writes, “Totemism is the religion, not of certain animals or of certain men or of certain images, but of a kind of anonymous and impersonal force which is found in each of these beings, without, however, being identified with any one of them. None possesses it entirely, and all participate in it.
So independent is it of the particular subjects in which it is embodied that it precedes them just as it is adequate to them. Individuals die, generations pass away and are replaced by others. But this force remains over present, living and true to itself. It quickens today’s generation just as it quickened yesterday’s and as it will quicken tomorrow’s. Taking the word in a very broad sense, one ; but it is an impersonal God, without a name, without a history, abiding in the world, diffused in a countless multitude of things.” The definition of religion at which Durkheim arrives is: “A religion is an system of beliefs and practices regarding things which are sacred, that is to say, apart, forbidden, beliefs and practices which unite all those who follow them in a single moral community called a church.” Contrasting the true science of religion, as he calls his theory, to pseudo-sciences or the theories of animism and naturalism.
Durkheim points out, “It is inadmissible that systems of ideas like religion which have turned in all ages for the energy they need to live, should be mere tissues of illusion. It is commonly recognized today that law, morality, scientific thought itself are born of religion, have long been identified with religion, and have remained imbued her spirit. How could a vain phantasmagoria have fashioned human consciousness so firmly, so enduringly? Assuredly, it must be a principle for the science of religions that religion expresses nothing that is not in nature, for every science is concerned with natural phenomena.
Central Theme of Theory of Religion In the search of definition and central them of religion , Durkheim paid his attention on two central parts or elementary forms.
First ,he said that all religions can be defined in terms of a system of beliefs and rites .Beliefs refer to a set ideas and attitude held in relation to sacred things , whereas rites are defined as a system of action which is developed toward religions things or abject second is that all religions can be defined in terms of their tendency to divide the world into two kinds of phenomena , the sacred and _the profane .This division of the world “into two domains ,the one containing all that is sacred, the other all that is profane ,is the. Most distinctive trait of religious life.
Sacred and profane
The division between sacred and profane is the central principles of the social theory of religion and , in fact it is the most distinctive element of religious life .Durkheim believed that the sacred and profane forms the basis of religious life The sacred to things huaman beings set apart , including religious beliefs rites ,deities or anything’ socially defined as requiring special religious treatment .participation in the sacred order, such as in rituals and ceremonies gives a special prestige ,illustrating one of the social functions of religion ,” in this context , Ritzer puts it Durkheim concluded that society is the source of all religion .Society (through individuals) certain phenomena as sacred and others as profane. Those aspect of social reality that are defined as sacred – that are set apart and deemed forbidden -form the essence of religion .The rest are defined as profane – the everyday .The commonplace ,the utilitarian ,the mundane aspect of life .The sacred brings out an attitude of reverence respect ,mystery ,awe, and honour . The respect accorded to certain phenomena transform them the profane to the sacred ,In fact profane ,according to Durkheim ,is considered to be opposite to the sacred .In this respect ,the profane is something subordinated in dignity to the sacred which has the capacity to Contaminate the sacred and to this extent the sacred and profane are linked together .
Durkheim, mainly , outlined six characteristics of the sacred and the profane.
First , the sacred is always separated form all other objects and therefore constitutes things set apart.
Second ,a system of rotes and social practices arises which sets out how the sacred is to be approached and how members of the group are to conduct themselves in the presence of the sacred abject ,
Third ,sacred things are things protected by introductions which have the force of prohibition or taboos acting to product and isolate the sacred .
Fourth. sacred things are segregated form profane things and are thought to be superior in dignity .
Firth the sacred and natural form the spiritual world and in this way provides society with a model of opposites such as good and evil , clean and dirty ,holy and defiled and so on ,
Sixth, passage from the profane to the – sacred must be accompanied by rites which are thought to transform one state into the other through rituals of initiation or rebirth .
To give specific definition of religion, durkheim believed that three condition are assential for the development of religion .First there must be the development of a set of religious beliefs .These beliefs are ,the representation which express the nature of sacred things and the relation which they sustain , a either with each other or with profane things “ second a set of religious rites are necessary .These are the rules of conduct which prescribe how a man should comport himself in the presence of these sacred objects “ finally , a religion require a church .Or a single sacred ,beliefs rites and church led Durkheim to the following definition of a religion “ A religion is a unified system of beliefs and forbidden beliefs and prasticeswhich unite into one single moral community’ called a church ,all those who adhere to them . Let us now see how Durkheim grapples with the understanding of elementary forms by considering the institution of lotemism which forms the central part of the study.