Teaching Religion at School: Russian Faith as an Ideology

Abstract

Teaching the ABC of Orthodox Christian culture at school has many enthusiasts, and no fewer opponents. These latter refer to laws that allow everyone to freely profess his religion and convictions and do not force anyone to learn what does not interest them. As for proponents, they consider that the heart of the matter is not in the law and human rightsmerely a Russian who does not recognize Russian Orthodoxy cannot be regarded as proper Russian. Many generations of Russians were brought up within Orthodox Christian culture. That culture is of interest not as a part of school curricula but in itself. Certain members of the clergy hurry to make it an official ideology to be shared by all. They might have borrowed their methods from Soviet propaganda. What they want is to force us not so much to study that culture and discover its indubitable merits and greatness as to think whether it is admissible to introduce the discipline at school on a compulsory basis.