On Forthcoming Perspectives of Solidarity: Religion and Morality in E. Durkheim’ Social Theory

Abstract

Usually religion is placed at the center of Emile Durkheim’ theory as it performs the function of solidarity production and maintenance within a community. However, this way of perception of durkheimian conception gets useless regarding present reality because today religion hardly remains the common element of the social life for individuals living together. In «Elementary forms of religious life...» (1912). Durkheim quite superficially touches upon the topic of solidarity in contemporary society, but the reader has every reason to believe that durkheimian theory implies the upgrade of the fundamental bases and solidarity mechanisms. This article proposes to rebuild durkheimian social theory in order to demonstrate the continuity between religion and morality, as Durkheim supposes. Key to successful shift in emphasis from religion to morality is a return to the very key category of «sacred». Sacred is viewed as an integral part of the religious system which is true, but not comprehensive. The interpretation of «sacred» via «religious» overshadows an important fact, that the first one is a generator for the latter. This weighty remark allows us to take the next step and say that just as for religious system of representations, sacred becomes the basis of morality. Here and now the author undertakes an attempt to release the category of «sacred» from a strict religious interpretation, traces the line of functional continuity between religion and morality and reveals a new perspective on the mechanisms of solidarity in contemporary society.

Keywords

• Durkheim
• solidarity
• sacred
• morality
• religion
• moral community