With reference to at least one work written by Emile Durheim, asses Essay

With reference to at least one work written by Emile Durheim, asses his perspective on rituals. You may also discuss Durkheims view on the relationship between - Essay Example As Durkheim was a sociologist, it is unsurprising that he chose to see religion in terms of its effects upon the social order. â€Å"God is society, writ large†, as he suggests, or: He sees the people’s conceptions of ideas such as the religious and supernatural worlds as directly related to their social order. The purpose of rituals, the main focus of his work, is to divide the supernatural or sacred world from the mundane or profane one. In considering how Durkheim connected an inner religious life to an outer social life, it is necessary to explore his understanding of ritual, and the role of this in creating a social order. This essay will examine Durkheim’s theory of ritual, beginning with an explanation of the two forms of Social Phenomena which he described as acting within religion; symbol and ritual. This will then extend into a closer consideration of the three systems of ritual which Durkheim considered important: positive rites, negative rites, and rites of Expiation. After a brief examination of the differences between Marx, Weber and Durkheim, an example of ritual which helps to illustrate Durkheim’s point will be discussed, followed by a conclusion in which all the separate parts of the essay are drawn together to provide a complete explanation of his perspective on ritual, and modern applications of Durkheim’s theory is also considered. As described above, these two kinds of social phenomena directly relate to the process of ritual; other forms of social phenomena are not included here. While these two social phenomena are described separately, they are, of course, intimately connected, both in religious terms and also in the wider sphere of social relations. No matter how the terms relate to each other or the environment, Durkheim’s ideas of their importance helped to create his theory of ritual and social connection. Durkheim considered religion to consist of three elements; belief