Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Transpersonal Studies
Volume 32 | Issue 2 Article 7
7-1-2013
Recommended Citation
Greenwood, S. F. (2013). Greenwood, S. F. (2013). Emile Durkheim and C. G. Jung: Structuring a transpersonal sociology of religion.
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 32(2), 42–52.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 32 (2). http://dx.doi.org/
10.24972/ijts.2013.32.2.42
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
This Special Topic Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals and Newsletters at Digital Commons @ CIIS. It has been accepted
for inclusion in International Journal of Transpersonal Studies by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CIIS. For more information,
please contact digitalcommons@ciis.edu.
Emile Durkheim and C. G. Jung:
Structuring a Transpersonal Sociology of Religion
[Article originally appeared in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1990, 29(4), 482-495.]
T
he works of Emile Durkheim and C. G. Jung thinkers seek to explain the social and psychological
and commentary upon their writing comprise manifestations of religion, Durkheim through the
a significant body of knowledge in sociology collective consciousness and collective representations,
and psychology. Since both theorists deal with diverse and Jung through the collective unconscious and the
topics, the intra- and inter-unifying significance of archetypes. Their systems contain striking structural
religion throughout their works does not immediately similarities noted by only a few scholars (Guala, 1970;
manifest itself. Yet religion is of paramount concern for Meštrović, 1985, 1988c; Progoff, 1953; Staude, 1976).
both Durkheim and Jung (Pickering, 1984; Wehr, 1985/ To date no detailed textual analysis exists with which
1987). to substantiate the relationship between Durkheim’s
Religion, writes Durkheim (1893/1984), is an and Jung’s ideas. This approach holds the potential for
“outstanding form” (p. 227) of the collective consciousness.1 opening new theoretical applications in the sociology of
The collective consciousness contains sacred religious religion.
beliefs, or collective representations, and binds societies In suggesting the broad outlines of a proposed
together through publicly acknowledged symbols and synthesis, as well as its practical applications, I present
rites. The sacred thus represents that which is socially here: 1) a literature review of scholars who have analyzed
acceptable in religion. both Durkheim and Jung; 2) a discussion of Durkheim’s
In counterpoint, Jung (1921/1974) writes that and Jung’s biographies and common intellectual
religion symbolizes an “inward movement of the libido milieu to reveal some significant socio-cultural
into the unconscious” (para. 423). To forget the gods affinities; 3) a comparative analysis of Durkhem’s and
means to risk ignoring the archetypal forces of the Jung’s theories, which show a remarkable but little-
collective unconscious (1928/1966, para. 163). Religion recognized congruence of religious thought stemming
thus implies a “‘careful consideration’ of unknown from the philosophy of Schopenhauer; and 4) a basis
dangers and agencies” (para. 164). Acknowledgment for structuring a transpersonal sociology of religion.
of both conscious and unconscious elements becomes “Transpersonal” refers to a simultaneously objective and
a means of psychological salvation, a private religious subjective awareness and will be defined more fully later.
realization (1921/1974, para. 326). A major feature of the present analysis is
The sociology of Durkheim and the psychology an emphasis on the socio-cultural context in which
of Jung thus present respectively public and private Durkheim and Jung wrote. Intellectual concerns at the
approaches to religion. These approaches offer turn of the century focused on representationalism and
comprehensive and complementary systems as both on the concept of the unconscious (Meštrović, 1988c,
42 Studies, 32(2), 2013, pp. 42-52
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Greenwood
p. 94), often ignored in many analyses of Durkheim Meštrović’s (1987) presentation of Marcel Mauss’s “‘total’
and Jung. The aim of this essay is to identify affinities social fact as a phenomenon that includes the sociological,
in Durkheim’s and Jung’s approaches based on reading psychological, and physiological dimensions . . .
their works in proper historical context. simultaneously” (p. 567), I suggest that a transpersonal
The Work to Date perspective implies that religion should be experienced