What were Emile Durkheim's ideas on religion for society?

Question

What were Emile Durkheim's ideas on religion for society?

Answer 1

He said "God is society," and that religion as more a social than an individual phenomenon. It was the individual’s way of becoming recognizable within an established society.

Durkheim condensed religion into four major functions:

   1. Disciplinary, forcing or administrating discipline

   2. Cohesive, bringing people together, a strong bond

   3. Vitalizing, to make more lively or vigorous, vitalise, boost spirit

   4. Euphoric, a good feeling, happiness, confidence, well-being