BA, LLB (Sociology)

Durkheim’s Sacred and Profane

ALKA ASTHANA
IASCA principal, Education
Durkheim’s religious concept preaches how one can differentiate between sacred
and profane. Both are closely linked to an extent that differs amongst religions.
•Sacred refers to the representations that transcend the chores of daily life.
Profane, on the contrary, includes the everyday mundane and ordinary things,
such as jobs, profession, daily commute, etc.
•Emile Durkheim gave the sacred-profane dichotomy, religion being his central
characteristic.
•In his concept, religion was the practice of maintaining a distance and
distinguishing between sacred and profane.
•Its importance lies in the differentiation from profane, as sacred is extraordinary
and magnificent and can easily be contaminated by the unholy profane. Thus,
sacred, at all costs, should remain atop a pedestal that is excellent than any other
virtue.
Who was Durkheim?
•David Emile Durkheim was an eminent French sociologist. He was born on 15
April 1858.
•Earlier, he established the academic discipline of sociology.
•He is also referred to as one of the prime architects of modern social science,
sharing the platform with Karl Marx and Weber.
•He is said to be instrumental in laying the foundations of anthropology and
sociology.
•Much of his works were based on how the societies and groups could maintain
stability integrity. He also emphasised how communities could have harmony in
modernity.
•He was intensely preoccupied with the thought of accepting sociology as a
definitive branch of science.
•He believed that society should be studied on a large scale, and not just a few
individuals in different groups or communities.
•He remained a predominant force in the intellectual lives of French people. He
died in the year 1917.
What do you mean by sacred?
•Sacred, according to Durkheim, was something that was beyond the reach of
mortals. Sacred was supernatural, extraordinary, and in possession of
dangerous powers that could only be approached through prayers, rituals, rites,
etc.
•Anything and everything can be sacred until a community or society specifies
it. It can be an inanimate object, like a tree or a bare rock, or a living, breathing
organisms, like a person or an animal.
•Once identified as sacred, they become symbols of religious ideas, beliefs,
sentiments, and practices.
What do you mean by profane?
Profane is the mundane, unholy part. It should in no way cross the boundaries
of what is sacred or come into contact with it. It is believed to contaminate the
holy in some way or the other.
How can this idea be used to know and understand our society?
•Sacred refers to supernatural things beyond our control, forbidden and apart.
At the same time, profane includes things people encounter or use in their
lives.
•The realms of sacred and profane are mutually exclusive. According to
Durkheim, these religious rituals, beliefs, ideas, and notions brought together
people from different spheres of life. They also integrated and united them,
enhancing the mutual sharing of collective sentiments.
Transformation of Sacred-Profane to Secularism
•With the advent of science, secularism has increased to a vast extent. The
things and practices earlier considered religious and sacred do not fall under the
same category now. Blessed is no longer restricted to holy places like churches or
temples but has different meanings in each and everyone’s life.
•Morality was once a sacred virtue but has now been derailed by modern
society. People used to seek advice from them. Today, morality only exists as a
fact whether or not a person violates a particular ethical principle. Thus, its
definition has changed from person to person, rendering it more secular.
•At least people native to the West do not associate themselves with the sacred
and profane. They do not indulge themselves in rituals, beliefs, etc. Religious
ideologies fall under private practices, and knowledge, science, and rationalism
have taken over. These notions change amongst the masses. Hence, they come
under the sphere of secular.
How are they mutually exclusive, yet so closely linked?
•Anything becomes either sacred or profane depending upon the specific
community. A particular group or society identifies it to be so.
•Because of extreme emotional attitudes, they both are closely linked somehow.
•Sacred can never be questioned or by any means be challenged by the unholy
or profane. It rests on a fixed pedestal to the extent that it succeeds in covering
itself from profane.
•Any possible breach is thought to be sacrilegious, whose consequences are to
be faced after that.
Conclusion
•Sacred objects are the ones that have particular importance. They always ought
to be treated with respect.
•But it should be noted that they are not special intrinsically; instead, they are
made special by certain groups or communities.
•Profane, on the other is attached to no such unique or specific meanings by any
community.
•Durkheim’s concept of sacred and profane has contributed to understanding
religion from ancient, medieval to modern times.
•It also aids in paving a way to understand and know more about contemporary
society.