Is totemism a religion? An analysis of Emile Durkheim's view of totemism in 'The Elementary Forms of Religion'

Defining what constitutes a theology is a difficult, if non an impossible quest. However, out confront determining whether or non certain belief-systems and/or ritualized practices worry out be considered a righteousness, a comment is imperative. For our purposes, I am going to wont the extremely elementary definition from Websters stark naked mental lexicon , A system of trust and worship. In The mere(a) Forms of Religion, Emile Durkheim, a french Sociologist from the 19th Century, examines totemism in an cause to remove universals between any religions. Durkheim sets his focus on Australian totemism, because it is the nigh primitive kitchen-gardening with the most(prenominal) resources available. From Durkheims perspective, the basis of totemism is to create perdurable societal bonds. Totemic tribes atomic number 18 as sifted into clans whose unity results not from kinship, but from the religious descent between the members. From Durkheims perspective, the totemism in this glossiness is based on the unutterable relationships developed by the clans members in addition to some totemic unit, which is usually a fuzee or animals species coarse to the argona. If an correct society is based more or less its sacred ritualized practices, it is only fairish to consider those ritualized beliefs and practices as constituting a religion.

Thus, the concrete question is, tooshie a society whose spiritism is based on kinship, and whose head of sacred lies only in the ties within the clan and not on a interminable or gods of some sort be considered a religion? The answer to this question is yes. Although totemic practices may not be familiar to many Westerners, when real speculation is given to non-homogeneous totemic religions, it is easy to see the complexity that underlies many forms of totemism. In addition, when looking at at the religions that are common to us Westerners, can we really argue that our common religions are more... If you want to birth a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay

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