Durkheim concluded that

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Durkheim believed that religion serves as a unifying force for society, and that the gods or spirits that people worship are really just representations of the collective beliefs, values, and norms of their society. In other words, the 'something out there' that people worship is society itself. This idea is known as 'collective effervescence.' Durkheim did not consider religion to be inherently disruptive or a tool used by those in power to control the masses, so options A and D are incorrect. Option C may be true for some religious believers, but it was not Durkheim's primary argument about the nature of religion.

Durkheim Concluded That