The generic notion of “religion” and its conceptual demarcation from “the secular” have been critically examined by a number of scholars from the “critical religion” perspective. The interrogation of the term “religion,” and other related terms, questions modern formations of knowledge and power in general. This paper constitutes part of the project which examines norms and imperatives which govern sociological discourse on religion. Max Weber and Emile Durkheim are particularly significant figures in sociology of religion. The aim of this paper is to historicize the category “religion” (and its opposition “the secular”) employed by Weber and Durkheim, in the specific social context of Germany and France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It hopes to contribute to a greater understanding of the ideological foundation of sociological theories of religion.

中文翻译：

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社会学理论中“宗教”范畴的历史化：马克斯·韦伯和埃米尔·涂尔干

“宗教”和“世俗”的概念界定的一般的概念已经从“批判宗教”的观点一些学者被严格审查。一词的审讯“宗教”和其他相关方面，问题一般知识和力量的现代化编队。本文构成了检验规范和必要性支配宗教社会学话语项目的一部分。马克斯·韦伯和涂尔干在宗教社会学特别显著数字。本文的目的是历史化韦伯和涂尔干所采用的类别“宗教”（和反对“世俗”），在19世纪末和20世纪初德国和法国的特定的社会背景。