The Economic Crisis and the Protestant Congregations in the Contemporary Russia

Abstract

RETRACTEDThe political paradigm shift after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the economic crisis, and the provision of religious freedom were all conducive to the aspirations of a vast majority of the population. They yearn, on one hand, to determine new value guidelines and, on the other, to compensate for the stress, fear, and uncertainty caused by reforms and crisis by means of religion. This can be clearly seen in the unprecedented surge of the levels of religiosity in the country and is directly influenced the dynamic of the diversity of religious organizations. In the last 20 years, a confessional distribution of believers typical of a mosaic cultural tradition and the composition of nationality in Russia has been formed. The overwhelming majority are orthodox, followed by (in descending order) Muslims, Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, Judaists, and others. At the same time, religiosity in Russia is quite discordant. It is commonplace to consider it to be very spiritual and orthodox-orientated. But research often points at the opposite. For example, the level or religious practice amongst Orthodox Russians is fairly low. In this context, Protestant religious denominations in Russia feature a high level of commitment to all kinds of religious practice within its congregation, extensive involvement in religious dogmas, and a drive towards consolidation and every-day cooperation. Protestants are the most pluralistic and dynamically developing segment of the Russian religious field. Research shows that in the last 20 years, in conditions of the dominant influence of the Orthodox Church on Russian society, a protestant community has been formed, which is economically independent, socially organized, and is one of the most dynamic religious movements. According to expert opinion, even though the number of Protestants is relatively low, the protestant religious denomination can function as a socially and economically active minority, capable of exerting positive influence on the country's development and the overcoming of crises, provided that they will be successful in creating an effective model of internal consolidation.

Keywords

• russian protestants
• religiosity
• religious resurgence
• orthodoxy
• crisis
• religious diversity