Transformation Of Religious Consciousness Of Population In Cross-Border Regions

Abstract

Cross-border regions are characterized by a special geographical location and specific political, economic and sociocultural space. Their fundamental role is to maintain the integrity of borders and hence, to ensure stable existence of the entire state. In many respects, safe development of cross-border regions is determined by favorable sociocultural climate, which formation and maintenance shall become one of the key tasks of the state policy. Sociocultural space of cross-border regions is presented by the intersection of ethnocultural processes, interaction of religious traditions and a certain level of the quality of life of the population. These parameters define transformation features of religious consciousness of the cross-border population. Qualitative changes of religious consciousness in such regions are characterized by particular intensity and originality. The paper studies one of the forms of transformation of religious consciousness in cross-border regions, i.e. religious syncretism. It determines its dominating positions caused by superposition of integrated cultural and religious layers. Structural and conceptual features of religious syncretism, its specifics in spiritual practice of the population are analyzed. However, the authors conclude that conflictogenity of religious syncretism is its historical rarity. The results of the study contribute to the system of knowledge on transformation forms of religious consciousness, their regularities and features, role of religious syncretism in sociocultural space of cross-border regions. Besides, the study will be useful in development of scientific, educational and cultural measures aimed to establish and strengthen relations between representatives of various nations and cultures united by cross-border space.