scholarly journals Continuity and Change in Orthodox Christianity in Contemporary Russia: Enduring Legacies and New Developments in the Making

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1053
Author(s):  
Tobias Koellner ◽  
Milena Benovska
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Religious Education ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Orthodox Christianity ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
Two Cities

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in two cities of European Russia, this article analyzes continuity and changes in Orthodox Christianity. In so doing, we emphasize property restitution, the renovation of sacred sites, and the importance of religious education in public schools and parishes. Based on that ethnographic material, we address three related research topics. First, we would like to discuss the importance of Orthodox Christianity for contemporary Russia. Second, we aim to show that an understanding of the Russian Orthodox Church as a national church underscores the local and internal differences as well as the complexities of everyday interactions. Finally, we address the notion of postsocialism and discuss its limits and potentials for the analysis of contemporary Russia.

Winning the Battle by Losing the War: The Lautsi Case and the Holy Alliance between American Conservative Evangelicals, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican to Reshape European Identity

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale Annicchino
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
European Convention ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
European Court ◽  
Grand Chamber ◽  
Pyrrhic Victory

The compulsory display of crucifixes in Italian public schools does not violate the European Convention on Human Rights. The victory before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in the Lautsi judgment of a variegated coalition of actors ranging from the strong alliance between the Vatican and the Italian Government to the Russia of the New Orthodoxy as well as to American Conservative Evangelicals, promises to change our understanding of church-state relationship in Europe and signals the emergence of a ‘new ecumenism’ in which the religious groups of different traditions work together toward common political goals. But was this judgment a real success for the Holy Alliance that successfully overturned the first Lautsi decision? I will argue that the March 2011 decision may result in a pyrrhic victory. The continuous reliance on State support to defend majority religious privileges may endanger, rather than benefit, religious vitality.

scholarly journals NOTES ON SACRED SITES WORSHIPING IN KRASNODAR KRAI IN 1940-1960s: PILGRIMAGE AND ETHNICITY

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 236-249
Author(s):  
Andrei Tiukhtiaev
Keyword(s):  
Social Background ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Krasnodar Krai ◽  
North West ◽  
Folk Traditions ◽  
History Of

 The paper presents an analysis of documents describing the history of holy sites worshipping in Krasnodar Krai in the Soviet era. The research aims to shed light on the little-known episodes of the history of pilgrimages in Soviet times North-West Caucasus from the perspective of relationships between Soviet authorities and ethnic minorities. Sources chosen for this work are archive documents of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church. The pilgrimage had been prohibited by Soviet authorities, and the Orthodox clergy avoided supporting such practices as well. However, worshipping sacred sites was significant for folk religion all across the country. “Holy Hand” is an example of a place a visit to which was and remains an act of solidarization of Pontic Greeks communities in Krasnodar krai. This case demonstrates that the reason of why people kept maintaining pilgrims’ practices is the lack of other ways to support ethnicity. Pontic Greeks had certain support and political promotion in early Soviet nation-building project but was repressed afterward. As a result, pilgrimage turned out to be one of a few public dimensions of ethnic tradition. Representatives of the Council for the Affairs of Russian Orthodox Church visited Holy Hands many times and tried not only prevent pilgrimage but understand social background of such activities for more effective struggle against religion. Bureaucrats realized that pilgrimage is not only religious practice but also a place for keeping folk traditions alive. Folk traditions were positive phenomena for the social imagination of that time, and they weren’t necessary associated with religion. However, this didn’t help much in Council fight against pilgrimage, Soviet authorities could stop holy springs worshipping only through enforcement.  

scholarly journals RECONSTRUCTION OF SPASO-KAMENNY MONASTERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF A FUNCTIONAL ZONE FOR PILGRIMS AND TOURISTS ON THE SHORE OF THE KUBENSKY LAKE

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-60
Author(s):  
E. Shvetsova-Shilovskaya ◽  
Svetlana Il'vickaya
Keyword(s):  
Small Island ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Orthodox Christianity ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Functional Zone ◽  
Russian North ◽  
Further Development

The growing interest in Orthodox Christianity and the transfer of many monasteries that were previously closed to the Russian Orthodox Church have led to an increase in the number of pilgrims and tourists willing to visit the Orthodox monasteries. This resulted in some problems relating to the need for the development of the necessary infrastructure and the necessity to provide the best possible conditions for both the visitors and monastery inhabitants. These problems are particularly acute in the monasteries of the Russian North. Many of which were previously destroyed and abandoned. The Spaso-Kamenny monastery of the Vologda Diocese located on a small island of the Kubensky lake is one of such monasteries. In this work, recommendations on the development of this monastery in the current conditions were proposed. These recommendations are based on the previously formulated four main principles of reconstruction and development of Orthodox monastery complexes in the Russian North. Authors show that for the further development of the Spaso-Kamenny monastery, it is reasonable to create a functional zone for pilgrims and tourists on the shore of the Kubensky lake. The building complex was designed, where the necessary and important one element for this zone the monastery museum was proposed. In this work, specific recommendations for an arrangement of this museum were given. It was shown that the main principles for reconstruction and development of Orthodox monastery complexes are also applicable for the monasteries, restoration of which has not been completed yet.

scholarly journals Features of Awarding Liturgical and Hierarchical Distinctions to Employees of the Spiritual Educational Institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church: The Experience of the XIX Century

2021 ◽  
pp. 210-230
Author(s):  
Алексей Андреевич Рудченко
Keyword(s):  
Religious Education ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Length Of Service ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Chronological Period ◽  
The Right ◽  
Xix Century ◽  
Special Category

Статья посвящена практике награждения иерархическими отличиями священнослужителей, трудившихся в системе духовного образования в XIX в. В данном исследовании ставится цель изучить обстоятельства и условия награждения учёных клириков богослужебными отличиями в рассматриваемый хронологический период. Для этого анализируется деятельность представителей учёного духовенства данного времени, даётся оценка их трудов, изучаются биографии и послужные списки. Знакомство с наградной системой Русской Православной Церкви XIX в. показало, что преподаватели учебных учреждений в священном сане представляли совершенно особый разряд духовенства, награждение которого зачастую зависело не от выслуги лет, а от вклада в развитие церковной науки. В духовных учебных заведениях награждались ректоры, инспекторы, библиотекари и заслуженные преподаватели. Обычно представители администрации в академиях и семинариях получали сан архимандрита, игумена или протоиерея. Рядовые преподаватели за понесённые труды могли быть удостоены правом ношения набедренника, скуфьи, камилавки или наперсного креста. Кроме того, аналогичными отличиями награждались преподаватели иных учебных учреждений, если их деятельность была связана с религиозным образованием и просвещением. The article is devoted to the practice of awarding hierarchical distinctions to clergymen who worked in the system of spiritual education in the XIX century. The purpose of this study is to study the circumstances and conditions of awarding academic clerics with liturgical distinctions in the considered chronological period. To do this, the activities of the representatives of the learned clergy of this time are analyzed, their works are evaluated, biographies and service records are studied. Introduction to the award system of the Russian Orthodox Church of the XIX century. It showed that the teachers of educational institutions in the holy order represented a very special category of clergy, the award of which often depended not on the length of service, but on the contribution to the development of church science. Rectors, inspectors, librarians, and distinguished teachers were awarded in ecclesiastical educational institutions. Usually, representatives of the administration in academies and seminaries received the rank of archimandrite, abbot or archpriest. Ordinary teachers could be awarded the right to wear a loincloth, skufya, kamilavka or a pectoral cross for their hard work. In addition, similar distinctions were awarded to teachers of other educational institutions, if their activities were related to religious education and enlightenment.

scholarly journals Socio-political journalism of the «Theological Herald» during the First Russian Revolution

2015 ◽  
pp. 265-288
Author(s):  
П. Е. Липовецкий
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Religious Education ◽  
The State ◽  
Russian Revolution ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Local Council ◽  
Political Journalism ◽  
Political Views

Статья посвящена рассмотрению и анализу публикаций по общественно-политической тематике официального печатного органа Московской духовной академии, журнала «Богословский вестник», в период революционных событий в России 1905–1907 годов. В связи с публицистической деятельностью журнала упоминается целый ряд церковных деятелей, занимавших ключевые для издания посты в обозреваемый период, которые определяли политику журнала, а также уделяется внимание основным авторам, излагавшим на страницах журнала свои общественно-политические взгляды. Их публикации принесли «Богословскому вестнику» репутацию либерального церковного издания. Рассматриваются наиболее популярные темы, важнейшими из которых были переустройство государства, идеология и деятельность политических партий, готовящийся Поместный Собор, социальное неравенство, а также духовное образование. В заключение отмечается, что авторы журнала отдавали предпочтение либеральному направлению общественной мысли, не стеснялись критики государственного и церковного управления, указывали на кризис в РПЦ, призывая духовенство к «освободительному движению». The article is devoted to the review and analysis of publications on social and political topics of the official press of the Moscow Theological Academy – the «Theological Journal» during the revolutionary events in Russia of 1905–1907. In connection with the journalistic activities a number of church leaders are mentioned, who held key positions in the publication team of this period, who determined the policy of the journal. Also attention is paid to the major authors, who expressed in the magazine their socio-political views, through the publication of which the «Theological Journal» earned the reputation of a liberal church publication.The article considers the most popular topics covered in the pages of «Theological messenger» during the First Russian Revolution, the most important of which were the reorganization of the state, the ideology and activities of political parties, preparation of the Local Council, social inequality, as well as religious education. In conclusion, it states that the authors of the journal favored the liberal direction of public opinion, did not hesitate to critique the state and church administration, and pointed out the crisis in the Russian Orthodox Church, urging the clergy to a «liberation movement».

Activities of Bishop Porphyrius Uspensky as head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem (1847–1853)

2021 ◽  
pp. 169-175
Author(s):  
Andrey N. Allenov ◽  
Oleg Y. Levin
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Russian Society ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Arab Population ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Missionary Work ◽  
Theological School ◽  
The Russian Empire ◽  
Charitable Activities

We analyze the missionary activity of the Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Porphyrius (Konstantin Aleksandrovich Uspensky) in the territory of Palestine, which was part of the Ottoman Empire in the period under study from 1847 to 1853. Porphyrius’s preliminary explora-tion of these lands to justify the expediency of establishing a Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in the region, and the patronage of this idea among the authorities of the Russian Empire, including the Chancellor Count Nesselrode and Emperor Nicholas I, are shown. We consider the educational and charitable activities of Bishop Porphyrius among the local Orthodox population, including the provision of financial assistance in the creation of public schools and a theological school for the training of clergy from the local Arab population. It is noted that along with missionary work, re-search activities were extremely important for the bishop. As an orientalist, Porphyrius described local church folklore, collected relics and copied manuscripts, and described his observations. It is noted that his colleagues also sought to reveal to the Russian society the history and culture of the Middle East; in particular, the seminarian Solovyov made sketches of the area. The relations of the bishop with the Russian and Austrian consuls are described.

scholarly journals Is God his Law? Or how religious education affects the dehristianization of mass consciousness.

2014 ◽  
pp. 104-114
Author(s):  
Larysa Andreyeva ◽  
Katerina Elbakyan
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Religious Education ◽  
Russian Empire ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Mass Consciousness ◽  
The People ◽  
Communist Ideology ◽  
The Russian Empire

In the twentieth century, the Russian Empire acted as a country where the state religion - Orthodoxy - was legally established. According to the census of 1897, the number of Orthodox Christians was 87.3 million, or 69.5% of the population. The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in its report for 1902 stated: "The Orthodox Russian people, who by nature deeply believe, consider all phenomena of life not only family and social, but also state life only in the light of faith" However, already in 1916 the Synod in the definition No. 676 acknowledged that a mass fallout from faith began. And a year later the "deeply religious people" will betray their Church and, on the whole, enthusiastically accept the communist ideology that proclaimed religion as "the opium of the people", "the heart of the heartless world", "the spirit of soulless order", "the sigh of the oppressed creature". In this case, if "the sufferers for the faith were thousands, then the apostates are millions"

scholarly journals Church and State in Central Russia during the Era of Collectivism

2021 ◽  
pp. 16-26
Author(s):  
С.Н. Джейранов
Keyword(s):  
Church And State ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Orthodox Christianity ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Soviet Government ◽  
Military Conflict ◽  
Religious Persecution ◽  
Central Russia ◽  
The Relationship

Статья освещает взаимоотношения Советского государства и Русской право-славной церкви в конце 1920-х — начале 1930-х годов в период коллективизации деревни, которая сопровождалась разрушением традиционного мира, драматической ломкой привычного уклада жизни. В центре внимания — политика наступления на православную идеологию и духовенство, выражавшаяся в закрытии храмов и монастырей, воинствующем атеизме, мерах репрессивного воздействия по отношению к священникам. Территориальные рамки исследования охватывают Центрально-Промышленную (переименованную через несколько месяцев в Московскую) область — мегарегион в 1929–1937 годах, включавший в тот период несколько бывших губерний Центральной России. На материалах Рязанского, Тверского и Тульского округов анализируются протестное движение крестьян против антирелигиозной политики власти, активные и пассивные формы сопротивления. Активные формы крестьянского сопротивления были направлены на защиту храмов от разрушения, духовенства от арестов, а также против запретов на богослужебную деятельность. Кроме того, верующие оказывали сопротивление антипасхальным вечерам и иным провокационным пропагандистским акциям, организуемым Союзом воинствующих безбожников. Основной действующей силой данного протеста были женщины, что предопределило название акций как «бабьи бунты». Пассивные формы протеста выражались в распространении информации о чудесах и знамениях, апокалиптических слухов о скорой войне, гибели советской власти в военном конфликте, грядущем конце света в наказание за вступление в «безбожный» колхоз. Сопротивление дало возможность сохранить храмы как очаги религиозности, сберечь и передать поколениям веру и традиции православной жизни. The article treats the relationship between the Soviet State and the Russian Orthodox Church in the late 1920s — early 1930s, during the era of collectivism, which brought about the destruction of the traditional world and dramatically changed the traditional lifestyle. The article focusesaggressive on the policy of oppressing the Orthodox ideology and the clergy, which manifested itself though atheism, the dissolution of churches and monasteries, religious persecution. The research focuses on the situation in the Moscow region (the then Central Industrial region), which encompassed several former provinces in 1929-1937. The author analyzes the materials relating to the Ryazan District, the Tula District and the Tver District and investigates the data about peasants’ passive and active resistance to the antireligious governmental policies. The active forms of peasants’ resistance were aimed at the protection of churches and cathedrals against destruction, at helping priests avoid arrests, at protesting against bans on religious services. Moreover, believers protested against anti-Easter campaigns and other propaganda campaigns organized by the Union of Aggressive Atheists. Women were the driving force of the protests. As a passive form of protesting against religious oppression believers spread information about miracles and portents, apocalyptic predictions of ongoing wars and the destruction of the Soviet government n a military conflict, apocalyptic prediction of punishment for joining the impious kolkhozes. Due to believers’ resistance to anti-religious campaigns it was possible to protect churches and cathedrals as the hearth of religious belief and to pass the traditions of Orthodox Christianity to other generations.

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