E. A. Koval, S. G. Ushkin, A. A. Sychev, N. V. Zhadunova. Canons, Customs, Superstitions: The Perception of Orthodox Church Norms and Practices by Clergy and Parishioners of the Mordovia Metropolis of Russian Orthodox Church

UDК 392:27-1(470.345)

doi: 10.15507/2413-1407.124.031.202303.584-603

Abstract

Introduction. The canonical norms, customs and superstitions that regulate common church practices are not always clearly differentiated in religious consciousness. As a result, the substitution of superstitions for canonical norms and customs leads to a distortion of the normative foundations of religious practices. The purpose of this study is to identify the level of subjective and objective knowledge of clergy and parishioners about normative and non-normative religious practices based on the results of the authors’ sociological research.

Materials and Methods. The empirical base is the data of a sociological study conducted in October-November 2022 among the clergy and parishioners of the Mordovia Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church with interactive questionnaire. A non-probabilistic approach to sampling was used; respondents were recruited through own networks of researchers. The use of comparative method made it possible to identify differences in the perception of canons, customs and superstitions by two groups of respondents. Within the framework of pilot study, the author’s sociological tools and methods for result processing were tested. Since parishioners and especially clergy are a hard-to-reach group of respondents, a non-probability approach was used to form the sample. This entailed a number of limitations of the study.

Results. Subjective assessments of the level of religious literacy were analyzed, including the knowledge about canons, customs and superstitions. Not only the clergy, but also parishioners demonstrated a comparatively high level of awareness of the normative foundations of religious practices, although some parishioners have an inflated self-esteem. General ideas about the concepts of normative and non-normative were revealed, none of the respondents had any objections to the definition of the concepts of “canon”, “custom”, “superstition”. However, discrepancies were found regarding the assessment of some practices.

Discussion and Conclusion. Four factors were identified, in which variables are grouped, demonstrating the different nature of respondents’ knowledge about canons, customs and superstitions: knowledge to distinguish customs and canons from superstitions; knowledge of the customs relating to events and situations; knowledge of the canons; knowledge of the canons relating to special religious knowledge, including those regulating the life of clergy. The article will be useful to researchers of religious practices and religious consciousness, as well as lecturers of the theological educational institutions.

Keywords: sociology of religion, religious consciousness, Orthodoxy, religious norms, canon, custom, superstition, clergyman, parishioner

Conflict of interests. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.

Funding. The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 21-011-00001 “Normative Dimensions of Christian Canons: Tradition and Dynamics”.

Acknowledgements. The authors thank the reviewers, whose comments improved the research, as well as the clergy and parishioners of the Mordovia Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church who took part in the sociological survey.

For citation: Koval E.A., Ushkin S.G., Sychev A.A., Zhadunova N.V. Canons, Customs, Superstitions: The Perception of Orthodox Church Norms and Practices by Clergy and Parishioners of the Mordovia Metropolis of Russian Orthodox Church. Russian Journal of Regional Studies. 2023;31(3):584–603. https://doi.org/10.15507/2413-1407.124.031.202303.584-603

REFERENCES

1. Prutskova E.V. Easter Cakes and/or Eucharist: Typology of Orthodox Christians Participating in the Blessing of Easter Food. Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal. 2018;(2):243–260. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2018.2.14

2. Ostrovskaya E.A. Alternative Media Discourse about the ROC: Orthodox Telegram Channels. Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal. 2022;(2):454–476. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2022.2.2046

3. Filatov S.B., Lunkin R.N. [Statistics of Russian Religiosity: the Magic of Numbers and Ambiguous Reality]. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya. 2005;(6):35–45. Available at: https://www.isras.ru/files/File/Socis/2005-6/filatov_lunkin_religion.pdf (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ.)

4. Markin K.V. Between Belief and Unbelief: Non-Practicing Orthodox Christians in the Context of the Russian Sociology of Religion. Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal. 2018;(2):274–290. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2018.2.16

5. Ryzhova S.V. Religiosity in the Context of the Culture of Trust. Sociological Journal. 2017;23(3):44–63. https://doi.org/10.19181/socjour.2017.23.3.5363

6. McCleary R.M., Barro R.J. Religion and Political Economy in an International Panel // Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 2006;45(2):149–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2006.00299.x

7. Bogatova O.A. [Religious Identity and Religious Practices in Mordovia]. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya. 2011;(8):114–122. Available at: https://www.isras.ru/files/File/Socis/2011-8/Bogatova.pdf (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ.)

8. Alexander J.C., Smith Ph. Strong Program in Cultural Sociology. Russian Sociological Review. 2010;9(2):11–30. Available at: https://sociologica.hse.ru/data/2011/03/06/1211606385/9_2_03.pdf (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.)

9. Ochoa N.R. Template Matching and Moral Judgment: A New Method and Empirical Test. Poetics. 2022;92(Part B):101643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2021.101643

10. Astor A., Mayrl D. Culturalized Religion: A Synthetic Review and Agenda for Research. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 2020;59(2):209–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12661

11. Burchardt M. Regulating Difference: Religious Diversity and Nationhood in the Secular West. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press; 2020. https://doi.org/10.36019/9781978809635

12. Lebedev S.D., Sukhorukov V.V. [A Narrow Path to Wrong Place?] Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya. 2013;(1):118–126. Available at: https://www.isras.ru/files/File/Socis/2013_1/Lebedev.pdf (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ.)

13. Yakovleva A.A. Studies of Hard-to-Reach Populations: the Experience of the Respondent-Driven Sampling and Time-Location Sampling. Sociology: Methodology, Methods, Mathematical Modeling. 2011;(33):57–79. Available at: https://www.soc4m.ru/index.php/soc4m/article/view/3721 (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.)

14. Voronin G.L. One More Time about “Clusters on Factors”. Sociological Journal. 2010;(3):21–34. Available at: https://www.journal-socjournal.ru/index.php/socjour/article/view/1156 (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.)

15. Togler B. Determinants of Superstition. The Journal of Socio-Economics. 2007;36(5):713–733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2007.01.007

16. Sinelina Yu.Yu. [Orthodoxes and Muslims: Comparative Analysis of Religious Behavior and Value Orientations]. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya. 2009;(4):89–97. Available at: https://www.isras.ru/files/File/Socis/2009-04/Sinelina.pdf (accessed 07.12.2022). (In Russ.)

17. Emelyanov N.N. Religiosity Paradox: Where do Believers come from? Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal. 2018;(2):32–48. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2018.2.02

Submitted 09.01.2023; revised 03.03.2023; accepted 13.03.2023.

About the authors:

Ekaterina A. Koval, Dr. Sci. (Philos.), Professor, Department of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, Middle Volga Branch, All-Russian State University of Justice (6 Fedoseenko St., Saransk 430003, Russian Federation); Leading Researcher, Institute for Corporate Education and Continuing Education, National Research Mordovia State University (68/1 Bolchevistskaya St., Saransk 430005, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0069-5335, nwifesc@yandex.ru

Sergey G. Ushkin, Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Leading Researcher, Social Processes Monitoring Department of Scientific Center for Social and Economic Monitoring (39a B. Chmelnickogo St., Saransk 430005, Russian Federation); Research Manager, Russian Public Opinion Research Center (38 Prechistenka St., Moscow 119072, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4317-6615, ushkinsergey@gmail.com

Andrey A. Sychev, Dr. Sci. (Philos.), Professor, Department of Philosophy, National Research Mordovia State University (68/1 Bolchevistskaya St., Saransk 430005, Russian Federation); Leading Researcher Industrial University of Tyumen (38 Volodarskogo St., Tyumen 625000, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3757-4457, sychevaa@mail.ru

Natalia V. Zhadunova, Cand. Sci. (Philos.), Director, Institute for Corporate Education and Continuing Education, National Research Mordovia State University (68/1 Bolchevistskaya St., Saransk 430005, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9058-0488, zhadunovan@mail.ru

Contribution of the authors:

E. A. Koval – collection, processing and analysis of information; preparation of the initial version of the text; critical analysis of the materials; critical analysis and revision of the text of the article.

S. G. Ushkin – processing and analysis of information; visualization of research results; preparation of the initial version of the text; critical analysis and revision of the text of the article.

A. A. Sychev – examination of the conception; critical analysis and revision of the text of the article.

N. V. Zhadunova – development of sociological tools; collection of information; critical analysis and revision of the text of the article.

The authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.