State-confessional Policy Research Articles

The State Confessional Policy in Russia

The State Confessional Policy in Russia

INFLUENCE OF THE ISLAMIC FACTOR ON TRANSFORMATION PROCESSES OF THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SYSTEM IN KAZAKHSTAN AND CENTRAL ASIA

The article examines theoretical and conceptual approaches to the study of the influence of Islam and the Islamic factor in the discourse of transformational socio-political processes in Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region. Understanding and interpreting current paradigms and trends in the development of Islam and related sociocultural, socio-political processes facilitates the orientation of our country and society in the changing realities of the world order. The development of possible mechanisms for regulating modernization processes in our country in the field of state-confessional policy has great academic and practical significance for the domestic scientific community. The article also examines differences in the interpretation of Islam among different communities in the region, as well as the impact of global trends on religious practices and political activism. Overall, the article aims to highlight the complex dynamics between Islam and socio-political life in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, focusing on the key transformational processes and challenges facing regional societies.

Этноконфессиональные аспекты существования церковной кафедры Таматархи Зихийской в XI в.

The article attempts to examine the history of the Zich Archbishopric of Tamatarcha in the XI century in the con-text of ethno-confessional relations that developed between the autochthonous population and Russian settlers who arrived on the Taman Peninsula due to the formation of the principality of Tmutarakan, ruled by Russian dukes. The major scientific problem, which gave rise to a number of contradictory hypotheses and assumptions in modern science, is the question of the jurisdictional affiliation of the church organization of Tamatarcha in the so-called “Russian period” in the XI century. For the purposes of the study, the main facts of the Russian ethnic presence in Taman in the XI century are considered: the peculiarities of the exercise of princely power; relations with the autochthonous population and neighboring tribes of the northwestern Caucasus; relations between the Russian princes and the church community of Tamatarcha, for which in 1022 Prince Mstislav Vla-dimirovich built a votive church of the Mother of God. Particular attention is paid in the work to the Russian church hierarchy in Tmutarakan, among which the personalities of the Monk Nikon of Pechersk and Bishop Nicholas of Tmutarakan, who was the ruling bishop of the Zich diocese during a certain period, are singled out. The ecclesiastical administration of the Tamatarch diocese in the 2nd half of the XI century is studied in the context of the state-confessional policy of the “triumvirate of the Yaroslavichs” – the leading political group of Old Russian dukes in this period.

Pension Provision for Muslim Clergy in Asian Part of Russian Empire (19th — Early 20th Century)

The issue of granting pension benefits to Muslim clergy and their families in the Russian Empire is considered, as well as the characteristics of state-confessional policy in Russia both in the historical past and at the present stage. The aim of this study was to identify similarities and differences in the pension provision of Orthodox and Muslim clergy. Attention is paid to the socio-cultural status and material situation of clerics in border regions and national autonomies of the Asian part of Russia. Previously unstudied materials from the archives of the Russian State Historical Archive, the Russian State Historical Archive of the Far East, and the Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan are introduced into circulation. The novelty of the study lies in both the topic itself and the previously unexplored source base. Comparative, comparative-historical, and analytical research methods contributed to the realization of the research plan. The results obtained in the process of analyzing documents testify to a balanced approach and tolerant attitude towards clerics — representatives of “recognized” religions in the Russian Empire. The conclusion is formulated that the size of the pension depends on the length of service, but not on the religious affiliation of the clergy.

Hajj as an Element of Spatial Mobility of the Muslim Population of Siberia in the Context of the State‑Confessional Policy of the Russian Empire in the Second Half of the 19th to Early 20th Centuries

Hajj represents one of the most significant events in the life of the Muslim community. In the Russian Empire where Islam had become the second largest denomination in terms of the followers by the beginning of the 20th century, the Hajj transitioned from being a purely religious phenomenon to acquiring a certain political significance too. It was through this pilgrimage that Russian citizens professing Islam established relationships with their coreligionists from abroad.
 The aim of this study is to trace the degree of participation of Siberian Muslims in this process during the second half of the 19th to early 20th centuries and to assess their ability to perform the Hajj. Relying on archival materials, the authors demonstrate the importance of the process of organizing the Hajj and the participation of Muslims from the Russian Empire. The research revealed that Siberian Muslims were relatively minimally involved in the Hajj for several reasons. Firstly, a portion of the Muslims in Siberia had the status of exiles, which limited their movement both abroad and within the country. Secondly, the remoteness of the territory from the main sanitary checkpoints also discouraged potential pilgrims. In light of these circumstances, a phenomenon known as the “small hajj,” i.e., visiting holy places in Central Asia, became common among Siberian Muslims. The administrative challenges associated with performing the Hajj led many Muslims from various regions of the Russian Empire, including Siberia, to partake in pilgrimages illegally.
 This article may be of interest to religious scholars, historians, ethnographers, as well as a broad readership interested in the issues of state-confessional policy in the Russian Empire.

Vliyanie gosudarstvenno-konfessional'noj politiki na chislennost' i rasselenie staroobryadcev v Tomskoj gubernii v poslednej chetverti XIX – nachale XX v.

The article is devoted to the study of the number and geography of the settlement of the Old Believers in the Tomsk province in the last quarter of the 19th - early 20th centuries. The authors identified the main reasons for the discrepancy between the statistical data between official secular and diocesan sources and the data of the anti-schismatic Brotherhood, and also identified the main reasons for the increase in the number of the Old Believers. The authors also found that the process of resettlement of the Old Believers was a consequence of the state-confessional policy carried out on the territory of the Tomsk province and the Russian Empire as a whole.

Каналы и механизмы трансляции идей новых религиозных движений в информационном пространстве социальных медиа

In the article, the authors identify and describe the role of the media in broadcasting content about new religious movements (on the example of the Scientol- ogy movement) on the Russian Internet. The Kribrum social media analysis system is used as a technical tool. The authors put into the project a model that included 80 concepts for the Center of Scientology and 1,242 concepts for Russian social institu- tions. The authors consider the periods 01/01/2018-12/31/2019 (stable social situation) and 01/01/2020-23/02/2022 (coronavirus crisis). The authors identify popular authors who wrote about Scientology in each of the periods. Media are grouped according to their legal status: official state media; private Russian media and bloggers; media and NGOs that are recognized as foreign agents; international media and their affiliates in Russia; other media (entertainment media, bloggers and users). The main channels for broadcasting content about Scientology were private media and bloggers. It was they who explained and broadcast material about Scientology on the Russian Internet. Their publications justified the activities of Scientology in Russia, declared the need for a liberal policy, demonized the state-confessional policy, the political system, the polit- ical system of Russia, and dehumanized academic child psychology. State Russian media in the news gave only the facts of the event, but the news was not interpreted, discussed or distributed.

OLD BELIEVER COMMUNITIES OF THE VITEBSK REGION IN 1945 – FIRST HALF OF 1950S

The article is devoted to the history of Old Believer communities of Vitebsk region in 1945 – first half of 1950th. On the base of archive materials their state in the first post-war decade is examined. This period is characterized by heterogeneity of the state-confessional policy in the Soviet state. If right after the war the restoration of religious life is observed, then already in the late 1940-s the period of its winding down is observed. The article analyzes the recovery process of religious life in the Old Believer communities, examines the process of their official registration during this period and reveals changes in public policy in relation to the Old Believer communities of the region in the late 1940s. Special attention is paid to the policy of Soviet power in the closing of the Old Believer churches and the termination of community activities in the late 1940s – early 1950s.

Христианизация народов Сибири как составная часть окраинной политики Российской империи (XVIII – начала XX в.)

An important historical feature of Russia was the Europe-Asia divide factor. The two parts of the country differed considerably in terms of geography, climate, infrastructure, distance from borders and from the center, ethnic composition and population denomination. The recognition of the imperial heterogeneity requires historiographers to take a differentiated approach to studying and evaluating imperial peripheral policy. This notion covers the important areas of regional politics, from the imperial ideology and practices in the regional dimension to the establishment of the internal and external boundaries of a region and the dynamics of administrative organization as well as administrative activities within a given territorial space. In addition to administrative and judicial institutions, a unified monetary system, communications, taxes, the state language and the Russian Orthodox Church played a huge role in the development of authority in the region. All the religious activities of the government in the eastern part of the Empire were marked by the great importance of the Russian Orthodox Church, especially its missionary work. The latter, according to the official authorities, “revived” only in the nineteenth century, with the appearance of new figures of inorodic education and a number of “public” organizations patronized by the authorities (the Russian Bible Society, the Society for the Distribution of Holy Scripture in Russia, the Orthodox Missionary Society). The Orthodox Missionary Society was headed by the famous Aleutian-Kamchatian missionary and, from 1868, Metropolitan Innocent Veniaminov of Moscow and Kolomna. The Empress was proclaimed the Society's patroness. Diocesan bishops headed the society’s local branches, established in all 11 Siberian dioceses. About 50 % of the Society's funds went to support the Siberian missions each year. Much attention was paid to the training of missionaries of local nationalities in seminaries and at the universities of Kazan and St Petersburg, while the Synod officially allowed worship in local languages in Siberian dioceses. Conventions of Orthodox missionaries played an important role in spreading Orthodoxy as a means of integrating the aboriginal people in the east of the empire. By the end of the 19th century, the number of dioceses in the region had risen to 12, and the number of churches in the Irkutsk diocese had increased by 46 %, in the Tobolsk diocese by 52 % and in the Tomsk diocese by 45 %. 88 new parishes had been opened in the churches of the Siberian dioceses, 33 of which were financed entirely by the state’s treasury. At the same time, eight Orthodox missions were permanently active in the vast territory of Siberia and the Far East. The number of missionary priests had increased rapidly. A small number of missions are found only in the northern territories of Siberia – Berezovsky and Turukhansky districts. Meanwhile, missions like those in Altai, Irkutsk and Trans-Baikal are stepping up their activities. The Russian state's confessional policy towards the Siberian "indigenous peoples" was an inseparable part of the imperial policy in Siberia as a whole.

Деятельность незарегистрированных групп евангельских христиан-баптистов в областных центрах Западной Сибири в конце 1950-х — начале 1960-х гг. (на примере Омска)

The article examines the situation of Evangelical Christian Baptist communities in Omsk during the late 1950s and early 1960s by analyzing archival materials from the Historical Archive of the Omsk Region. During this period, the Soviet government tightened legislation on cults, leading to the loss of independence for Evangelical Christian Baptist communities and placing them under special state control. Additionally, internal spiritual differences contributed to opposition among some communities and the promotion of opposition preachers. As a result, a network of consolidated communities emerged in the early 1960s. However, the widespread presence of unregistered religious communities made it difficult for state authorities to account for them, forcing them to reconsider their methods to prevent the spread of religious beliefs and reactionary ideology. The article sheds light on the state-confessional policy of the Soviet government during this period and its impact on religious communities in Omsk.

The Status of Protestant Сommunities in Western Siberia in the Context of Strengthening of the Anti-Religious Policy of the USSR in the Late 1950s – Early 1960s

In modern Russia, the issue of the relationship between the state and religious organizations is among the most urgent. One of the most controversial is the policy toward Protestant communities carried out by the government at different times. It is important to note that a significant part of the works of Russian historiography is devoted to particular as pects of the activities of Protestant communities in Siberia. At the same time, the history of the relations between the latter and the Soviet authorities often remained without due attention, which determined the topic of this article. The authors came to the following conclusions. The state-confessional policy implemented by the government since 1958 has placed religious communities of various faiths in an unequal position. For example, while the communities of the Russian Orthodox Church were trying to cope with administrative pressure from the Soviet authorities, majority of the Protestant denominations in the region switched to illegal existence. This was due not only to the state policy that had developed against them, which prohibited certain areas of Protestantism, but also to the position of the believers themselves, who were accustomed to conspiracy in previous years. As a result, during the period under review, it was not Protestant communities that were subjected to administrative persecution in Siberia, as a rule, but specific individuals who actively and publicly professed one of the directions of Protestantism. In some cases, the leadership of rural areas preferred not to spoil the statistics and not to notice the believers living in the territories under their jurisdiction. As a result, reports to higher management often kept silent about the facts of the manifestation of religiosity among the population. Similar motives were among the management of enterprises and institutions that did not want to lose valuable employees because of the latter's religious beliefs. It should be noted that the situation in Siberia was not unique and in the period under review was typical for many regions of the country.

Polozhenie religioznyh obshchin v Zapadnoj Sibiri v kontekste izmeneniya vektora sovetskoj konfessional'noj politiki v 1920-e gg.

The article examines the state-confessional policy of the Soviet state in Western Siberia in 1922-1929 by the example of the interaction of authorities with non-Orthodox religious communities. ftie work used documents little known in scientific circles of the authorized representatives of the Council for Religious Cults and the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, stored in the funds of the Historical Archive of the Omsk region and the State Archive of the Altai Territory, ftie results obtained allow us to conclude that consistent and systematic work in the field of state and confessional policy was not carried out in the territory under consideration during the 1920s.

«Lestnica v nebo»: sibirskij period v zhizni L'va Svyatopolk-Mirskogo

The subject of the study was a fragment of the professional biography of one of the representatives of the noble Svyatopolk-Mirsky family, the Catholic priest Lev Svyatopolk-Mirsky (Fr. Eugene). On the basis of archival sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the socio-cultural features of the multinational and multi-confessional Siberian community are analyzed. The method of content analysis of archival materials made it possible to reveal the subtleties of the state-confessional policy of Russia during the imperial period.

Gender Dimension of Anti-Religious Policy in Kazakhstan in 1920-1930s

The given article considers the gender aspects of the state-confessional policy of the Soviet government in the 1920-1930s in Kazakhstan. The main directions of the activities of state bodies to emancipate and involve Muslim women in the public life of the country as an alternative to its former patriarchal-religious life have been investigated based on the analysis of sources and literature. According to the results of the study, it was found that gender policy in the system of Islamic-state relations was carried out in all regions of the republic, but the forms and mechanisms for its implementation had regional differences, due to the level of Islamization of the regions of Kazakhstan. In the northern and eastern regions of the republic, Muslim women were actively involved in state building through the organization of "red yurts" and women's delegate conferences. In the southern regions, where Islam had deep roots and was closely intertwined with the traditions of the Kazakh people the policy to emancipate Muslim women was aimed at overcoming religious remnants in everyday life, at fighting against the paranja, and the legal protection of women taking off the veil. Against the backdrop of the growing religious anti-political policy of the Soviet government, the clergy use various methods and conduct their influence on women. Key words: Islam, Soviet power, Muslim woman, polygamy, fight against the paranja.

FACTORS OF MODERN CHALLENGES AND RISKS FOR RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

The article is devoted to identifying the factors of challenges and threats of religious extremism in Kazakhstan. A comprehensive three-level analysis is carried out on the basis of a methodological approach, which implies the categorization of "push" and "pull" factors. In fact, it is the identification of what influences a person who accepts extremist religious ideology and becomes ready to take radical steps and actions. The analysis is aimed at developing a state-confessional policy to preserve peace and stability in Kazakhstani society.

Documentary materials of the State Archive of the Novosibirsk Region on state-confessional policy in Western Siberia

Documentary materials of the State Archive of the Novosibirsk Region on state-confessional policy in Western Siberia

Религиозные процессы на территории Монголии (по результатам социологического исследования)

The article presents the results of a sociological study conducted by the Russian-Mongolian project in 2020 on the territory of Mongolia. In the course of the study, an attempt was made to assess the religious situation on the territory of Mongolia and to identify the degree of involvement of the country's residents in religious life, as well as their perception of state confessional policy. The sample of the study is 362 people. At the same time, the number of respondents included a significant number of respondents who came to study or work from different parts of the country. 73% of respondents believe that a person needs to be a believer. However, 46% of respondents visit places of worship very rarely, and 22% do not observe any religious rites at all. This fact indicates a rather weak involvement of respondents in religious life, including the Buddhist sangha. Research has shown that Buddhism is the predominant denomination in Mongolia, which is considered as part of the national culture of the Mongolian people. The State is taking measures to support the Buddhist institute as an element of national identity. These measures lead to the popularization of Buddhism among the population of Mongolia. According to respondents, an important role in building interfaith dialogue should be played by the state, whose task is to control the activities of religious organizations. It is established that stereotypes associated with religious traditions prevail in Mongolian society. Thus, the majority of respondents associate Islam with manifestations of extremism. At the same time, it should be noted that Mongolia is a country with a fairly low level of extremist worldview. The assessment of the development of the interfaith situation in Mongolia requires further observation. A fairly large percentage of respondents noted that the interfaith situation in Mongolia cannot be considered absolutely stable. The strengthening of the Buddhist Sangha in the political and cultural life of the country requires an assessment of its role in building interfaith relations in the region.

The Situation of Religious Communities in Western Siberia in the Context of the State Confessional Policy in the Mid-1950s — Early 1960s

State resolutions issued during the period under review were aimed at strengthening scientific and atheistic propaganda and eradicating religion in society, as a result of which religious communities trying to obtain registration faced hidden opposition from the authorities. At the same time, registered communities were forced to account for numerous regulations of the state authorities. Otherwise, they could lose their state registration and cease their activities. This situation provoked the emergence of a large number of unregistered religious groups, and on the other, strengthened the position of registered associations due to the constant influx of new believers into them. Special attention is paid to the study of the situation of religious communities in Western Siberia in the late 1950s — early 1960s, when a new wave of church closures took place within the framework of the anti- religious campaign of N. S. Khrushchev. During this period, not only clergymen, but also ordinary parishioners came under the special control of state authorities. In addition, the activities of the so-called “forbidden sects” were completely banned, the list of which was defined in the instructions for the application of legislation on cults, published in 1961. In addition, in order to reduce the role of religion in Soviet society, resolutions were issued that negatively affected the economic situation of churches. The study concluded that the administrative pressure exerted by the authorities on religious associations, the introduction of a system of registration of persons who attend church, and the repressive methods of work of state regulatory bodies, not only provoked the growth of illegally operating religious groups, but also increased the number of people hiding their religious beliefs.

Российская антистарообрядческая государственно-конфессиональная парадигма 1666–1906 гг.

On the basis of the historical-genetic method, the author studied a significant period in the history of Russia. 240 years of state-confessional policy aimed at reintegrating Old Believers into the official Russian Orthodox Church have gone down in history under the slogan of "fighting schism." The methods and means of this struggle were of a different nature: from outright violence (including the death penalty) to missionary methods of "admonishing", including even a unique church experiment called "common faith." During the reign of Peter I, a system of "anti-schismatic" legislation was formed. For the first time, the Old Believers were able to legally register through a double capitation salary. However, the main goal of the state-confessional policy in solving the "Old Believer problem" was reduced to the elimination of the Old Believers as an undesirable social and religious community, but at the same time with the extraction of fiscal benefits for the imperial political regime. Legal indulgences during the reign of Catherine II and the second half of the 19th century. were controversial, were half-hearted and represented only minor concessions caused by the prevailing circumstances. Despite the relative loyalty of the imperial authorities, the Old Believers were still perceived as "schismatics", "sectarians", "heretics" and "state criminals". The research carried out by the author allows us to conclude that for 240 years there has been an unchanging anti-Old Believer political and legal paradigm of the Russian authorities.

Реализация государственно-конфессиональной политики в субъекте Российской Федерации ( на примере Республики Башкортостан)

The article is devoted to the mechanism for implementing the state-confessional policy in state-confessional relations in the internal politics of the republic, the ethno-confessional environment (brief description), the main directions of state-confessional and inter-confessional interaction.