It's not just political consolidation
At Expense of All Others, Putin Picks a Church
"Just as the government has tightened control over political life, so, too, has it intruded in matters of faith. The Kremlin’s surrogates in many areas have turned the Russian Orthodox Church into a de facto official religion..."This close alliance between the government and the Russian Orthodox Church has become a defining characteristic of Mr. Putin’s tenure...
"The relationship is grounded in part in a common nationalistic ideology dedicated to restoring Russia’s might... [and] is tinged with the same anti-Western sentiment often voiced by Mr. Putin and other senior officials...
"The government’s antipathy also seems to stem in part from the Kremlin’s wariness toward independent organizations that are not allied with the government...
"The Russian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and Mr. Putin has often spoken against discrimination...
"While church attendance in Russia is very low, polls show that Russians are embracing Russian Orthodoxy as part of their identity. In one recent poll, 71 percent of respondents described themselves as Russian Orthodox, up from 59 percent in 2003...
"Russia has far more Muslims than Protestants or Catholics — anywhere from 7 million to 20 million, depending on how religious observance is measured. But the Russian Orthodox Church regards Islam as far less likely to lure converts..."
Background on the Russian Orthodox church from Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Labels: political culture, Russia
posted by Ken Wedding @ 8:04 AM
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