Oskarele Perpetrated by classifications, by Usually, sometimes pretending to keep a purely descriptive character inventory, limited to sort the objects, people or their behavior. Actually the title and distinction of different classes or categories of rituals highlight the problems inherent to this subject. That is, the fact whether to classify the rites involves positioning. Let's see.
respect to the classification of the rites and rituals should be noted the figure of Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) as a true pioneer. This man was a French sociologist who formally established sociology as an academic discipline to be considered along with Karl Marx and Max Weber, one of the founding fathers that science. However, Durkheim, in his classic work "The Elementary Forms of Religious Life" (1912), compared the cultural lives of Aboriginal and modern societies, to attach great importance to the "ritual attitudes."
At one level, Durkheim distinguishes two distinct categories: the negative cult (consisting of taboos and prohibitions) and positive cult (which should be set as the relationship of individuals and the group to the sacred).
First, the negative cult, is to ensure separation between profane and sacred system bases its understanding of religious phenomena: "... All known religious beliefs, whether simple or complex, have an identical common feature: they account for a classification of things, real or ideal, that men are represented in two classes, in two opposite gender, usually designated by two terms defined the profane and sacred words translated fairly well "
Thus the negative cult makes clear what areas of activity of the sacred and the profane, avoiding any mixture" wicked or dangerous. " For this it uses taboos (absolutely banned objects and actions), prohibitions (negative rules) and separation of physical spaces (the vs Temple. the town, as two entirely separate worlds.)
other hand the positive cult has a different motivation: it regulates the relationship of individuals as such and as part of a collective. And this is where the ritual takes on its true importance, it is through rituals such as the individual breaks the boundary of the profane and the sacred, closer to their gods. Here is where Durkheim raises different kinds of rituals.
one hand would ascetic rituals, ranging from simple deprivation of food and human company to extreme body mutilation. Somehow these ascetic rites are related to another type, the sacrificial rites, the sacrifices of life, which constitute an act of renunciation on the one hand, but on the other also delivers an offering and communion.
Then would the imitative rites, which are based on the principle that like produces like, approaching what some call "sympathetic magic." Here are the typical practices of representation (eg the host of the Catholics, who "is" the flesh of Christ), invocation (eg the cult images of the Virgin) and enchantment.
representative commemorative rites offer an enormously wide range, from the feasts (the anniversary of divine apparitions, ancestor worship), held in sacred places, to the most popular festivals, with a strong element of play, but always with a ritual background and social cohesion.
But there are also the sacrificial rites, in sharp contrast to the holidays, as highlighted by the sad memorial (funeral ceremonies, mourning, atonement for sins).
Durkheim, despite concentrating its analysis on the religious moves, explicitly recognizes the existence of secular rituals, especially mass rituals (parades, games, shows ...)
As we said at the beginning of this little article, the fact itself to classify something implies a subjective point of the binder. For Durkheim this is the fundamental idea of \u200b\u200bseparation between the profane and the sacred, and structured around this type of ritual. However
Is this really so? Is there really this dualistic separation between secular and sacred world as religious systems?
one hand it is clear that yes, all religions believe that there are things, beings or sacred entities, which by their very nature are different and separate from things profane beings or entities. But on the other hand, we must bear in mind two important things: the "contamination" mutual between the sacred and the profane and the existence Midwayer (or intermediaries).
The sacred and the profane are two opposing and antagonistic categories provided they are not in direct contact between them. This is evidenced by the number of prohibitions that limit the access of each other's field. For example, the Greek heroes were many demigods, children of a god with a human, as human being (and therefore secular), but with some characteristics of their parents divine and sacred. Another example would be the Sancta Sanctorum of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, the holiest site for Jews, who were totally forbidden to enter those who do not belong to the priesthood (even within these a few have real access, the higher hierarchies, the high priests). If anyone could think of was severely reprimanded stepped on, and this is important, it was necessary to purify the temple back to the risk that had been contaminated by the profane.
So we know that, first, the sacred and the profane, as the concept of Durkheim, are two antithetical heterogeneous categories, but, on the other hand, need not always be, that is, the sacred can profane become contaminated if something profane and vice versa. For example
holy water of the churches is neither more nor less than, commonly speaking, water tap, profane, becomes sacred by the action of divinity. The same applies to the consecrated host.
Another important French sociologist Jean Cazeneuve (1915-2005), specializing in issues of social communications, the author of works such as "Sociology of broadcasting" (1969), "The Power of Television" (1970) and " mass communications "(1977), also provided interesting classification of rituals.
The author begins with the idea that man is subject to an ongoing struggle: the conflict between his sense of freedom and the threats it is subjected in his life (both metaphysical and physical). So one side wants the most freedom and independence, but on the other, is subject to rules and laws, intended to perpetuate a modus vivendi.
would be basically the eternal conflict between individual and collective, between the part and whole.
Well, Cazeneuve, proposed that the ritual is closely related to this problem, providing three possible solutions (it being understood, therefore, that this author classifies the function as social rituals that have):
1. ; First help ease the anguish and risks associated with everything that is beyond your everything that is not up to us as individuals. So the rites on the one hand would provide preservation of the system (giving peace to the individual), by taboos. On the other side would contribute to pollution purification of evil (understood as something metaphysical) and, above all, preparing for the future through the famous rites of passage.
2. On the other hand, rituals help to seek power through contacts with the supernatural, but at the expense of security, as happens, for example, rites linked to magic or witchcraft This practice requires the use of unclean or disgusting objects (bones, carcasses, droppings), violation of taboos (murder, incest, violence) and above all, the intervention of "special characters", more often evil (devils, demons) than good (tutelary spirits, guardian angels)
3. ; Finally, the ritual can take aim at a divinity transcendent, supreme, that allows man to participate in its essence, separating the sacred from the profane, and even judiciously regulate everyday life. In this role would be all systems of religious rituals, which also split between negative (prohibited substances, fasts, testing initiation) and positive (prayer, offerings, communion)
Personally I think the most appropriate classification, and with which we work ourselves, it is much simpler than that provided by Durkheim or Cazeneuve. Basically I think the most appropriate division, and in fact the most widespread, although with some differences, which classifies the rituals around their relationship or not "supernatural" because it is a god, a spirit or voice ancestors.
So only two groups have rituals, magical-religious rituals (with goals of significance and approach to the deity) and secular rituals (more focused social cohesion and everyday life).
around these two groups we will discuss the different types of human rituals, its contribution to society and the individual as well as the symbolic level underneath.
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