Durkheim Reading 1-3: Sacred/Profane, Religion vs Magic, and the Church
Sacred vs. Profane
Sacred: things set apart and forbidden; sacred objects can be rocks, trees, springs, buildings, or gods.
Profane: ordinary, everyday life.
The distinction is absolute and bipartite: two worlds that radically exclude each other.
Interactions between domains are guarded by prohibitions and initiation; the profane cannot freely touch the sacred without consequences.
Beliefs and Rites; Religion vs Magic
Beliefs: states of opinion, representations of the sacred world.
Rites: prescribed actions in the presence of sacred things.
The sacred requires a classification of all things into sacred vs profane; beliefs express this classification.
Magic vs religion: both have beliefs and rites, but magic seeks practical ends; religion is a collective, church-centered system.
Even in magic, beings and forces invoked can be the same as those of religion; the difference is the social context and aims.
The Sacred-Profane Distinction in Practice
Sacred things are those protected and isolated by interdictions; profane things are those to which interdictions apply.
The two classes cannot be fully reconciled; contact would threaten the sacred’s nature.
Yet some interaction is necessary for social life and ritual efficacy.
The Religious Ideas and the Notion of a Church
A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things.
These beliefs and practices unite adherents into one moral community called a Church.
The Church can be national, transnational, or expansive; it is defined by shared belief and collective practice.
Even private cults (family or corporate) are forms of a broader religious community.
The Nature and Scope of Sacred Things
Sacred objects are not limited to gods; natural items (rocks, trees, springs), houses, amulets, etc., can be sacred.
The circle of sacred things is variable and context-dependent across religions.
The gods themselves are projections of society; they are creations of collective representations.
Religion, Magic, and Community
Religion’s defining feature is its collective dimension: a group with a common faith and common rites.
Magic often lacks a binding public community; its practitioners may have a clientele rather than a unified church.
The social form of religion (the Church) is essential to its identity and power.
Durkheim’s Core Idea to Remember
Sacred vs. Profane is the central dichotomy of religious thought.
Beliefs express the nature of sacred things; rites prescribe conduct toward them.
Religion is a unified, collectively practiced system that creates and sustains a Church.