The distrust of organised religion is a phenomenon of post-Soviet Russia. It is a likely result of developments that characterise the coming of the modern age as introduced to Russia in its full scale by post-communist liberalisation and pluralisation and is therefore comparable to earlier developments in the West. In Russia the specific experience of atheist totalitarianism as well as its collapse has enhanced several aspects of this "modernity factor" in relation to religious institutions. The essay discusses these and other factors that influenced distrust of organised religion in Russia in the 1990s.
Table of Contents
'Russians in the post-Soviet era show the same deep distrust of organised religion, religious structures and institutions as is prevalent in the West today.'
What factors contribute to this state of affairs in Russia?
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the reasons behind the pervasive distrust of organized religious institutions in post-Soviet Russia, analyzing this phenomenon through the lens of modernization theory. It aims to determine whether the Russian experience is unique or if it aligns with broader global trends of secularization and the privatization of belief.
- Application of Thomas Luckmann’s theory of institutionalized religion in modern society.
- The impact of the Soviet legacy and Marxist-Leninist ideology on religious perception.
- The role of post-communist pluralization in shaping contemporary religious "consumer preferences."
- The relationship between modernization, secularization, and the "believing without belonging" phenomenon.
Excerpt from the Book
The development described here can be attributed to Russia
The development described here can be attributed to Russia, and to its more differentiated urban society possibly even before the Revolution. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) held the monopoly on the "official" and extremely refined Weltanschauung (at least until 1905), which to a growing extent no longer corresponded to the perception of the world as held by parts of the intelligentsia (hence the interest in Western philosophies, the success of Western missionaries after 1905) or even by the head of the church himself (confer Rasputin's influence on the emperor). The Revolution made Marxism-Leninism the new "official" creed that degenerated to mere obligatory lip-service when the gap between the pretensions made and life's realities widened. Additionally, the institutions of the new Weltanschauung showed deliberate arbitrariness in the application of their very own law. On this basis, they could only be distrusted; the more so when under Khrushchev the immensity of crimes committed by them were made public. The private sphere became ever more important (or "sacred" in Luckmann's sense) as it was the only place free from imposed ideology.
Traditional religion (as opposed now to "official" atheist ideology) found itself in this private sphere as the state forced it out of public life: not institutions (ROC, Muslim Board), but only individuals could socialise Russians into the traditional belief system, and religion could only be exercised in private. When the "official" worldview collapsed, the Church could present herself as distinct from and martyr of the Soviet regime: not surprisingly, she emerged as the "least distrusted institution" in distrustful post-Soviet Russia.
Summary of Chapters
'Russians in the post-Soviet era show the same deep distrust of organised religion, religious structures and institutions as is prevalent in the West today.': This introductory section establishes the core research question by framing the distrust of religious institutions in Russia within the context of modernization and the decline of traditional authority.
What factors contribute to this state of affairs in Russia?: This section synthesizes the theoretical framework and the specific historical context of Russia, arguing that modern pluralism and the legacy of the Soviet era have fundamentally altered how individuals relate to institutionalized religion.
Keywords
Modernization, Secularization, Russian Orthodox Church, Institutionalized Religion, Post-communism, Weltanschauung, Privatization, Soviet legacy, Marxism-Leninism, Believing without belonging, Religious pluralism, Sacred cosmos, Distrust, Identity, Tradition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this essay?
The essay examines the widespread distrust of organized religious institutions in post-Soviet Russia, comparing it to similar trends in Western societies.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers modernization theory, the sociology of religion, the impact of communist history on institutional trust, and the evolution of religious belief in a pluralistic society.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The goal is to determine if the skepticism toward religious institutions in Russia is a unique historical byproduct or if it represents a standard outcome of modern societal development.
Which scientific method is applied?
The author uses a qualitative, sociological approach, applying Thomas Luckmann’s theory of the "sacred cosmos" and institutional decline to analyze historical and sociological data from Russia.
What is discussed in the main body?
The main body discusses the transition from the Tsarist era, the ideological dominance and subsequent collapse of Marxism-Leninism, and the current rise of individualized religious practices.
What are the characterizing keywords?
Key terms include modernization, secularization, post-communism, institutional trust, and the privatization of belief.
How did the Soviet era specifically influence religious distrust?
The imposition of a materialistic "official" creed and the subsequent publicizing of state-led crimes created a deep-seated suspicion toward any centralized institutional authority.
What role does "modernization" play in the Russian religious landscape?
Modernization contributes to the diversification of belief, where individuals increasingly treat religion as a personal "consumer preference" rather than accepting an institutionalized worldview.
- Quote paper
- Christopher Selbach (Author), 2001, Distrust in religion in post-communist Russia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/16468
