Open AccessDurkheim and the Social Functions of Sacred Music
Author(s) -
Jonathan L Friedman
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
axis mundi
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1496-2578
DOI - 10.29173/axismundi79
Subject(s) - worship , sacred music , sociology , discipline , aesthetics , epistemology , social science , art , visual arts , philosophy , theology , musical
It is the purpose of this paper to present a social-theoretical approach to sacred song. In particular, I will apply sociologist Émile Durkheim’s discussion of ceremonial ritual to the use of music in worship, focusing on how such music serves disciplinary, cohesive, revitalizing, and euphoric functions. It is my hope that such an analysis will yield a useful framework from which to address the oft-neglected topic of the social functions of sacred music.