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Religions in Russia
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Historically, the Russian Federation is a multi-confessional state formation in spite of the fact that in the pre-revolutionary period of Russia's history there were stringent national-confessional borderlines that spiritually divided and alienated the followers of different religions among themselves. Under Soviet rule, when religious life was supressed, there was also no possibility to develop genuine religious-confessional relations.
But from the beginning of the 1990s, when religious life in the country acquired freedom, for the first time in the history of Russia, the Constitution guaranteed legal equality of all religious associations irrespective of their confessional affiliation.
Unprecedented changes have occurred in the religious-confessional structure of Russia during the past 15-20 years.Today there are approximately 60 religious vectors in the country.
Along with the faiths that are traditional in Russia - Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Catholicism - there are also numerous religious currents and sects in the country:
- Confessions and sects that are relatively traditional for Russia - Lutherans, Protestants, Old Believers, followers of Zoroastriansm, fire-worshippers, Baptists, Adventists, Pentecostalists and others. Traditionally, these confessions were practised in specific ethnic groups - Germans, Poles, Lithuanians and other communities. However, these confessions today are actively trying to swell their ranks.
- Totalitarian sects of pseudo-Christian orientation, such as "The Church of Jesus," "New Apostolic Church," charismatic movements such as "Testament," Korean Protestant sects, "Family."
- Sects vying to possess "the new revelation" - Mormones ("Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"), Jehovah's Witnesses, White Brotherhood, "Virgin Center," Moon movement (Association with its frontal organizations), "Aum Shinri Kyo," "Church of the Last Testament" of false-Vissarion, Bahaism.
- Teachings and sects from the New Age movement ("New Age," "New Aquarius") of an occult nature that have as their objective to develop human paranormal and extrasensory capabilities, healers and sorcerers, Oriental cults - Krishnaism, Yoga practioners, including Sahaja Yoga, transcedental meditation, neo-Vedantism, Theosophy, "live ethics" (Agni Yoga) Rerikh, anthroposophy, the sect of P. Ivanov, Scientology sect of Ron Hubbard (Dianetics, Narconon, Criminon centers and so on), astrology, "Academy of Frontal Problems" ("Zolotov Academy"), the "Univer" neo-pagan center, valeology, "Trojan Path" and others.
- Satanic cults of fanatical nature and relying mainly on young people.
In terms of the number of believers, the largest religious currents in Russia are: Christianity, first of all, Orthodoxy that is traditional for Russia and the most numerous religious vector, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Catholicism - the latter also being one of the directions of Christianity.
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