Who are the Future Priests?

From the Carol Cosman's introduction to Emile Durkheim's The Elementary Forms of Religious Life:

"Durkheim believed--or hoped--that scientists in the future, especially the social scientists, would substantially ameliorate our social policies and institutional arrangements by leading them toward social justice and economic stability. Indeed, scientists and educators would be come something like our future priests: sacred figures leading us toward a genuine humanism--the religion of humanity. This development would entail, among other things, translating the moral treasures of religious traditions into a rational, secular language."