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LINK Religion is Society that Worships Itself: Durkheim and Political Secularism - MJPS

FTA: Durkheim argued that because religion arises from such practical causes it cannot fully disappear if these causes remain. As explained above, religion is an inherent feature of human collectivities. This means that even if the social traction of science and philosophy, which often undermine religious doctrines, increase, religious sentiments are not bound to disappear. They may change in character, but religious feelings are characteristic of any human society, thereby negating the possibility of complete secularism.

zblaze 7 Dec 18
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Some sense of community, refuge, transcendence and shared ritual tends to naturally arise from group interaction, but people are increasingly aware that a sense of awe and wonder doesn't require a deity to explain it or a ritualistic tradition to engender it. It is possible to have and share such experiences in a completely secular context. I've seen it happen.

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I don't know that Durkheim would have reached that conclusion, I think he would have more said that as long as you have social institutions in need of cohesion, you will have religion, even if it is a civil religion.

Orbit Level 7 Dec 18, 2018
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