What are the Faith and Religions List. Liquidation and prohibition of the activities of religious organizations in post-Soviet Russia. Russian Orthodox Church

Religion in Russia The current (1993) Constitution of Russia defines the Russian Federation as a secular state. The Constitution guarantees "freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, including the right to profess, individually or jointly with others, any religion or not to profess any, freely choose, have and disseminate religious and other beliefs and act in accordance with them." Federal Law No. 125-FZ of September 26, 1997 "On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations" confirms "equality before the law, regardless of attitude to religion and beliefs."

Religious and national restrictions, which were legislatively enshrined in the laws of the Russian Empire, were canceled by the Provisional Government on March 20, 1917.

In Russia, there is no special federal state body called upon to monitor the observance of legislation by religious associations (which in the USSR was the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR); however, according to experts, the amendments made in July 2008 to the Federal Law “On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations” dated September 26, 1997, may indicate the imminent creation of an appropriate “authorized executive body”. On August 26, 2008, it was reported that by the decree of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan M. Shaimiev, the Council for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Tatarstan was transformed into the Directorate for Religious Affairs, thus regaining the powers of a state body.

The main religions represented in Russia are Christianity (mainly Orthodoxy, there are also Catholics and Protestants), as well as Islam and Buddhism.

Total number of believers

In Russia today, there are no official statistics on membership in religious organizations: the law prohibits requiring citizens to declare their religious affiliation. Thus, the religiosity of Russians and their confessional self-identification can only be judged by sociological surveys of the population. The results of such surveys are highly controversial.

According to the Russian Independent Institute for Social and National Problems (2007), 47% of respondents call themselves believers in God. Almost half of them have never opened the Bible, only 10% regularly attend church, observe all the ceremonies and rituals, and 43% go to church only on holidays.

According to an all-Russian poll conducted by VTsIOM in March 2010, the country's population considers itself to be among the following confessions:

• Orthodoxy - 75%
• Islam - 5%
• Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Buddhism - 1% each
• Other denominations - about 1%
• Unbelievers - 8%

In addition, 3% of respondents expressed the opinion that they are believers, but do not classify themselves as belonging to any particular confession. At the same time, only 66% of Russians observe religious rites, and then only on holidays or occasionally. For comparison: all rituals of their religion, according to a 2006 survey, were observed by 22% of all believers (regardless of their confessional affiliation).

Christianity in Russia

All three main directions of Christianity are represented in Russia - Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. In addition, there are followers of various new Christian movements, cults and sects.

Orthodoxy

Federal Law No. 125-FZ of September 26, 1997 "On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations," replacing the RSFSR Law of October 25, 1990 No. 267-I "On Freedom of Religion", in the preamble contains recognition of the "special role of Orthodoxy in history Russia ".

Orthodoxy (in the understanding of the term by state bodies and religious scholars) in the Russian Federation is represented by the Russian Orthodox Church, Old Believer associations, as well as a number of non-canonical (alternative) Orthodox organizations of the Russian tradition.

The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest religious association in Russia. The ROC considers itself historically the first Christian community in Russia: the official state foundation was laid by the holy prince Vladimir in 988, according to traditional historiography.

According to the head of the Russian Public Movement, political scientist Pavel Svyatenkov (January 2009), the ROC de facto occupies a special position in modern Russian society and political life:

Researcher Nikolai Mitrokhin wrote (2006):

The prevalence of Orthodoxy in Russia

According to an all-Russian poll conducted by VTsIOM in March 2010, 75% of Russians consider themselves Orthodox Christians, while only 54% of them are familiar with the content of the Bible. About 73% of Orthodox respondents observe religious customs and holidays.

The head of the sociological department of the Institute of Social Design, Mikhail Askoldovich Tarusin, commented on this data:

This number shows little.<...>If these data can be considered an indicator of anything, it is only modern Russian national identity. But not real religious affiliation.<...>If we count as Orthodox "church" people those who at least once or twice a year participate in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, then Orthodox are 18-20%.<...>Thus, about 60% of VTsIOM respondents Orthodox people are not. If they do go to church, then several times a year, like to some kind of service of everyday services - to bless the cake, take baptismal water ... And some of them even then do not go, moreover, many may not believe in God, but This is what they call themselves Orthodox.

According to analysts, the data of opinion polls show that the majority identify themselves with Orthodoxy on the basis of national identity.

Observance of Orthodox Church Rites

According to a poll conducted by VTsIOM in 2006, only 9% of respondents who identified themselves as Orthodox noted that they observe all religious rites and participate in church life. At the same time, 36% noted that Orthodoxy is for them the tradition of their ancestors. According to a survey conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation in January-February 2010, only 4% of Orthodox Russians regularly attend church and receive communion.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, those attending services make up less than 2% of the population. So, on Easter 2003, from 20:00 on Holy Saturday to 6 in the morning Easter Sunday According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 63 thousand people entered the churches of Moscow (compared with 180 thousand in 1992-1994), that is, about half of one percent of the actual population of the city. 4.5 million Russians took part in Easter services on the night of April 19, 2009. At the same time, 5.1 million people visited the cemeteries at Easter. About 2.3 million Russians took part in the Christmas services from January 6-7, 2008.

On January 10, 2008, the head of the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate, priest Vladimir Vigilyansky, expressed his disagreement with the statistics of attendance at the capital's churches on Christmas, which had previously been cited by law enforcement agencies, saying: “The official figures are very underestimated. It always amazes me where these numbers come from and what the purpose of this approach is. I think we can safely say that about a million believers have visited Moscow churches on Christmas this year. " A similar opinion was expressed in April 2008 by a member of the DECR, priest Mikhail Prokopenko.

Percentage of Russians Attending Church Services

According to Andrey Kuraev, the problem is related to acute shortage temples in Moscow. He argues that, according to sociological estimates, about 5% of Muscovites are actively church-going, and churches can accommodate only a fifth.

The decline of practical religiosity in the Russian Orthodox Church in comparison with the 90s of the XX century was noted in 2003 by Patriarch Alexy II: “The temples are emptying. And they are empty not only because the number of temples is increasing ".

According to a 2008 poll by VTsIOM, 27% of respondents who called themselves Orthodox do not know any of the ten commandments. The commandment "Thou shalt not kill" was able to remember only 56% of the survey participants.

Archpriest Alexander Kuzin, commenting on the results of the VTsIOM poll, according to which the majority of Russians urge the church to reconsider moral standards, noted:

Catholicism

The historical presence of Latin Christianity in the lands of the Eastern Slavs dates back to the early times of Kievan Rus. V different times the attitude of the rulers of the Russian state towards Catholics varied from complete rejection to benevolence. Currently, the Catholic community in Russia numbers several hundred thousand people.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Catholic Church continued its free activity in Russia for some time, but from the early 1920s the Soviet government began a policy of eradicating Catholicism in Russia. In the 1920s and 1930s, many Catholic priests were arrested and shot, almost all churches were closed and looted. Almost all active parishioners were repressed and exiled. In the period after the Great Patriotic War in the RSFSR there are only two active Catholic churches, the church of St. Louis in Moscow and the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Leningrad.

Since the early 1990s, the Catholic Church has been able to function freely in Russia. Two Apostolic Administrations were created for Latin Catholics, which were subsequently transformed into dioceses; as well as the College of Catholic Theology and the Higher Theological Seminary.

According to the Federal Registration Service for December 2006, there are about 230 parishes in Russia, a quarter of which do not have temple buildings. Organizationally, the parishes are united into four dioceses, which together make up the metropolis:

• Archdiocese of the Mother of God
• Transfiguration diocese in Novosibirsk
• Diocese of St. Joseph in Irkutsk
• Diocese of Saint Clement in Saratov

Estimates of the number of Catholics in Russia are approximate. In 1996-1997. there were from 200 to 500 thousand people.

Protestantism

Protestantism is represented in Russia by the following denominations:

• Lutheranism
• Evangelical Christian Baptists
• Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals)
• Mennonites
• Seventh-day Adventists

Lutheranism

• Lutheran Church in Russia

Other

Anti-Trinitarian

Jehovah witnesses

Number Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia as of March 2010 it is 162.182 people. In 2010, about 6,600 people in Russia were baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses. Despite the constant growth in the number of the organization, they still remain a religious minority in Russia, accounting for about 0.2% of the country's population.

• Christadelphians

Spiritual Christianity

• Molokans
• Dukhobors.

Islam

According to experts (during the last census, the question of religious affiliation was not asked), there are about 8 million Muslims in Russia. According to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims in the European part of the Russian Federation, there are about 20 million Muslims in Russia. According to VTsIOM data based on the results of an all-Russian poll (January 2010), the share of those who call themselves followers of Islam (as a worldview or religion) in 2009 in Russia decreased from 7% to 5% of respondents.

Most of them are so-called "ethnic" Muslims who do not fulfill the requirements of the Muslim faith and who identify themselves as Islam in connection with their tradition or place of residence (there are especially many of them in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan). Communities are stronger in the Caucasus (excluding the Christian region of North Ossetia).

Most Muslims live in the Volga-Ural region, as well as in the North Caucasus, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Western Siberia.

Religious organizations and leaders

• Talgat Tadzhuddin - Supreme Mufti (Mufti Sheikh-ul-Islam) of the Central Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia and the European CIS countries (TsDUM) (Ufa).
• Ravil Gainutdin - Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European part of Russia (Moscow).
• Nafigulla Ashirov is the head of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of the Asian part of Russia, co-chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia.
• Muhammad-haji Rakhimov - Chairman of the Russian Association of Islamic Concord (All-Russian Muftiate), Mufti of Russia (Moscow).
• Magomed Albogachiev - I. O. Chairman of the Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus.

Islam in the history of Russia

In a number of lands that are now part of Russia, Islam has existed as a state religion for centuries. During the Islamic period of the Golden Horde (1312-1480), Christian principalities were in vassal dependence on Muslim uluses and khanates. After the unification of the Russian lands by Ivan III and his successors, part of the Muslim khanates became dependent on the Orthodox monarchy, and part was annexed by the Russian state.

Islam was first adopted as a state religion in the Volga Bulgaria in 922 (modern Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Ulyanovsk and Samara region). The competition between Volga Bulgaria and Kievan Rus ended in the middle of the 13th century, when both states were conquered by the Tatar-Mongols. In 1312 in Ulus Jochi(Golden Horde) Islam was adopted as the state religion. The state power put the princes under the command of the emirs, Baskaks and other representatives of the Tatar-Mongol khans. The civil law in Ulus Jochi was the Great Yasa, whose authority dates back to Genghis Khan. The most important decisions were made by the nobility together at the kurultais. On the territory of Ulus Jochi, the practice of the Christian faith was allowed, although the Orthodox metropolitan and clergy, on pain of death, were charged with the obligation to "pray to God for the khan, his family and his army."

Ulus Jochi's successors were the Great Horde ( Ulug Ulus, 1433-1502), the Nogai Horde (XIV-XVIII centuries), as well as a number of khanates, some of which survived on the territory of Russia until the end of the XVIII century. For example on the territory Krasnodar Territory until 1783 part of the Crimean Khanate was located.

In 1552, Ivan IV the Terrible, by conquest, annexed the Kazan Khanate, and in 1556 the Astrakhan Khanate. Gradually, other Islamic states were annexed to Tsarist Russia and Russia by military means.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the North Caucasian territories, inhabited mainly by Muslims, were introduced into the Russian Empire.

According to the 2002 all-Russian census, the Tatars are the second largest among the peoples inhabiting modern Russia (more than 5.5 million people). Tatars constitute the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Russia and are the northernmost Muslim people in the world. Traditionally, Tatar Islam has always been distinguished by its moderation and lack of fanaticism. Tatar women often played an important role in public life Tatars. One of the very first Muslim women to become leaders of states was Syuyumbike, the queen of the Kazan Khanate in the 16th century.

Simultaneously with the collapse of the USSR, the collapse of the united spiritual administrations began in the country. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the North Caucasus split into 7 administrations, after which two more were formed. Then the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European part of the USSR and Siberia, with its center in Ufa, collapsed. The Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan, then Bashkortostan, was the first to leave its structure, followed by the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Siberia.

Only in 1993 began reverse process and it was decided to create the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European part of Russia. In July 1996, the heads of the most authoritative spiritual administrations decided to create the Council of Muftis of Russia. The Council meets at least twice a year for extended meetings with the participation of the leaders of Islamic educational institutions. The Chairman of the Council is elected for 5 years.

The Muslims of the North Caucasus have established their own focal point. At the same time, the spiritual administrations of Muslims of the Chechen Republic, the Republic of North Ossetia, the Republic of Adygea, the Republic of Ingushetia are also included in the Council of Muftis of Russia.

Judaism

The number of Jews is about 1.5 million. Of these, according to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FEOR), about 500 thousand live in Moscow, and about 170 thousand in St. Petersburg. There are about 70 synagogues in Russia.

Along with FEOR, another large association of religious Jewish communities is the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Associations in Russia.

According to the 2002 census, the official number of Jews in Russia is 233439 people.

Buddhism

Buddhism is traditional for three regions of the Russian Federation: Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia. According to the Buddhist Association of Russia, the number of people professing Buddhism is 1.5-2 million.

The number of "ethnic Buddhists" in Russia in accordance with the data of the All-Russian population census held in 2002 was: Buryats - 445 thousand people, Kalmyks - 174 thousand people and Tuvans - 243 thousand people; total - no more than 900 thousand people

In the 90s of the XX century, through the efforts of foreign missionaries and domestic ascetics, Buddhist communities began to appear in large cities, usually belonging to the Far Eastern Zen school or the Tibetan direction.

The world's northernmost Datsan "Gunzechoinei", built before the Revolution in Petrograd, now serves as a tourist and cult center of Buddhist culture. Preparations are underway for the construction of a Buddhist temple in Moscow, which could unite Buddhists around itself in joint practice.

Other forms of religion and paganism

The indigenous inhabitants of the Siberian and Far Eastern regions, as well as some of the Finno-Ugric peoples (Mari, Udmurts, etc.) and Chuvashes, along with the officially professed Orthodoxy, to a greater or lesser extent, retain elements of traditional beliefs. Depending on the preservation of the traditional element of their beliefs, they can be characterized as shamanism or folk Orthodoxy. The term "folk Orthodoxy" (Christianity that has absorbed many pagan elements) can be applied to the majority of Russians, especially those living in rural areas.

Many peoples of Russia are trying to revive traditional beliefs. All received religious movements denote general term"Neo-paganism".

In the urban environment, in addition to traditional religions, new religious movements of the occult, Eastern (Tantrism, etc.) and neo-pagan (the so-called "Rodnoverie", etc.) are widespread.

Religion and state

According to the Constitution, Russia is a secular state in which no religion can be established as a state or obligatory. The dominant trend in modern Russia is the clericalization of the country - the gradual implementation of a model with a dominant (some argue - state) religion. In practice, in Russia there is no clear demarcation line between the state and religion, after which state life ends and confessional life begins. Some supporters of Orthodoxy believe that the separation of religious associations from the state, proclaimed by the Constitution, is a consequence of communist stereotypes in public opinion. V. Kuvakin, member of the RAS Commission on Combating Pseudoscience and Falsification of Scientific Research, considers the desire to turn Orthodoxy into a state religion, that is, into a state ideology, which directly contradicts the Constitution, is a great historical mistake of the current leadership of Russia.

Clericalization

Religion penetrates practically all spheres of public life, including those areas that are separated from religion according to the Constitution: state bodies, school, army, science and education. Thus, the State Duma agreed with the Moscow Patriarchate to hold preliminary consultations on all questions that raise doubts. In Russian schools, the subjects of the "foundations of religious cultures" have appeared, in some state universities there is a specialty of theology. A new position appeared in the staffing table of the Russian Armed Forces - military priest (chaplain). A number of ministries, departments, government agencies have their own religious churches, often in these ministries and departments there are public councils for covering religious topics. January 7 (Orthodox Christmas) is an official non-working holiday in Russia.

Religious culture in schools

The introduction of the course "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the curriculum of general education public schools on an optional basis began in certain regions of the country in the late 1990s. Since 2006, the course has become compulsory in four regions: Belgorod, Kaluga, Bryansk and Smolensk. Since 2007, it was planned to add several more regions to them. The experience of introducing the course in the Belgorod region was criticized and supported. Supporters of the subject and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church argued that "Foundations of Orthodox Culture" is a cultural course that does not aim to introduce students to religious life. They emphasized that acquaintance with the Orthodox culture can also be useful for representatives of other faiths. Opponents of the course pointed out that in accordance with the law "On freedom of conscience and on religious associations" the state must ensure the secular nature of education, that according to the Constitution, all religions are equal before the law and none of them can be established as a state, and that compulsory study such a subject violates the rights of students of other faiths and atheists.

Since April 1, 2010 the Ministry of Education and Science Russian Federation included in the school curriculum the subject "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" as a federal component, first experimentally in 19 regions of Russia, and if the experiment is successful - in all regions since 2012. The subject includes 6 modules, of which students, of their choice or the choice of their parents (legal representatives), can choose one to study:

• "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture"
• "Fundamentals of Islamic Culture"
• "Fundamentals of Buddhist Culture"
• "Foundations of Jewish Culture"
• "Foundations of World Religious Cultures"
• "Fundamentals of Secular Ethics"

The experts made an unequivocal conclusion about the inadmissibility of using textbooks on the modules of the foundations of religious cultures published in 2010 in Russian schools. Textbooks contain numerous signs of a gross violation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, aggressively impose on students a certain religious ideology, openly hostile to the secular state. Textbooks are scientifically untenable, they do not define the concept of "religious culture" and instead of it, a flatly presented religious doctrine is introduced, leading to the substitution of religion for culture. No scientific discussion of these textbooks was expected, the process of creating a textbook in terms of the modules of the foundations of religious cultures was deliberately planned in such a way as to fully transfer it to confessions, removing scientists from any participation.

Discussion around the letter of academicians

In August 2007, the so-called "letter of academicians" caused a resonance in society and the media. Ten Academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences, including two Nobel laureates V.L. spheres of public life, including the public education system. The letter expressed the fear that instead of a culturological subject about religions, schools are trying to introduce compulsory teaching of the doctrine, that the inclusion of the specialty "theology" in the list of scientific specialties of the Higher Attestation Commission would contradict the Constitution of Russia. The letter was supported by many public figures, including VL Glazychev, a member of the Public Chamber. The letter and its support by members of the Public Chamber drew sharp criticism from representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, in particular, Archpriest V. Chaplin and the head of the press service of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate V. Vigilyansky. The letter served as an informational occasion for a broad discussion of issues related to the relationship between church and society.

Interreligious relations

In 1998, the Interreligious Council of Russia (ITS) was created, which unites spiritual leaders and representatives of four traditional confessions of Russia: Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. Interreligious relations in Russia are getting complicated armed conflicts in the North Caucasus / The interethnic contradictions existing in Russia between the Slavs and representatives of peoples traditionally professing Islam (Chechens, Azerbaijanis, ...) are complicated by interreligious contradictions. On March 11, 2006, the Council of Muftis of Russia opposed the introduction of The armed forces RF institute of regular regimental priests and the introduction of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox culture" in the curriculum of secondary schools in the country. A number of muftis expressed disagreement with such statements, noting that they undermine the foundations of interreligious dialogue.

Liquidation and prohibition of the activities of religious organizations in post-Soviet Russia

In 1996, 11 criminal cases were initiated in Russia under article 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Organization of an association that infringes upon the personality and rights of citizens", in 1997 and 1998 - 2 and 5 cases, respectively.

Since 2002, the legal status of religious organizations has been regulated by the Federal Law “On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations” No. 125-FZ. According to Article 14 of this Law, a religious organization can be liquidated and its activities prohibited in judicial procedure... The reason for this is, in particular, the extremist activity (extremism) of a religious organization in the definition of Article 1 of the Federal Law "On Counteracting Extremist Activity" dated July 25, 2002, No. 114-FZ.

According to the Ministry of Justice of Russia, during 2003, 31 local religious organizations were liquidated for gross violation of the norms of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal legislation. Repeated violations of constitutional norms and legislation were identified in 1 centralized and 8 local religious organizations, which were also liquidated. In addition, for the systematic implementation of activities contrary to the statutory goals, 1 centralized and 12 local religious organizations were liquidated by court decisions. In total, in 2003, by decisions of the judiciary, 225 religious organizations were liquidated, including those related to the Russian Orthodox Church - 71, Islam - 42, evangelism - 14, Baptism - 13, Pentecostalism - 12, Buddhism - 11.

By now, on the basis of the Federal Law “On Counteracting Extremist Activity,” court decisions on the liquidation or prohibition of the activities of 9 religious organizations have come into legal force. In particular, such decisions were made in 2004 in relation to 3 religious organizations of the Old Russian Inglistic Church of Orthodox Old Believers-Inglings, in 2009 - in relation to 1 local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses "Taganrog" (as of January 1, 2008, registered in Russia 398 local organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses). Religious organizations, whose activities have been suspended in connection with the implementation of extremist activities, are currently absent.

The list of religious organizations in respect of which the court has adopted a final decision on the liquidation or prohibition of activities on the grounds provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, as well as the list of religious organizations whose activities have been suspended in connection with the implementation of extremist activities, is maintained and published by the Ministry of Justice. Russian Federation.

At the beginning of 2010, 23,494 religious organizations were registered in Russia.

Hello dear friends!

Currently, there are a huge number of religions in the world that give people strength and faith in the future. In today's article I would like to tell you about what faiths and religions are there?

A lot of warriors and disagreements have occurred due to the fact that a person, having determined his faith and finding a source of convictions, ceases to respect other points of view and religions. But does it make sense to find out who is right or more accurate in the context of such an individual approach to the issue?

It doesn't matter what a person believes in, the main thing is that he finds the light and strives for it! Living in harmony with themselves and carrying creative energy to the masses, people can be called people. And it does not matter what kind of name of religion lies at the basis of his actions.

Classification by type occurred due to the desire of religious studies to separate modern and ancient tendencies. Today religions can be distinguished according to several types: tribal, world and national.

Many peoples of the world called God different names... And every belief always had its own truth. For some, the Easter Bunny could act as highest strength being and the universe, and at the same time others had the right to consider pagan rituals to be true, which sometimes contradicted most of the canons of the religious system of Christianity.

Atheism acquired the rights for its formation relatively recently. Totemism and acceptance of oneself as a person have likewise taken place within the framework of self-expression. If earlier man was on Earth, and the Gods were in heaven, today agnosticism, as faith “between faith,” projects completely different rules of thinking and understanding the world.

I would like to talk about some of the religions in more detail. For your attention, I want to present a list of different religions of the peoples of the world. Of course, you will be familiar with some of them, but you will encounter some for the first time.

Buddhism

Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world, originating in India. Thanks to its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, who is familiar to us as the Great Buddha, people around the planet still seek comfort in the true understanding of the words "awakened" or "enlightened."

Buddhist philosophy is based on teachings about "noble truths." There are only four of them. The first explains the existence of suffering, the second tells about its causes, the third calls for liberation, and the fourth teaches how to come to it.

The dogmas of Buddhism and the very understanding of life can be called a river or a stream of non-material particles. It is their combination that determines the existence of what exists on Earth and in the Universe.

The laws of karma carry rebirth and therefore, it is worth respecting what deeds a person performed in a past life. The ideal of Buddhism can be safely called moral. Its essence is clothed in the motto “ Do no harm. Nobody!».

And the main goal is to achieve the state of Nirvana - that is, complete peace and tranquility.

Brahmanism

This religion also has its roots in India. It was developed thanks to Vedism. What does she teach? The most important thing is the realization of the divine principle of everything that is vital and tangible, called revelations about Brahman.

And also about the Atman - a unique and personal spirit. Experts in the Vedas played an invaluable role in the development of Brahmanism as a free movement. In the religious system, the original role was assigned to them.

The main idea was based on the belief and propaganda that people are unique and it is impossible to find a second identical one. That is, since childhood, a person has his own unique strength, mission and task.

Brahminists were distinguished by complex and cultic rites. And rituals took up the bulk of their lives and were strictly controlled.

Taoism

This religion was revealed to the masses thanks to China and its founder, the sage Lao Tzu. Thanks to the philosophy that resulted in the work of the founder's entire life - "Tao Te Ching", religion is dedicated to 2 concepts.

The word "Tao", which can be interpreted as a tool or method, and the letters "Te", which means grace, prompted the thinker to deeply rethink the model of this world.

According to his thoughts, we can conclude that the universe is governed by an even more powerful force. The essence of its origin is full of secrets and mysteries, and at the same time, its influence leads being to harmony.

The main goal of religion is to bring a person closer to immortality. According to the adherents of Taoist, it is precisely this that helps the individual to reveal the full power of religious contemplation of the naked beauty of the world. And breathing and gymnastic trainings, alchemy, hygiene of the soul and body help to achieve such a state of eternal life.

Jainism

Jainism is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. Vardahaman is the great founder of religion. And it is thanks to his vision that the Jains are convinced that no one created our world. He has existed forever and will continue on his way no matter what.

What's the main thing? The most valuable and true thing is striving for self-improvement of one's own soul, strengthening its strength. The doctrine says that it is precisely because of such work on oneself that the soul is liberated from everything worldly.

Also, religion is not free from the belief in the transmigration of souls. Jains believe that the success of living this life is directly related to how you behaved in the previous one.

It is worth mentioning that the practice of asceticism is very significant in the understanding of religion as such. The ultimate goal of the individual is to interrupt the cycle of rebirth. That is, to achieve Nirvana and find harmony. And this can only be done by an ascetic.

Hinduism

Hinduism is a whole system of beliefs or laws of the Hindus. It differs in that it does not carry certain and well-established dogmas. Characteristic features or the signs of the followers of Hinduism are the authoritarianism of the acceptance of the Vedic teachings and, therefore, the brahminical foundation of the worldview.

I want to note that only the person who can boast of at least one Indian parent has the right to profess Hinduism.

The main idea of ​​the faith that is confessed is to follow certain guidelines of deliverance. Karma, as an act and samsara, as a wheel of being, must be overcome by an individual for complete and true liberation.

Islam

I could not help but mention this world religion, which originated in Arabia. Prophet Muhammad, who spoke in Mecca, is considered its founder. According to his convictions, as well as thanks to the statements, after his death, work was created. In the future, it became the holy book of Islam and to this day bears the famous name - the Koran.

What's the point? The main teaching reads as follows: “ There is no God but Allah". And the angels and other essences of the higher worlds are not free, but in complete submission to Him.

Also, Muslims are convinced that their religion is the most correct, since Muhammad is the last prophet whom God sent to Earth. The knowledge and wisdom of previous religions, in the opinion of Muslims, is not reliable due to the fact that people repeatedly rewrote and deformed sacred knowledge.

Judaism

It is the earliest religion that originated in Palestine. It became widespread mainly among Jews. Belief in one God, as well as the immortality of the soul and the afterlife, is closely related to the perception of the Jewish people as the personification of the Messiah and the bearer of Divine revelation.

The sacred books of Judaism include the Torah, a huge number of works of the prophets and interpretations that are collected in the Talmud.

Christianity

She is one of the three most powerful religions in the world. Originated in Palestine, and then spread to the Roman Empire and throughout Europe. She won the hearts of many believers living on planet Earth.

The belief that God sent his son Jesus Christ to Earth, who lived, suffered and died righteously like an ordinary person, is at the heart of religion.

The main book of religion is the Bible. It preaches the doctrine of the three hypostases of one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christians especially relate to the concept of the first sin and the second coming of Christ to Earth.

Polytheism

Polytheism is a belief in many Gods. This can be called a certain system of beliefs, a whole worldview, or a ground for disagreement. Religion is based on belief in several deities that are collected in a pantheon of goddesses and, of course, gods.

Polytheism belongs to the type of theism and is opposed to monotheism, that is, belief in one, one God. And at the same time, he also disagrees with the judgments of atheism, where the existence of any higher forces is completely denied.

In fact, this term was introduced by Philo of Alexandria because it became necessary to create some kind of difference between polytheism and paganism. Since at that time all those who did not profess Judaism were called pagans.

Jediism

Rather a philosophical trend than a religion, I could not help but mention this! Jedi believe in the Force, an all-encompassing energy field created by all living things that surrounds and penetrates all living things, and work to develop their own, much like the Jedi Knights from the movie "". In Jedism, there are no cult actions and dogmas, and the followers of this movement have already registered about half a million, especially in America and Great Britain.

And the Jedi code reads as follows:

There are no emotions - there is peace.
There is no ignorance - there is knowledge.
There is no passion - there is serenity.
There is no chaos - there is harmony.
There is no death - there is Power.

So, most likely, the Jedi direction is a lot like Buddhism.

In conclusion, I will say that in my opinion, the central idea of ​​all religions is the same: the existence of a higher Power and subtle, invisible worlds, as well as the spiritual development of a person. All religions, in my opinion, come from ancient esoteric knowledge. So, it will be joyful when each person believes in what he likes the most, and also provides the same freedom to others. After all, first of all it is necessary to remain people!

On this philosophical note, I put an end to it.

See you on the blog, bye bye!

There are many religious movements in our country. Freedom of conscience and religion, as well as the right to individual or collective practice of any non-aggressive religion for the public dissemination of its beliefs and actions are guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Religion in Russia is represented by the main world confessions and their ideological offshoots. The main one is Christianity, it is professed by the largest part of believers. Many citizens, especially the eastern and southern regions of the country, prefer Islam. In Khakassia, Buryatia and some areas of Altai, the population tends to Buddhism. The Jewish diaspora throughout the country is dominated by Judaism.

Orthodoxy, borrowed from Ancient Byzantium, has become the dominant trend in Russian Christianity since the time of the baptism of Russia by the Grand Duke Vladimir the Red Sun. And only in the western regions of the Russian Federation, adjacent to Belarus and the Baltic States, Catholic Christianity and Protestantism are professed.

So how many religions are there in our state, and what is the number of their adherents? According to the RAS data from 2013:

• Orthodox Christianity in Russia is professed by 79 percent of the country's inhabitants;
• spiritual Christianity, not related to religion, is represented by 9 percent;
• Muslims make up 4 percent;
• about 1 percent belong to other faiths;
• About 7 percent of Russian people consider themselves atheists.

Thus, the total number of believers in our country, excluding atheists, is approaching 93%. Let's consider the features of each religion in Russia separately. All of them have certain historical and national preconditions and are the spiritual basis for the unification of the peoples of the country into one state.

Orthodoxy

The main symbol of Orthodoxy as one of the branches of Christianity is faith in Jesus Christ - the governor of the true God and Savior of mankind on earth. According to several versions set forth in the canonical and apocryphal Gospels, God the Father sent his son to our sinful world to correct the vices of people, to make them worthy of God's attention. Jesus showed people an example of piety and asceticism, and it cost him his life. He was crucified on the cross next to ordinary robbers, but on the third day after his death, a resurrection took place, and he showed people that he really knows how to work miracles.

The main concept of Christianity is that God is one, but he can exist in three persons at once: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Hence the very origin of the word "Trinity", the doctrine of which was introduced into Christianity by Theophilus of Antilokh at the time of the birth of this religion in the II century of the new era.

Born from Blessed virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit, Jesus appeared on Earth for the sake of delivering mankind from Satan, who has imposed a curse, sinfulness and death on people. Having redeemed these misfortunes by the very fact of his death, the Son of Man was resurrected and thereby showed others the possibility of atonement for sins before the gates of Paradise, gave faith in the resurrection of everyone and eternal life for all the righteous.

Christianity is personified by the name of the founder - Christ, because he is directly related to the formation of this religion. This man deliberately sacrificed himself for the sake of his other contemporaries and predecessors, suffering as a result of the excommunication of Adam and Eve from God. Christ again turned the face of God to them and through himself atoned for a part of their sin.

Faith in Christ

Why has belief in Christ become one of the world's largest religions? The reason is in an integral worldview, which includes three principles, without which no traditional religion is possible:

1. Belief in the existence of God.
2. Recognition of the ideology of a given religion.
3. Following her canons.

Otherwise, we can only talk about some kind of shamanism, fetishism, magic or something similar, which is a non-traditional religious movement, or pseudo-religion.

An important feature of Orthodoxy is God's reliance on man. Only man, according to Christ, is the measure of everything in the world. This wisdom came from philosophers Ancient Greece... Christianity brought into it only a close connection between man and God. The Almighty corrects a person's behavior and puts his thoughts in order.

The declaration of Christ's doctrine is demonstrated by his Sermon on the Mount, in which he shows his disciples and followers the true path to Heavenly kingdom... This is a kind of moral code of Christianity.

The modern world is multifaceted. This also applies to religious movements, as well as their preachers. They impose certain ideals on believers, sometimes at odds with their own standards of living. Orthodoxy in this sense does not impose anything on anyone, but simply calls on to believe in God as the highest embodiment of world justice, which does not conflict with national interests and is the official religion in Russia, the same as Islam, Judaism and Buddhism.

In Orthodoxy, God personifies everything best qualities man - truth, wisdom, love, bliss, goodness, beauty, power, eternal life. All of them are in harmony with each other.

Catholicism

The term "Catholicism", which means "universal" in Greek, was first introduced by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, a follower of John the Evangelist, in 110 AD. Later, it was officially confirmed by the Council of Nicaea. This term indicated the beginning of a schism between the Byzantine and Roman Christian churches, mainly related to some basic church rituals.

This doctrine, like Orthodoxy, is focused on the Holy Scriptures, the Bible and the Catechism, which sets out the sacraments of the Catholic Church. There are seven of them:

• baptism, the procedure for which is described in the canonical gospels;
• the sacrament of marriage;
• confirmation, or chrismation;
• Eucharist;
• the sacrament of confession;
• consecration with oil;
• the ordinance of the priesthood.

In addition, the Catholic faith takes into account the doctrinal provisions that distinguish it from other denominations that form Christianity:

• The Holy Spirit among Catholics comes equally from the Father and the Son, and not from one of them (this is expressed by the term "filioque");
• The Virgin Mary conceived immaculately, only then her pregnancy with Christ was transformed into a bodily form;
• Sinners who deviate from the teachings of the Catholic Church end up in Purgatory;
• Repentant sinners receive an indulgence that forgives sins;
• Cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
• The exaltation of the saints, martyrs, blessed with the rendering of honors equal to God;
• Confirmation of the dominion of the Roman Church over all the Catholic churches of the world as a direct successor to the Holy Apostle Peter;
• Strict subordination of all branches of the Catholic Church (compare: the Orthodox Church is autocephalous, that is, independent of any other church);
• The Pope's infallibility in all matters relating to faith in God and morality.
• Sanctity of marriage. It cannot be terminated only at the wishes of the parties, only with the permission of the church.

The difference between the Orthodox and Catholic churches

The difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church also applies to rituals. Latin rituals have their own peculiarities:

• the name of the Son is always added to the creed of God in the filioque;
• any church parish must have a priest;
• baptism among Catholics is carried out not by immersion in water, as in Orthodoxy, but by sprinkling water on the head;
• chrismation can only be carried out by a bishop; a simple priest has the right to do so only if the death of the confessed person approaches;
• during the Eucharist, leavened bread is not used, as in the Orthodox, but unleavened bread;
• laity receive communion with the help of the Body or Blood of Christ, priests receive communion only with the Body and Blood, that is, with a full-fledged communion;
• The sign of the cross among Catholics is made from left to right and with all fingers of the hand, since they symbolize precisely the five wounds of Christ when crucified on the cross.

Protestantism

Protestantism is one of the directions of Christianity, as important as Catholicism and Orthodoxy. It represents a religious association Protestant churches, ideologically originating from the era of the Reformation and opposing classical Catholicism in Europe, making it either more liberal or more conservative.

Protestant theology was formed in the 16th-17th centuries. The main ideologues Protestant teaching during the Reformation there were John Calvin, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Ulrich Zwingli. Later it was developed by A. Harnack, F. Schleiermacher, E. Troelch and others. A new trend in Protestant theology marks the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

The basis of Protestantism is the same beliefs in God, in his trinity, heaven and hell, the immortality of the human soul, as Christians. But unlike Catholics, Protestants reject the image of Purgatory, believing that only faith in Christ - his death on the cross and the subsequent resurrection from the dead - can give final forgiveness to sinners.

Protestants believe that the only source of Christian teachings - the Bible. Studying its canons and applying them in their own practice is the most important task of true believers. At the same time, Protestant missionaries are trying to make the Bible accessible to all believers, translating it into all their national languages. This book, which is essentially the history of the ordeal of the Jewish people, has become an indisputable authority for Protestants. With its help all others are evaluated. religious teachings, actions and opinions. Anything that is not confirmed in the Bible is not subject to the fulfillment of believers.

• Indisputable Scripture.
• Priesthood for all believers without exception.
• Salvation through personal faith.

Protestant theology in its classical form is very strict about faith, the doctrine of salvation, the church and the sacraments. The external, ceremonial side of church life is becoming less important for Protestants. Hence, a wide variety of formalities while observing the basic tenets of the doctrine.

Teachings in Protestantism

Time has shaped many of its own teachings in Protestantism. Some of them began to go beyond the classical doctrines. For example, convincing adherents of some teachings in the possession of a prophetic gift. This is how the Seventh-day Adventist sect and several other sects were formed, based on the revelations and visions of their founders.

Of all the sacraments that Protestants adhere to, only two are supported by all teachings - communion and the sacrament of baptism. All others are considered conditional. At the same time, baptism can be performed at any age, while in order to perform the sacrament, the candidate must undergo confirmation - a special preparatory ritual.

Confession and marriage, as well as other similar ordinances among Protestants, are simply traditional rites. They also greet prayers in honor of the dead, saints, although they are treated with reverence. They do not worship the relics of the dead, considering this ceremony inconsistent with the Holy Scriptures and resembling ordinary idolatry.

In meetinghouses, worshipers of this faith do not have any of the decor common to most churches. Prayers can be performed in any building that is completely unsuitable for worship, for, according to believers, it should be focused not on contemplating a beautiful interior, but on prayers, performing psalms, church sermons and singing hymns in the language of the flock.

Spiritual Christianity

Spiritual Christianity includes several trends that appeared in Russia at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. The most famous of them:

• the Dukhobors;
• Molokans;
• eunuchs;
• Khlysty, or Christovovers.

All these, as they called themselves, the people of God in the divine services lacked any Orthodox orthodoxy. This can be explained, most likely, simply by the poverty of the flock, which came from fugitive serfs. That is why they were persecuted in Russia during both the imperial and Soviet periods.

Whips

Khlysty is the oldest non-traditional movement in the spiritual Orthodox Christianity of Russia. According to one version, it developed from the Old Believers during the persecutions against it by the official Orthodox Church under Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Later, the Khlyst sect split into several communities that were completely independent of each other, so their cult became very different.

The Bible is interpreted by Christians as an allegory that allows the believer to communicate with God, the Son and the Holy Spirit directly without intermediaries in the form of the Orthodox Church. According to them, God incarnates in a righteous person, and then he becomes a peculiar image of Christ - a whip, a prophet or the Mother of God.

The religious tradition of the Christian believers was very ascetic. Basically, it was a so-called zeal - prayer rituals that bring believers to ecstasy and even to clouding of consciousness. For some time the Khlysty still visited Orthodox churches, then they formed their own communities, which they called "ships." After the abolition of Serfdom, these ships acquired their own symbolic names, such as Old or New Israel and Postniki.

The Soviet government, not inclined to recognize religion in general, persecuted the Khlysty. The number of their communities has significantly decreased and by about the middle of the 70s of the last century, information about the activities of the Khlysty in Russia was no longer observed.

Skoptsy

They are the radical wing of the oppositional Orthodox Christianity. Etymologically, it goes back to whips. Kondraty Selivanov, its founder, declared himself to be God's son and began to preach the physical blinding of his flock (the flock) as the only remedy for worldly temptation, leading to the salvation of the soul.

In contrast to the Christian faith, which mainly affected the peasant environment, the hoard became popular among the merchants, even among the nobles. The latter circumstance gave their communities considerable wealth. During the collectivization period, this played a cruel joke on them. The eunuchs' communities were defeated as kulaks.

Molokans

These are some of the later offshoots of Russian. spiritual Christianity, in fact - classical Protestantism. The Bible here acts as the basic law of the conduct of believers. At their prayer meetings, the Molokans were engaged in reading texts from the Holy Scriptures. The Molokans do not welcome any religious rituals, even baptism with water. They are baptized with the Holy Spirit, that is, by constant faith in God. Piety is above all for them, just as it is for Protestants.

By the end of the 19th century, the Molokans were divided into permanent and "jumpers". The last name reflects the peculiarity of the prayer ritual: they raise their hands and jump during ecstasy. Because of their eccentricity, many Molokans were exiled to the Caucasus or emigrated to America.

Currently, Molokan centers operate in all major cities of the country. Basically, they represent permanent Molokans, close to Protestants, but Russians.

Dukhobts

Russian Dukhobors are also close to Protestantism. They reject all the attributes of external religiosity, there are no icons in the houses of prayer, there is no priesthood and reverence for the sacraments. They see God in all phenomena and objects of nature, they exalt personal communication with God. In the Bible, they do not see the holy book and prefer the Dukhobor psalms in their original presentation. A large number of Dukhobors now live in the Caucasus and Canada.

Islam

According to the assurances of Muslim theologians, Islam emerged around AD 662. He absorbed much of the dogma of Judaism and Christianity, including their mythology. This allowed Islam in a fairly short time to become a full-fledged religion with its own Bible, which is here called the Koran, and the sayings of God (Allah) - Sunnah.

The main canons of Islam are set forth in the "Pillars of Faith":

• Allah is the only creator of everything that exists in the world, faith in him is immutable;
• Polytheism is a sin worse than which there is none;
• Angels are the closest helpers of Allah, faith in them should be as strong as in God himself;
• All the scriptures sent down to earth by Allah are sacred and are blindly accepted on faith;
• Prophets are considered the messengers of Allah and should be received with the highest honors;
• Doomsday is inevitable, the world is threatened with a universal catastrophe. But he will perish and rise again;
• Hell and heaven exist;
• The destiny of a person is predetermined. Everything happens only by the will of Allah.

The religious pillars of Islam practiced in the Muslim tradition include:

• shahad - rituals for the confession of faith;
• namaz - communication with God through prayer;
• zakat - a type of tax from the flock for the needs of poor Muslims;
• saum - observance of a religious fast in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (Ramadan);
• jihad is the struggle for the purity of faith.

Judaism

In Judaism, there is no specific creed in the form of a briefly formulated doctrine. Jewish theologians are guided mainly by the commandments of Moses, bequeathed to the people on the way from Egyptian slavery. There are 613 of them, only 10 are better known. But, according to theologians and philosophers, this is just the subjective point of view of some theologians.

The foundation of Judaism is based on the following principles:

• faith in Yahweh, the one and undeniable God;
• belief that the Jewish people are God's chosen people;
• belief in the appearance of the Messiah on earth;
• belief in an immortal soul;
• belief in the afterlife and eternal life.

Judaism is a monotheic religion. Her God is eternal, immaterial, omnipresent and incorporeal. Worshiping anyone other than Yahweh is a great sin: neither the stars, nor the angels, nor the saints.

The world was created by God just by looking in just seven days. Man is the pinnacle of this creation. Man is both material and spiritual. By the fact of its creation by God, it cannot be primordially sinful in principle. All human sins are the result of insufficient faith in the Most High.

Only Yahweh is the only true God, which means that only Yahweh, or Jehovah, needs to be worshiped. Cheating on your God is the most serious sin. Jehovah specifically gave freedom to the Jews, exalted them so that they could communicate with God with dignity. This is the only reason why the Jews become a truly free people. If a person from another religion converts to Judaism, he is recognized the right to make such a choice. The renunciation of Judaism is prohibited.

The Jews descended from Abraham by the will of God. The Lord made an eternal alliance with him and his descendants. The symbol of this union was the rite of circumcision. Followers of Judaism tend to be messianic. But they strive to convert others to their faith and punish enemies.

Revelation is the basic concept of Judaism. People in it stand in second place after God and become the most perfect creation on Earth. Once a person foolishly turned away from God, hid from him, went the path of numerous mistakes associated with suffering and crimes. Only loyalty to God, love for him can return people to a happy life.

Buddhism

Buddhism belongs to the oldest world religion, originated in Ancient India and is still the leading confession there. On the map of the Russian state, it is professed in Buryatia and some regions of Altai. The main difference between Buddhism and other religions is the desire of believers not to God, but to nirvana.

They come to it through self-denial from the temptations of external life, focusing on the main thing, that is, in the eternal good. Nirvana is achieved through meditation. Whoever passes this path to the end and with success can count on the laurels of the Buddha. In other words, everyone will become God if they strive for this.

The diversity of the religious picture that exists in Russia makes it possible not only to realize all the greatness and versatility of culture, but also to use its fruits to achieve the common good of the peoples of the country. Each of our religions creates a special fragment in the picture of the surrounding world, allows us to comprehend ourselves in it, to contribute to the unification of society.

Faith in God surrounds a person from infancy. In childhood, this still unconscious choice is associated with family traditions that exist in every home. But later, a person can deliberately change their confession. How are they similar and how do they differ from one another?

The concept of religion and the prerequisites for its appearance

The word "religion" comes from the Latin religio (piety, shrine). This is an attitude, behavior, actions based on belief in something that transcends human understanding and is supernatural, that is, sacred. The beginning and meaning of any religion is belief in God, regardless of whether he is personified or impersonal.

Several prerequisites for the emergence of religion are known. First, from time immemorial, man has been trying to go beyond the boundaries of this world. He seeks to find salvation and consolation outside of it, sincerely needs faith.

Secondly, a person wants to give an objective assessment of the world. And then, when he cannot explain the origin of earthly life only by natural laws, he makes the assumption that a supernatural force is applied to all this.

Third, a person believes that various events and incidents of a religious nature confirm the existence of God. The list of religions for people of faith already serves as a real proof of the existence of God. They explain it very simply. If God did not exist, there would be no religion.

The oldest species, forms of religion

The origin of religion took place 40 thousand years ago. It was then that the emergence of the simplest forms of religious beliefs was noted. It was possible to learn about them thanks to the discovered burials, as well as rock and cave paintings.

In accordance with this, the following types of ancient religions are distinguished:

• Totemism. A totem is a plant, animal or object that was considered sacred by a particular group of people, tribe, clan. This ancient religion was based on the belief in the supernatural power of the amulet (totem).

• Magic. This is a form of religion based on belief in the magical abilities of a person. The magician with the help of symbolic actions is able to influence the behavior of other people, natural phenomena and objects from a positive and negative side.
• Fetishism. From among any objects (a skull of an animal or a person, a stone or a piece of wood, for example), one was chosen to which supernatural properties were attributed. He was supposed to bring good luck and protect from danger.
• Animism. All natural phenomena, objects and people have a soul. She is immortal and continues to live outside the body even after his death. Everything modern species religions are based on belief in the existence of souls and spirits.
• Shamanism. It was believed that the head of the tribe or cleric possessed supernatural power. He entered into conversation with the spirits, listened to their advice and fulfilled the requirements. Belief in the power of the shaman is at the core of this form of religion.

List of religions

There are more than a hundred different religious trends in the world, including the most ancient forms and modern trends. They have their own time of origin and differ in the number of followers. But at the heart of this long list are the three most numerous religions in the world: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Each of them has different directions.

World religions in the form of a list can be represented as follows:

1. Christianity (almost 1.5 billion people):

• Orthodoxy (Russia, Greece, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia);
• Catholicism (states of Western Europe, Poland Czech Republic, Lithuania and others);
• Protestantism (USA, UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia).

2. Islam (about 1.3 billion people):

• Sunnism (Africa, Central and South Asia);
• Shiism (Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan).

3.Buddhism (300 million people):

• Hinayana (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand);
• Mahayana (Tibet, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam).

National religions

In addition, in every corner of the world there are national and traditional religions, also with their own directions. They originated or became especially widespread in certain countries. On this basis, such types of religions are distinguished:

• Hinduism (India);
• Confucianism (China);
• Taoism (China);
• Judaism (Israel);
• Sikhism (Punjab state in India);
• Shinto (Japan);
• paganism (Indian tribes, peoples of the North and Oceania).

Christianity

This religion originated in Palestine in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. Its appearance is associated with faith in the birth of Jesus Christ. At the age of 33, he was martyred on the cross to atone for human sins, after which he was resurrected and ascended to heaven. Thus, the son of God, who embodied a supernatural and human nature, became the founder of Christianity.

The documentary basis of the doctrine is the Bible (or Holy Scripture), which consists of two independent collections of the Old and New Testaments. The writing of the first of them is closely related to Judaism, from which Christianity originates. The New Testament was written after the birth of religion.

The symbols of Christianity are the Orthodox and Catholic cross. The main provisions of faith are defined in dogmas, which are based on faith in God, who created the world and man himself. The objects of worship are God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit.

Islam

Islam, or Islam, originated among the Arab tribes of Western Arabia in the early 7th century in Mecca. The prophet Muhammad became the founder of the religion. From childhood, this man was prone to loneliness and often indulged in pious reflections. According to the teachings of Islam, at the age of 40, on Mount Khira, the heavenly messenger Jabrail (Archangel Gabriel) appeared to him, who left an inscription in his heart. Like many other world religions, Islam is based on belief in one God, but in Islam it is called Allah.

Holy Scripture - Koran. The symbols of Islam are the star and the crescent. The main provisions of the Muslim faith are contained in dogmas. They must be recognized and unquestioningly fulfilled by all believers.

The main types of religion are Sunni and Shi'ism. Their appearance is associated with political differences between believers. So, Shiites to this day believe that only direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad carry the truth, and the Sunnis think that this should be an elected member of the Muslim community.

Buddhism

Buddhism originated in the 6th century BC. Homeland - India, after which the teaching spread to the countries of Southeast, South, Central Asia and the Far East. Considering how many other most numerous types of religions exist, we can safely say that Buddhism is the most ancient of them.

The founder of the spiritual tradition is Buddha Gautama. This was an ordinary person, whose parents were rewarded with the vision that their son would grow up to be the Great Teachers. Buddha was also lonely and contemplative, and very quickly turned to religion.

There is no object of worship in this religion. The goal of all believers is to achieve nirvana, a blissful state of insight, to free themselves from their own shackles. Buddha for them represents a certain ideal, which should be equal.

Buddhism is based on the doctrine of four Noble Truths: about suffering, about the origin and causes of suffering, about the true cessation of suffering and the elimination of its sources, about the true path to the end of suffering. This path consists of several stages and is divided into three stages: wisdom, morality and concentration.

New religious movements

In addition to those religions that originated a very long time ago, in modern world until now, new creeds continue to appear. They are still based on faith in God.

The following types of modern religions can be noted:

• Scientology;
• neoshamanism;
• neopaganism;
• burkhanism;
• neo-Hinduism;
• Raelites;
• oomoto;
• and other trends.

This list is constantly being modified and supplemented. Certain types of religions are especially popular with show business stars. For example, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, John Travolta are seriously interested in Scientology.

This religion originated in 1950 thanks to science fiction writer L.R. Hubbard. Scientologists believe that any person is inherently good, his success and peace of mind depend on himself. According to the fundamental principles of this religion, humans are immortal beings. Their experience lasts longer than one human life and the abilities are unlimited.

But everything is not so simple in this religion. Scientology is considered in many countries to be a sect, a pseudo-religion with a lot of capital. Despite this, the trend is very popular, especially in Hollywood.

The Russian Federation is a multinational state, and on this moment representatives of more than 160 peoples and ethnic groups live in the country. According to the Constitution, all citizens of the Russian Federation, regardless of ethnicity, have equal rights and freedom of religion. Historically, different peoples living on the vast territory of Russia profess different religions and have different customs and traditions. The reason for such a difference in the culture and beliefs of different nationalities is that several centuries ago many peoples who live on the territory of the modern Russian Federation did not have any contacts with each other and lived and built their civilizations separately from each other.

If we analyze the population of the Russian Federation by belonging to one or another ethnic group, then we can conclude that representatives of certain peoples prevail in different regions of the country. For example, in the Central and North-Western regions of the country the Russian population predominates, in the Volga region - Russians, Kalmyks and Tatars, in the regions of Western and Central Siberia - Altai, Kazakhs, Nenets, Khanty, etc., in Eastern Siberia - Buryats, Tuvinians, Khakass, etc., and in the Far Eastern regions - Yakuts, Chukchi, Chinese, Evens and representatives of many other small peoples. The religions of Russia are as numerous as the peoples inhabiting the state, because at the moment in the territory of the Russian Federation there are officially registered representations of more than 100 religious organizations.

The number of believers in Russia and their confession

In modern Russia, there are also adherents of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, and people professing the traditional religions of the peoples of Russia, and members of religious organizations who are ranked as totalitarian sects. According to research by statistical agencies, more than 85% of Russian citizens believe in supernatural forces and belong to one or another religious denomination. In percentage terms, the belonging of the citizens of our country to religions is as follows:

• Parishioners of the Russian Orthodox christian church - 41%
• Muslims - 7%
• Christians who consider themselves Orthodox, but who are not parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church - 4%
• Adherents of paganism, Old Believers and traditional religions of the peoples of Russia -1.5%
• Buddhists - 0.5%
• Protestant Christians - approx. 0.3%
• Catholic Christians - approx 0.2%
• Adepts of Judaism - approx. 0.1%
• People who believe in the existence of God, but do not identify themselves with any religious denomination - about 25%
• Believers professing other religions - 5-6%
• Atheists - approx. fourteen%.

Since a huge number of representatives of different peoples live in Russia, and thanks to migration processes, thousands of immigrants from Central Asia and a number of other states move to the country for permanent residence every year, you can determine what religions exist in Russia by simply opening the guide to religious studies. The Russian Federation can be called a unique country in its own way in terms of the religious composition of the population, since there are both adherents of ancient beliefs and followers of many. Thanks to the freedom of religion guaranteed by law in everyone large city In the Russian Federation there are Orthodox and Catholic churches, mosques, and representations of numerous Protestant and religious-philosophical movements.

If we consider the religions of Russia on a geographical basis, then we can conclude that Christians live in the western, north-western and central regions of the Russian Federation, in central and eastern Siberia along with Christians live adherents of the traditional religions of the peoples of Russia, and the North Caucasus is inhabited mainly by Muslims. Nevertheless, in recent years the situation has changed significantly, and in such megalopolises as, for example, St. Petersburg and Moscow, which during the existence of the Russian Empire were inhabited exclusively by Christians, more and more Muslim communities and Protestant religious organizations appear.

Traditional religions of the peoples of Russia

Despite the fact that many Russians are convinced that Russia is a primordially Christian state, this is not the case. Christianity began to spread in the territories that are now part of the Russian Federation in the first half of the second millennium AD, and Christian missionaries came to the eastern regions of Russia and Siberia even later, in the 1580s and 1700s. Prior to this, the peoples living in the territory of the modern Russian Federation believed in pagan gods, and in their religions there were many signs of the oldest beliefs in the world -.

The Slavic tribes that inhabited the territory of western Russia in the pre-Christian era were, like all Slavs, pagans, and worshiped a number of gods, identifying the elements, natural and social phenomena... To this day, in different regions of Russia, monuments of pagan Slavic culture have been preserved - statues of ancient gods carved from wood, the remains of temples, etc., inhabiting Western Siberia, like the Slavs, were pagans, but animism and shamanism prevailed in their beliefs. But in the Far East, which in the pre-Christian era was sparsely populated, there were tribes whose culture and religion were significantly influenced by the Eastern religions - Buddhism and Hinduism.