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‘Durkheim’s view that religion reinforces the conscience of society is more appropriate to an understanding of small non-literate societies than it is to modern diversified societies’
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| Submitted: Sun Dec 15 2002
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'Durkheim's view that religion reinforces the conscience of society is more appropriate to an understanding of small non-literate societies than it is to modern diversified societies' Durkheim said that religion was a 'unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, tat is to say, things set apart and forbidden - beliefs ad practices which unite into one single moral community called a church, all those who adhere to them'. This was the most useful and in-depth definition of religion, as it concentrates on religious practice and a central ingredient, it allows comparisons between societies to be made and it also does not question the truth of religious belief. Durkheim believed that social life was impossible without the shared values and moral beliefs, which together form the 'collective conscience'. He said if this did not exist there would be no social order, control, solidarity or cooperation. Therefore religion helps maintain society. Durkheim's...
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