State-Church Relationships in the Soviet Period (Based on the Materials of Irkutsk and Zabaikalsk Eparchies): Main Tendencies of Modern Regional Historiography

The article examines the main directions in modern regional historiography of statechurch relationships. The analysis of a wide range of scientific works, which are dedicated to the history of relationships between the Soviet authorities and Orthodox communities in Irkutsk and Zabaikalsk eparchies, allowed identifying the main results in the study of different questions and stated the prospects for further research.

A Missionary's Relationship to Sending Churches: Communal and Exchange Dimensions

The relationship between a career missionary and a local church should enable each member in the relationship to better accomplish the purposes to which God has called each one. However, the missionary-church relationship can be very complex, even confusing. The concepts of exchange relationships (where relationship members are expected to provide comparable benefits to each other) and communal relationships (where benefits are given to the one member without expectations of receiving something of equal value in response) provides a framework for understanding some of the dynamics of missionary-church relationships. Although a communal relationship may be a biblically-based goal, many aspects of missionary-church relationships can be understood as exchange relationships, which are also modeled and encouraged in the Bible. Ensuring that each member benefits from this relationship may make the relationship more stable during times of transition and distress.

CHURCH RELATIONSHIPS, DISCRIMINATION, AND GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER AMONG OLDER AFRICAN AMERICANS

The African American church has played a major role in African American communities, and church relationships represent an important stress-coping resource for older African Americans. This study examined 1) the association between everyday discrimination and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and 2) whether church-based relationships buffer the negative effects of everyday discrimination on GAD among older African Americans. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using data from 670 African American respondents age 55 and older from the National Survey of American Life: Coping with Stress in the 21st Century. More frequent experiences of everyday discrimination was associated with higher odds of meeting criteria for GAD. Significant interactions indicated that frequent contact with church members and high levels of subjective closeness to church members buffered against the negative effects of discrimination on GAD. Interventions that focus on the use of church members for support capitalize on a major strength among older African Americans.

Issues of International and Interchurch Relations in the Work of Holy Council 1917–1918 of the Orthodox Russian Church

The convocation of the Local Council in 1917, the first Council in over two centuries, had a great significance for the internal life of the Orthodox Church of Russia. But in a period when the World War was still ongoing and there were pressing issues to resolve in the sphere of cooperation of Russian Orthodoxy with other orthodox and non-orthodox churches, the Local Council could not but touch upon the international and inter-church issues. For the first time in the history of Russian Church the official ecclesiastical forum was attended by official elected delegates who served abroad and who could bring the opinion of the foreign part of the Russian Church to its «maternal» part and to provide the mutually beneficial exchange of practices and opinions. Moreover, in a situation when the church was liberated from the tutelage of the state, it became possible to engage with foreign religious organizations not through social organizations or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but directly. This opened a way for creating the Church’s own structures which would be responsible for contacts with other confessions, including Old-Catholics and Anglicans, with whom there had already been lengthy unofficial dialogue. The efforts of some historians and publicists shaping contemporary discourse in Russia depict the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Church as the only important act of the Council are challenged by the material presented in this article, which shows how the Council constructed the future position of Russian Orthodoxy in dialogue with the non-Orthodox churches, in its presence abroad and its missions in non-Christian countries. The word of the Council in this sphere was completely new and never before told. The Council was ahead of its time in the issues of international connections (like in many other spheres of its work). Many issues at the Council were expressed for the first time or in a completely new way. How to manage the missions abroad (in Japan, China, Korea, Urmia, and Palestine)? The Council, occupied with the internal problems in the situation of the beginning of persecution against it, could not abandon these missions. How was it possible to unite Russian emigrants abroad? The idea of Paris as a centre of their unification was expressed for the first time at the Council. The scholars who touched upon these issues before analyzed them through the concept of ecumenism (following the participation of the Russian Church in the ecumenical movement). But it seems more appropriate to research them in the context of the time of the Council itself, since it was a time that preceded the emergence of the Ecumenical Movement proper. The author of the article draws a conclusion that during the year of the Council (August 1917 – September 1918) the issues of international and inter-church relationships transformed in its agenda from being of secondary to primary importance. This conclusion allows us to challenge the dismissive perspective that the Moscow Council 1917-1918 was ineffective. Although it did not have time to complete its agenda, the Council was ahead of its time and contributed much for the future mission of the Russian Church in the modern world.

The state relationship with religion: Defined through disciplinary procedures of accounting and regulation

State regulation of charities is increasing. Nevertheless, although religious entities also pursue charitable objectives, jurisdictions often regulate them differently. In some states (including England until recently), the church (religious charities) are not called to account for their common-good contribution, despite owning significant assets and receiving public and government income. These regulatory and accounting variations emanate from a state’s historically informed positional relationship with religion, which may be discordant against increasing religious pluralism and citizens’ commonly-held beliefs. To open a debate on state–church relationships within the accounting history literature, this article analyses changes in England since 1534. It utilises a state–church framework from Monsma and Soper, combined with an application and extension of Foucauldian governmentality. The longitudinal study shows direct and indirect governmentality tools change with the state–church relationship. Such harmonisation of regulatory approach relies on citizens/entities subverting imposition of state demands which fail to meet their concept of common-good.

State and Church in the European Union

Churches as essential components of European culture have major significance for European integration. A Europe, bound by common constitutional traditions, cultures and traditions of its Member States, their national identity and the principle of subsidiarity, will have to respect the deep-rooted systems of State and Church relationships in its Member States. The volume presents in its third edition a broad comparison of different systems of State and Church relationships in the Member States of the European Union. It includes the new Member States and gives an account of the new developments throughout Europe. The volume shows the implications of European integration on the position of the Churches. It is of interest to all working in the field of State-Church relationship as well as to public and church institutions. The volume has been produced in association with the European Consortium for State-Church Research. The authors are experts in the field from the different Member States of the European Union, presenting the relevant systems of their home countries. The editor is a former professor at the University of Trier.

“Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

In what has been a story of congregational tensions, some conflict, and uncertainties about the church’s direction, it remains the case that people are attending Downtown Church and many are quite invested in it and hope for its success. This chapter asks why that is by exploring the dynamics of religious commitment and what congregants get out of their belonging. For many there are personal benefits, such as enjoying the well-produced worship services. Other benefits, such as spiritual growth, or making friends within the congregation, were also mentioned. For others, the church represents a community that may be a good thing for the city—an interracial church that can help mend the city’s racial divides. The chapter also finds some differences in the language of commitment between white and black congregants. Black congregants often spoke of being at the church as a “calling” and often used the idea of family to describe church relationships.

Religious Freedom and Human Rights in Kazakhstan

Many post-Soviet governments are still unable to identify the attitude to religious freedom and religious activity. The human rights trend adjoins with a very suspicious attitude to the religious phenomena as a relic of the Soviet regime of the state–church relationships. Moreover, the professional communities and society as a whole were not appropriately prepared for the religious diversity or the new role of religion in public and private life. This article discusses why the government is very careful in the regulation of religious processes. The article also explains the reasons of inattention by Kazakhstani lawyers to human rights and religious issues and analyses the situation regarding religious freedom within frames of existing legislation in Kazakhstan.