 | Orthodox Revivalism in Russia: Driving Forces and Moral Quests Subjects: Area Studies; Humanities; Social Sciences; Central Asian Russian & Eastern European Studies; Religion; Sociology & Social Policy; Sociology of Religion; Christianity; Orthodoxy has achieved a large scale revival in Russia following the collapse of Communism. However, paradoxically, although there is a high level of identification with Orthodoxy, there is in fact a low level of church attendance. This book, based on in depth ethnographic fieldwork, explores the social background and moral attitudes of the "little flock" of believers who actively participate in religious life. It reveals that the complex moral beliefs of the faithful have a disproportionately high impact on Russian society overall; that among the faithful there is a strong emphasis on striving for personal perfection; but that also there are strong collective ideas concerning religious nationalism and the synergy between the secular and the religious. Milena Benovska is a Professor in the Department of Ethnology and Balkan Studies at the South-West University of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria |
