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| Religion Forum Index » Christian Forum - General Discussion » Russian Orthodoxy: ethnic or religious identity?... |
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| Steve Hayes... |
 Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:31 pm |
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Russian Orthodoxy: ethnic or religious identity?
A survey finds that 72.6% of the inhabitants in the Federation consider
themselves Orthodox, but only 3% of them go to church every week. For Prof.
Filipp, professor of history of the Church of Moscow state university, the
data highlights the need for adequate training of religious leaders of all
denominations present in the Federation.
Berlin (AsiaNews / Agencies) - "I am Russian and so I am Orthodox." The
sociologist Natalia Zorkaia, from the NGO Levada Center, thus summarizes the
results of research conducted among the population of the Federation entitled
"Religion and Religiosity in Russia." It notes that over 72% of people claim
to be Orthodox, but only 3% go to church at least once a week. A high
percentage loosely follows the precepts of their faith.
The research, commissioned by the Catholic organisation Renovabis, was born of
a desire to "observe the return of the religious phenomenon in Eastern Europe
and nothing more," says Christopher Dam representative of the organisation
that is based in Berlin. Zorkaia says that, interviews from a sample group of
1600 people showed that "Orthodoxy in contemporary Russia is a form of ethnic
identity rather than religious conviction."
The figures, presented in late June at a press conference in Berlin, show that
72.6% of respondents stated they were Orthodox and only 7.3% claimed to be
atheist. People, who claim to belong to other Christian groups, including
Catholicism, count for 1.2%, while Judaism, Islam and Buddhism count for 6.3%
of respondents.
The Levada Center research shows that among those who consider themselves
Orthodox only 42% say they believe in "unconditionally" God. The survey also
notes that of these 55% attend church on the occasion of major celebrations,
only 3% visiting every week while 12% never go to church. Data regarding the
rules and precepts of the faith, such as fasting, confession and prayer,
reveals a similar breakdown in percentages.
Hegumen Filipp, professor of Church History at the State University Mgu
Moscow, says that the results of research show that "people come to church
with their own superstitions and they try to make them a part of church life."
The project promoted by Renovabis has aided understanding of the development
of the religious phenomenon since the end of the prohibitions of the Soviet
era. With regard to the orthodoxy in particular, it covers the period under
Patriarch Alexei II.
For Filipp this snapshot of the situation sets out a future task both for the
Orthodox clergy and for the leaders of other religions in the country. The
Professor, who participated in drawing up the questionnaire, considers
training of the clergy to be a vital element. Proper education of the people
entrusted with the leadership of the different communities of believers is the
only way to raise a genuine religious experience among the laity and greater
awareness of the meaning of their faith.
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15684&size=A
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk |
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