Jennifer Christenson, Richard H. Jackson, Geography
My research during the last year can be divided into four general categories: the history and state of the Russian Orthodox Church today; the current geography, or spatial distributions, of religions in Russia; non-traditional religions in Russia; and finally, Russia’s 1997 religion bill On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations. I chose these particular areas of focus because they will assist me in making final conclusions about the role of religion in post-Soviet Russia as I study and live in Russia during the Fall 1998 Semester. This paper will summarize my findings in each area and then explain what I plan to do with the gathered information.
The Russian Orthodox Church
Orthodox Christianity has been a major influence in Russia for more than a millennium. However, the effects of seven decades of repressive, atheistic Soviet rule have been drastic and some scholars are rather pessimistic about the future of the Church. Although the number of parishes has doubled since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and hundreds of churches and other buildings are being restored, the Russian Orthodox Church suffers from a lack of resources and money, shortages of properly trained clergy, and the “religious apathy” of much of the population.1 Schisms and breakaway factions further weaken the Moscow Patriarchate. Some documents claim up to 85% of Russia’s population profess to be Russian Orthodox, while other polls state that about 35-40% of the population is Orthodox Christian. The wide range in statistics can probably be accounted for by the fact that many Russian citizens may say they are Orthodox (due to heritage or nationalism) even though they rarely, if ever, attend church services and know little about Orthodox doctrine. Davis predicts that “about 1% of the traditional Orthodox in the former USSR actually attend services in any given non-holiday week.”2
Geography of Religions in Russia
In general, traditional religions (those existing in Russia before 1917) are located today in the same places they were found before the Communist era. It is not too surprising that the Russian Orthodox, Catholic, and other traditional religions have rebuilt and regenerated in the same places. On the other hand, non-traditional religions (those that have appeared in Russia since 1990) are finding the most success where traditional religions are not as strong. Krindatch states that “non-traditional religions seek to fill the ‘religious vacuum’ deriving from the lack of religious infrastructure in the peripheral regions of Russia.”3 Although many non-traditional religions first started proselytizing in Russia’s major urban centers–St. Petersburg and Moscow–most have found greater success (i.e. higher conversion rates) in areas such as Western Siberia and the Eastern Seaboard where traditional religions are not as historically significant.
Non-Traditional Religions
Since approximately 1990, a great number of non-traditional religions have entered Russia including Eastern faiths like Bahaism and Hare Krishna, Western sects such as Presbyterianism, Methodism, and the LDS church, and many, many more. Non-traditional religions have in common the fact that they have spread through Russia due to extensive missionary work, often by foreign missionaries. Many non-traditional religions are particularly attractive to Russians today because they provide social stability in unstable times. For example, the LDS church provides Sunday school and frequent family-based social activities which the more impersonal Russian Orthodox Church does not. Although many non-traditional religions have enjoyed rapid growth in Russia, they also face many obstacles including Russia’s new religious legislation.
On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations Russia’s recent religious legislation, passed in October 1997, has caused a great deal of controversy throughout Russia and around the world. The bill divides religions into several categories: “(1) ‘Fifty Year’ organizations that have been officially registered as centralized organizations for 50 years and possess full rights, including the right to use the word ‘Russia’ or ‘Russian’ in their official names; (2) ‘Fifteen Year’ organizations that can show they [have] existed for 15 years in Russia and possess full rights under the law; and (3) ‘Newer’ organizations that are currently registered but cannot prove 15 years of existence in Russia, which face annual reregistration and regulatory burdens and have limited rights under the law.”4 The hierarchical nature of the legislation has alarmed religious freedom watch groups who assert that the bill overly favors the Russian Orthodox Church while limiting rights of many non-traditional religions, particularly Orthodox break-away factions.
Putting it All Together
This research project is far from over. The researching, reading, and interviewing I have completed in the last eight months have been in preparation for upcoming experiences I will have during the 1998 Fall semester. During my four months in Voronezh, Russia, I will use the information I have already learned about the state of religion in Russia to form my own first-hand conclusions about the role of religion in today’s Russian society. I will do this by observing and interviewing Russian families and individuals that I will come in contact with. I plan to visit several Russian Orthodox services and regularly attend meetings of the LDS branch in Voronezh, making close observations about the similarities and differences between the kinds of people and activities that exist in each church. I hope to be able to talk with clergy, missionaries, and members from several different religious groups. From these observations and interviews, I will make some final conclusions about the role of religion in Russia today. I believe that understanding the religious trends current in today’s Russian society will greatly enhance my comprehension of Russian culture as a whole.
References
- Davis, N. (1995). A long walk to church: A contemporary history of Russian Orthodoxy. San Francisco: Westview Press, page 114. Ibid, page 197.
- Krindatch, A. (1997). “Creation of a new religious space in post-Soviet Russia after the breakup of the USSR.” Speech presented at annual meeting of American Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, San Diego, November 1997.
- Homer, L. B. (1997). The new Russian law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations. [online]. Available: http://www.law.byu.edu./ASCL/5decllt.html. [1998, May 23]