Week 1: Sacred and the Profane

In McDannell’s article, “Scrambling the sacred and the profane” (2012), Durkheim puts the sacred and the profane as opposite, and views a church as sacred space but one’s ordinary life to be profane. In Christianity one is supposed to live one's life as a Christian therefore how can the sacred and profane be considered separate? As McDannell writes, “the Puritan model preferred Christianity separated from home life, sexuality, economic exchange and fashion” (137). But Christianity usually enters home life, for example, when grace is said at dinner or prayers before bedtime. As McDannell points out the secular and religious have merged together in terms of economics, politics and business. Religion has arguably become a business and money is made through the broadcasting of church services on television to souvenirs sold at religious sites. Individuals have access to sacred spaces from the comfort of their own homes through the services being broadcasted. Therefore, the sacredness of a church service does not have to take place in a deemed sacred space. As religion is used as a tool for politics and serves as the foundation for arguing for or against a policy. For example, in the Presidential elections in the United States various politicians use religion as a source for not legalizing same-sex marriage and attempting to make abortion illegal. As a result, religion is infiltrated into the theoretical secular society of politics, business and everyday interactions through the use of the media.

 References:
 McDannell, C. 2012. "Scrambling the Sacred and the Profane." In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A Strhan. Eds. Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader. 135-146. London & New York: Routledge.

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