Modern Democracy as the Cult of the Individual: Durkheim on religious coexistence and conflict
After the demise of Christianity, Western society did not become secular, according to Emile Durkheim, but located foundations in a new religion he calls the "cult of the individual." This religion holds the rational individual person as sacred, and corresponds to a multi-faceted, complex,...
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| Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Lade...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Veröffentlicht: |
Sage
[2019]
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| In: |
Critical research on religion
Jahr: 2019, Band: 7, Heft: 3, Seiten: 292-311 |
| normierte Schlagwort(-folgen): | B
Durkheim, Émile 1858-1917
/ Westliche Welt
/ Demokratie
/ Individualismus
/ Religion
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| RelBib Classification: | AD Religionssoziologie; Religionspolitik VA Philosophie ZC Politik |
| weitere Schlagwörter: | B
Multiculturalism
B Morality B Death of God B Democratic theory B Political Liberalism B Religious Pluralism |
| Online Zugang: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Zusammenfassung: | After the demise of Christianity, Western society did not become secular, according to Emile Durkheim, but located foundations in a new religion he calls the "cult of the individual." This religion holds the rational individual person as sacred, and corresponds to a multi-faceted, complex, and diverse society united around individual democratic rights and modern science. Different traditional religions can co-exist in the cult of the individual, but only if they accept a subordinate status in relation to it. Durkheim maintains, however, that all religions construct authoritative regimes of truth and moral obligations, setting the stage for conflict. How then should modern democracies respond to challenges to their authority from traditional religions? This article argues that a Durkheimian response would be to assert the values of the cult of the individual, as this is the only way to maintain the integrity and viability of Western democratic society. |
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| ISSN: | 2050-3040 |
| Enthält: | Enthalten in: Critical research on religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/2050303218823069 |