Related Terms • religion

Definition:
A totem is some animal, plant, or other natural event which is associated with a particular tribal group. Members of this group relate not only their origins with their totem, but also their eventual fate and welfare. The term totem comes from the language of the Ojibwa of Canada. Their word dotem/oteman means "he is a relative of mine."

For some scholars of religion, like Durkheim, totems were regarded as symbolic of the nature of all religions, even those which did not use them overtly. The term "totemism" was created to designate those religious practices and beliefs which are directly related to identification of a particular totem object.

Other religious scholars, like Levi-Strauss, argued that totemism does not really explain the early development of religion. Indeed, according to Levi-Strauss the concept of totems does not properly belong in the domain of religion at all. Under this view, totems are symbols which mediate social relations by forming categories of social thought and relationships.

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What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.