Religiosity of the population and society, perception of the "Russian peace" ideology in countries with a majority of Orthodox Christians in the eastern and central parts of Europe

Abstract

The religious processes in 10 countries of Eastern and Central Europe whose population 25 years after the collapse of the totalitarian system and the bankruptcy of the dominant ideology of national atheism were enabled to form their attitude to religion and choose their affiliation to any church or religious organization freely and consciously are studied in this article. These processes in 2016-2017 were explored by the American Pew Research Center that studies trends in the development of science, technology, religion and society. The Global Religious Futures project («The Future of Global Religion») is aimed at exploring religious changes in 10 countries with Orthodox and Catholic majority of the population that affect personal and social life and shape national, cultural and religious identity. The relationship between denominational identity and the religious identity of the Orthodox population in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe and the assessment of the current state of Orthodox religiosity is analyzed in this light. Their attitude to the idea "Russian world" in the context of the recognition of Russia as "defender of the Orthodox population" outside the Russian Federation is the determining factor in the religious, national and cultural identity of the Orthodox and Catholics in these countries. This aspect of the research enabled to determine the priority of the Orthodox patriarchal dominant in the attitude of the Orthodox Churches to the Moscow and Ecumenical Patriarchs. Cross-national and cross-confessional relations, ethnic and confessional diversity, national and religious homogeneity of a society and multiculturalism are of the huge importance for the identification of the nature of the religious changes in European countries with Orthodox and Catholics majorities. In this context in particular the position of the interviewed Ukrainian Orthodox is highlighted.