RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Russian evangelism under threat

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE GIVES ANATHEMA TO EVANGELISTS
by Mikhail Smilian
Gazeta, 13 October 2009

The Ministry of Justice of RF decided to complicate the procedure for registration of religious groups. For example, their founding members cannot include persons accused of extremism, and every evangelist must receive a series of permissions. Representatives of religious organizations are upset by this initiative: they say that every believer already is an evangelist, and "the apostles did not have documents."

The Ministry of Justice has proposed restricting evangelistic activity in Russia. A corresponding draft of amendments to the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious organizations" and to the Code of Administrative Violations of Law was published on the ministry's site on Monday, 12 October.

The document proposes to change the procedure for registration of a religious group and for the first time gives a definition of evangelistic activity. Thus, whereas hitherto Russians who confess one and the same religion could simply give notice about the creation of their group by simply submitting to organs of local administration, now, in the event the initiative of the Ministry of Justice is approved, they will have to make their submission to a territorial organ of state registration.

Strange verdict

In their declaration the believers will have to provide information about the date and place of the creation of a new society, the leader, and the founding members. A principal requirement of registration will be the absence from among the founders, members, and participants of the congregation of people who have been convicted by court decision of incitement of inter-ethnic and inter-religious strife or other crimes of an extremist nature.

"This, at least, is a strange verdict. After all, a member and participant of a religious organization is any parishioner, and we, in the first place, do not know who of them has been convicted and of what, and, in the second place, we cannot close the doors of the church to some parishioners. The more so since we preach in jails and prison colonies," Professor of the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy Deacon Andrei Kuraev told "Gazeta.ru."

He thinks that if this amendment gets into the law "On freedom of conscience and religious organizations" the state will take upon itself the function of anathema, which is inappropriate to it, by deciding who has the right to be a member of a religious organization and who does not.

Preaching in crematoria permitted

The Ministry of Justice would like to impose similar demands on foreign missionaries. As of now, their activity generally is not regulated by any law, which is considered a natural sign of freedom of conscience. In the draft of amendments it is proposed to consider as evangelistic activity "activity of a religious association intended for the dissemiation of its cofessional teaching among persons who are not members, participants, or adherents of the given religious association for the purposes of attracting said persons into the religious association." Sermons of priests within their own churches, at weddings, cemeteries, and in crematoria are not considered evangelism.

Only directors of a society have the right of spreading confessional teaching, according to the document, without any permissions. All other preachers must be given authorization "confirming their right to conduct evangelistic activity in the name of the religious organization." The document must contain reference to the permission of a general meeting of a religious group "granting corresponding authorization of said citizen by decision of a general meeting of the religious group, indicating its denomination, religious confession, and address of the premises."

According to point 3 of the amendment to article 18, "Evangelistic activity," foreign evangelists also will be required to have in their possession written authorization for preaching from the religious organization registered in Russia that invited them.

It is proposed to forbid both foreign and Russian preachers to spread their teaching in churches or monasteries belonging to another religious society, to offer material, social, and other benefits to potential believers, threatening the use of force, psychological pressure, and manipulation of consciousness. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice does not clarify what can be considered "manipulation of consciousness."

The apostles did not have documents

Kuraev thinks that until the term is given a legal definition, both in Russia and abroad, it is totally impossible to introduce it into law. After all, it could include, it would seem, the most ordinary statement, for example, about salvation of the soul after death.

In addition, the ministry suggested forbidding evangelists to preach in sanatoria and hospitals, orphanages, and nursing homes for the elderly and invalids without the consent of their directors in city and village administrations.

Kuraev thinks that if such the suggestion from the Ministry of Justice is confirmed, then evangelistic activity will be severrely restricted. "After all, now just about every believer is a preacher. The babushka in the train talking with a fellow-traveler about how she is fasting also could be considered an evangelist and preacher. But we cannot give to every parishioner authorization and confirm the absence of any criminal conviction. Indeed the apostles did not have on themselves any certificate or document," Kuraev says with amazement. At the same time the deacon recognizes that evangelism does need regulation, although not by laws but by some public norms that condemn, for example, extremist cults. But, Kuraev notes, this can be accomplished by counter-propaganda in the press.

Fine for unauthorized preaching

In the event of a violation of the law, evangelists can expect fines. Thus, for attracting minors into the activity of a church in defiance of their will and without consent of their parents, evangelists can be punished by 2 Ð 5 thousand rubles and the director of the organization, by 5 Ð 10 thousand rubles.

Preaching without authorization will cost the evangelist 2 to 5 thousand rubles, and his organization 5 to 7 thousand rubles. A fine of up to 10 thousand rubles can threaten the societies issuing such authorization to foreigners who had received a visa for Russia that is not for evangelistic activity. And from 7 to 10 thousand rubles is promised to those who begin preaching when they have hanging over their shoulders a judgement for extremism that even has been rescinded. Evangelistic activity in somebody else's churches, hospitals, and local government buildings can be punished by a fine of up to 15 thousand rubles.

In the currently effective Code of Administrative Violations of Law punishment is provided only for "obstructing the exercise of the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religious confession," and "offense against the religious feelings of citizens or desecration of objects, signs, and emblems of worldview symbolism venerated by them." The maximum fine for a first offence is up to 800 rubles, and for a second offence, 1,000. Having become acquainted with the amendments to the code, Kuraev noted that a desire on the part of representatives of some confessions to distribute their brochures and books could be considered offensive, but it is in essence harmless:  "I much more dislike vulgarity in public places, but for some reason the government is in no hurry to fine that."

Discussion of the initiative

The head of the State Duma Committee for Affairs of Public Associations and Religious Organizations, Sergei Popov, notes that it is necessary to give a definition to evangelistic activity, but whether it should be done in the way proposed by the Ministry of Justice is still a question. "This idea has been discussed in the State Duman for more than a year. But the Ministry of Justice's initiative is no more than a draft of amendments. In two weeks we will hold a round table in the lower house, where we will discuss with representatives of confessions the ministry's initiative. Well, we need a draft law, first, for them and not for us or for bureaucrats. Therefore their opinion will become decisive," Popov assured Gazeta.

The deputy noted that what is beyond dispute is only the necessity of regulating evangelistic activity in principle. All other norms will still be under discussion. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 October 2009)

Russian original posted on "Portal-credo.ru" site, 13 October 2009

DRAFT OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
Ministry of Justice, 12 October 2009

Article 18. Evangelistic activity

1.  For the purposes of the present federal law evangelistic activity is recognized as activity of a religious association intended for the dissemiation of its confessional teaching among persons who are not members, participants, or adherents of the given religious association, for the purposes of attracting said persons into the religious association, and conducted by religious associations or persons immediately authorized by them, in public with the assistance of means of mass communication or other legal means.

Activity of a religious association within the confines of buildings and premises having religious purposes and grounds connected to them is not evangelistic, nor is activity in other places allotted to the religious association on a permanent basis for conducting worship services and other religious rituals and ceremonies, or places of pilgrimage, institutions and enterprises of religious organizations, or cemeteries and crematoria.

2. The right of a religious organization to conduct evangelistic activity takes effect on the day of its state registration.

The right of a religious group to conduct evangelistic activity takes effect on the day notice has been given of the creation of the religious group and commencement of its activity to the corresponding territorial organ of the federal agency of state registration.

3. The right to conduct evangelistic activity in the name of a religious organization is possessed by the director of the religious organization and (or) a member of its administrative body. Other citizens and legal entities have the right to conduct evangelistic activity in the name of a religious organization on the basis of authorization given by the respective religious organization or other written documentation, confirming the right to conduct evangelistic activity in the name of the religious organization.

Foreign citizens resident on the territory of the Russian federation in accordance with the procedures provided for by point 2 of article 20 of the present federal law, may conduct evangelistic activity in the name of the religious organization that invited them in accordance with legislation of the Russian federation.

A religious group is required to give to a citizen who is conducting evangelistic activity in its name corresponding authorization of said citizen by decision of a general meeting of the religious group, indicating its denomination, religious confession, and the address of the premises assigned for the activity of the religious group.

4.  A religious assocation bears legal liability for violation of the legislation of the Russian federation on freedom of conscience and religious associations committed in the course of evangelistic activity by persons its has authorized.

5.  Conduct of evangelistic activity is prohibited
1) to persons who do not possess the document provided for by point 3 of the current article;
2) to foreign citizens and persons without citizenship who are temporarily resident in the Russian federation, with the exception of cases provided for by the second paragraph of point 3 of the current article;
3) to persons who have been convicted by a sentence of a court for incitement of inter-ethnic and inter-religious strife or other crimes of an extremist nature;
4) on the premises of places of religious significance belonging to another religious association, without the written consent of its administrative body;
5) when accompanied by the offer of material, social, or other benefits for the purpose of attracting citizens into a religious association or by a threat of use of force, psychological pressure, manipulation of consciousness, that is, conducted in defiance of the will of persons toward whom it is directed;
6) in treatment or profilactic and hospital institutions, orphanages, facilities for the elderly and invalids, without the consent of the administration of said institutions and persons resident in such institutions (their legal representatives, guardians, or trustees);
7) within the premises of administrative buildings of state agencies or organs of local administration and on the grounds associated with these buildings.

Article 2. 

To introduce into the Code of the Russian federation regarding administrative violations of law the following changes:

1) To add articles 5.26.1 and 5.26.2 with the following text:

Article 5.26.1 "Attraction of minors into the activity of a religious association in defiance of their will and (or) without the consent of their parents or other legal representatives"

Attraaction of minors into the activity of a religious association in defiance of their will and (or) without the consent of their parents or other legal representatives by means of inviting minors to participate in meetings of a religious association or not discouraging minors to participate in meetings of a religious association by means of conducting conversations with minors, presenting for their acquaintance printed, audio, and video materials, and offering minors material benefits for participation in the activity of a religious associationÑ

incurs an administrative fine of citizens of from two to five thousand rubles and of legal entities of from five to ten thousand rubles.

Article 5.26.2  "Violation of the procedures established by law of conduct of evangelistic activity"

1. Conduct of evangelistic activity by persons who do not possess a document confirming their right to conduct evangelistic activity in the name of a religious associationÑ

incurs an administrative fine of citizens of from two to five thousand rubles, and of legal entities, of from five to ten thousand rubles.

2.  Giving to foreign citizens and persons without citizenship who are temporarily residing in the Russian federation, and who entered the Russian federation not for the purpose of religious activity, a document confirming the right to conduct evangelistic activityÑ

incurs an administrative fine of the legal entity that gave said persons a document confirming the right to conduct evangelistic activity in its name of from seven to ten thousand rubles.

3.  Conduct of evangelistic activity by persons who have been convicted by sentence of a court of incitement of inter-ethnic and inter-religious strife or other crimes of an extremist natureÑ

incurs an administrative fine of citizens of from five to seven thousand rubles.

4.  Evangelistic activity on the premises of places of religious significance belonging to another religious association, without the written consent of its administrative body--

incurs an administrative fine of citizens of from one to three thousand rubles, and of legal entities, of from three to eight thousand rubles.

5) Conduct of evangelistic activity accompanied by the offer of material, social, or other benefits for the purpose of attracting citizens into a religious association or by a threat of use of force, psychological pressure, manipulation of consciousness, that is, conducted in defiance of the will of persons toward whom it is directedÑ

incurs an administrative fine of citizens of from two to five thousand rubles, and of legal entities, of from eight to twelve thousand rubles.

6) Evangelistic activity within the premises of administrative buildings of state agencies or organs of local administration and on the grounds associated with these buildingsÑ

incurs an administrative fine of citizens of from one to three thousand rubles, and of officials of from five to eight thousand rubles, and of legal entities of from ten to fifteen thousand rubles.

7. Evangelistic activity in treatment or profilactic and hospital institutions, orphanages, facilities for the elderly and invalids, without the consent of the administration of said institutions and persons resident in such institutions (their legal representatives, guardians, or trustees)--

incurs an administrative fine of citiizens of from one to three thousand rubles, and of employees, of from five to eight thousand rubles, and of legal entities, of ten to fifteen thousand rubles.

Article 3

1. The present federal law takes effect sixteen days after its official publication.

2.  Religious groups which have given notice of their creation and the commencement of activity to organs of local administration before the present federal law takes effect will present within one year from the day of its taking effect to the territorial organ of the federal agency of state registration corresponding to the place of the religious group's creation a document confirming the submission of said notice, including information about the date and place of its creation, confessional doctrine, person who is authorized to represent the religious group, and citizens constituting the religious group, as well as, in the case of membership in a centralized religious organization, the denomination of that organization.

The territorial organ of the federal agency of state registration issues (sends) to the religious group within three days of the receipt of said documents a document confirming the notification of creation of the religious group and commencement of its activity, with an indication of the date of the notice previously submitted to the corresponding organ of local administration.   (tr. by PDS, posted 15 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Russian protestants meet with legislator

HEADS OF PROTESTANT CHURCH DISCUSS LEGISLATIVE INNOVATIONS WITH SERGEI POPOV
Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, 6 October 2009

On 29 September, in the State Duma, a meeting was held of members of the Consultative Council of Heads of Protestant Churches of Russia with the chairman of the Committee on Affairs of Public Associations and Religious Organizations of the State Duma, Sergei Popov.

From the Consultative Council were the head of the Russian Associated Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith (ROSKhVE), Bishop Sergei Riakhovsky; First Vice-President of ROSKhVE, Bishop Konstantin Bendas; Ruling bishop of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith, Pavel Okara; Associate ruling bishop of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals), Bishop Pavel Bak; First Vice-President of the West Russian Union of Churches of Seventh-day Adventists, Oleg Goncharov; and the head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Vitaly Vlasenko.

A warm, friendly atmosphere in the meeting facilitated an open dialogue. Members of the Consultative Council discussed over a cup of tea with Sergei Alexandrovich questions connected with the implementation of provisions of the existing federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" and proposals advanced by a number of deputies and the government of the Russian federation for introducing amendments into this law. Also discussed were initiatives of legislative bodies of a number of component elements of the federation for adopting a law on restrictions of evangelistic activity.

Participants in the meeting reached agreement that legislative regulation of religious activity, including evangelistic activity, was necessary, but attempts to introduce the theological term "evangelism" into the sphere of law will provoke serious tension within religious circles. The understanding of evangelism can be diverse not only in the teachings of various confessions but even within the framework of diverse groups of a single confession. In this regard, reduction of this term to a common denominator legislatively would lead to additional disagreements and difficulties in the sphere of state-confessional relations.

Participants in the meetings gave a high evaluation to the order of the president of the Russian federation concerning creation in the Ministry of Justice of a Scientific Consultative Council for Study of Informational Materials with Religious Contents for the purpose of detecting indications of extremism in them.

The conference ended on a triumphal note. The heads of the protestant churches gave good wishes to Sergei Alexandrovich on the eve of his birthday and they presented him a proclamation of thanks in the name of the Consultative Council with warm words of gratitude. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Orthodox Ukrainians seek solutions to church problems

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VIKTOR YUSHCHENKO RECEIVES OFFICIAL DELEGATION OF CONSTANTINOPLE PATRIARCHATE
Portal-credo.ru, 6 October 2009

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko received on 5 October a delegation of the ecumenical patriarchate, Metropolitan of Gaul Emmanuel, General Secretary of the Holy Synod Archimandrite Elpidofor, and the priest Vasily Papafanasius. The meeting was held in accordance with an agreement with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the press service of the head of the Ukrainian government reports.

The sides expressed satisfaction with the development of dialogue, begun last year during the visit to Ukraine of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the occasion of the celebration of the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Kievan Rus. In particular, the parties noted progress in relations between Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine and the establishment of on-going communion among them.

In addition, the president emphasized the necessity of deepening and broadening inter-church dialogue with the goal of overcoming intra-Orthodox conflicts and the creation in Ukraine of a united local Orthodox church.

As has already been reported, the delegation of the ecumenical patriarchate is in Ukraine with the permission of the Holy Synod of the ecumenical patriarchate in order to achieve detailed acquaintance with the situation within Ukrainian Orthodoxy and seek ways of solving existing problems. Analysts think that the immediate occasion for its presence in Kiev is the appeal of the episcopacy of the Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church requesting the ecumenical patriarch to take it under his omophorion.  (tr. by PDS, posted 6 October 2009)

DELEGATION OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE MEETS IN KIEV WITH LEADERSHIP OF UAPTs
Portal-credo.ru, 6 October 2009

A meeting of hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAPTs) with a delegation from the ecumenical patriarchate was held on 4 October in the offices of the patriarchate of UAPTs in Kiev.  "We have extreme respect for the ecumenical patriarch," the primate of UAPTs Metropolitan Mefody declared, "and we await with great hope the day when he will open his paternal embrace for our church." He said that entering communion with the ecumenical patriarchate is one of the chief priorities for UAPTs. "And we will consistently move towards this goal," he said.

At the same time, as RISU reports, citing the site "Ukrainian autocephaly," the primate of UAPTs expressed regret that the leadership of UPTsKP is still not prepared to sacrifice its own interests for the said of unity of the church and is continuing to defend the isolationist model of church development.

The patriarchal delegation arrived in Ukraine on the invitation of President Viktor Yushchenko with a goal of studying in more detail the ecclesiastical situation in the country. In the course of conversations with the hierarchs of UAPTs, the critical ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine was discussed along with the vision of the episcopacy of UAPTs of ways to overcome church divisions. Metropolitan Mefody noted again that at the present stage one of the chief priorities of the activity of the hierarchy of UAPTs is to get out of its "artificial canonical isolation," in which the church found itself after the declaration of autocephaly.

Representatives of the delegation of the Constantinople patriarchate noted that they welcome the attempt of UAPTs to get out of the canonical crisis and to normalize its canonical status and they informed the primate of UAPTs of the present state of intra-Orthodox relations and, in particular, of the course of preparation for the great council of the Orthodox church. According to the chairman of the delegation, Metropolitan Emmanuel, at the beginning of December there will be held in Constantinople a regular session of the synod of the ecumenical patriarchate at which the report of the delegation will be heard.

Another noteworthy church event will have great significance for the ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine, which will be held in the ecumenical patriarchate's center in Shambezi Switzerland. In December a session of the intra-Orthodox commission will be held there, which is supposed to conduct preparations for the Panorthodox Preconciliar Conference on questions of granting autocephaly and autonomy and arrangement of diptychs. Experts think that a review of this question will facilitate a final resolution of the Ukrainian ecclesiastical problem.

In the name of UAPTs, Metropolitan Mefody thanked the patriarchal delegation for its understanding of the ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine and he assured the guests that entry of UAPTs into the ranks of the ecumenical patriarchate will be an historic occasion in the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox church and will accelerate substantially the unification processes in Ukrainian Orthodoxy.  (tr. by PDS, posted 6 October 2009)

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE NOT IN HURRY TO RECOGNIZE UAPTs
by Artem Skoropadsky
Kommersant-Ukraine, 6 October 2009

Yesterday there was a meeting of a delegation of the ecumenical (Constantinople) patriarchate with representatives of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAPTs), the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate (UPTsKP) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UPTsMP). The delegation came to Kiev in order to study the ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine. However, at UAPTs it is thought that its visit was evoked by an appeal from the synod of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew requesting that UAPTs be received into the ecumenical patriarchate with rights of autonomy.

Representatives of the ecumenical patriarchate actually met first with the head of this church, Metropolitan of Kiev and all=Ukraine Mefody. However no decisions were made. UAPTs has dealt with this development of events calmly.  "We see that Constantinople wants to help us and that they are interested in ecclesiastical peace in Ukraine. The only problem is that they are taking a different pace in conversations, unlike us," the press secretary of UAPTs, Archpriest Evgeny Zapletniuk, thinks.

A similar opinion also is held in UPTsKP. "Any decisions in the Constantinople patriarchate will be taken after very long discussion in connection with the fact that the bishops of this church are scattered throughout the world. In addition, this delegation did not have authority to make decisions about recognition or nonrecognition of Ukrainian churches," the head of the information and publishing department of UPTsKP, Bishop Evstraty, told Kommersant.

In their turn, UPTsMP did not expect any results from the visit. "Nowhere is it said that the delegation came on the invitation of UAPTs. The clergy of the ecumenical patriarchate came exclusively for study of the ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine," said the head of the department of external church relations of UPTsMP, Arkhimandrite Kirill.  (tr. by PDS, posted 7 October 2009)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 7 October 2009

CONSTANTINOPLE PATRIARCHATE ASSIGNS METROPOLITAN VLADIMIR KEY PLACE IN UKRAINIAN ORTHODOXY
Interfax, 5 October 2009

Constantinople values Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Vladimir as the spiritual leaders of Ukrainian Orthodox believers.

Thus, the representatives of the Constantinople patriarchate who came to Kiev for a meeting with the Master on Monday "emphasized that the figure of Metropolitan Vladimir unifies all Orthodox believers of Ukraine, no matter which jurisdiction they belong to," the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox church reports.

Representatives of Constantinople also thanked the primate of UPTs "for efforts to unify Orthodox believers of Ukraine" and they reported that the goal of their visit to the country was to facilitate overcoming schisms.

"However they emphasized that the ecumenical patriarchate will not act unilaterally on this matter but only in cooperation with the Ukrainian Orthodox church in the first place," the report stated.

In his turn, Metropolitan Vladimir awarded the guests and the head of the public organization "For local Ukraine," Peter Yushchenko, who attended the meeting, the jubilee medal of the "450th anniversary of the arrival of the Pochaev Icon of the Theotokos in Volhynia."

The delegation of the Constantinople church included Metropolitan of Gaul Emmanuel, the general secretary of the Holy Synod Archimandrite Elpidophor Lambriniadis, and the priest Vasilius Papaphanasius.

Members of the delegation also met with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and the head of the "Kiev patriarchate" (who is not recognized in the Orthodox world), Filaret Denisenko.

At the meeting with the delegation, V. Yushchenko "emphasized the necessity of deepening and broadening inter-church dialogue with the goal of overcoming intra-Orthodox contradictions and creating in Ukraine a united Orthodox church," the press service of the head of the Ukrainian government reports.  (tr. by PDS, posted 7 October 2009)


STATEMENT FOR THE PRESS OF METROPOLITAN DIMITRY, CHAIRMAN OF UPTsKP WORKING GROUP FOR PREPARING DIALOGUE WITH UPTsMP

Today the first meeting of two working groups from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UPTsMP) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate (UPTsKP) was held. These groups were created by the holy synods of the respective churches with the goal of preparing a dialogue between them. I note that this is still not the dialogue itself, but we hope that by our joint efforts we will be able to prepare and begin it in the not too distant future. The constructiveness of the meeting expressed in the opinions in its minutes give us a basis for expecting a good conclusion to our work.

Everybody knows that Ukrainian Orthodoxy is divided. The Kiev patriarchate has often begun initiatives for overcoming this division. In particular, our Holy Synod and episcopacy in December 2007 addressed a call to the UPTs united with the Moscow patriarchate to begin a dialogue with the goal of creating in Ukraine a united Orthodox church. And we are grateful to His Holiness Metropolitan Vladimir and the Holy Synod of UPTs that they responded attentively to our appeal and suggestions. A personal meeting with Master Vladimir in December 2007, when we delivered the aforesaid appeal, and further steps on the part of UPTs and their reception in the church community and public have demonstrated that we are standing on the proper path.

This path is toward dialogue and agreement, whose goal is the restoration of the unity of the church in Ukraine. The present state of division in which the Ukrainian church is now hinders the fulfillment of its salvation mission and also is one of the causes of social conflict.  Against this background in Ukraine, innovations and nontraditional teachings have been trying to gain influence and a spirit of secularism and consumerism has been growing more widespread in society.

We see the task of the dialogue to be the overcoming of hostility among those who profess the same Orthodox faith but belong to different patriarchates. For such hostility does not benefit the church and it is contrary to the very spirit of the gospel and commands of the Savior to love one's neighbor as one's self. We should see one another not as enemies but as brothers and sisters. We should discuss all questions that disturb the country face to face and not by correspondence or through the news media, and make our arguments and listen to and hear out the arguments of others. It is our aspiration to study all dogmatic, canonical, theological, and historical aspects of the problems that have been the cause of divisions in a profound and comprehensive manner. Only by basing ourselves on the Orthodox faith, the holy tradition of the church, and its experience in overcoming divisions in the past will we be able to find answers to the challenges of the present.

We understand the full complexity of the problem of division of the Ukrainian church. Thus before seeking an answer to those questions that divide us we shall try to find an answer to those questions on which we can come more quickly to a common opinion. During the meeting, examples were given of how representatives of the two churches can cooperate on various questions, from teaching "Foundations of Christian ethics" in the schools to lowering the price of gas for churches; this was successful and fruitful thanks to the unity of positions expressed. The experience of such cooperation must be broadened and deepened where this is possible now.

Despite the, on the whole, positive public expectations connected with the preparation for our dialogue, we now also hear skeptical evaluations relative to its prospects. I shall not refute them by words, because a better argument will be the good fruits of the work begun today.

I wish to note that in working for the unity of the Ukrainian church we are not relying on our own wisdom or experience but primarily on God's help. We believe that the work of dialogue is good and pleasing to God and thus we shall devote ourselves to his will so that the Lord himself will bring his church to peace and unity.

And in conclusion I would like to note that not only we, the six representatives from each side, will cooperation with a goal of beginning dialogue and overcoming the ecclesiastical division. To this work every individual can join himself, but his personal prayer for its success and by his steps for overcoming hostility.

May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help all of us in this.

Dimitry
Metropolitan of Pereyaslavl-Khmelnitsky

Russian translation of Ukrainian original posted on Portal-credo.site, 5 October 2009
(tr. by PDS, posted 6 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Another court rules Jehovah's Witnesses extremist

GORNO-ALTAISK COURT FINDS 18 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' MATERIALS EXTREMIST
Portal-credo.ru, 2 October 2009

On 1 October 2009 a city court of the city of Gorno-Altaisk in the Altai republic made a decision to find 18 liturgical publications distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses to be extremist. This decision affects around 300,000 citizens in Russia who are members of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization, the press service of its Administrative Center in Russia reported. The publications recognized as extremist are freely distributed in 176 languages in more than 200 countries of the world, including all countries of the European Union.

The prosecutor of the city of Gorno-Altaisk made the presentation to the court. He cited an investigation conducted by local specialists who often publicly spoke against the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses as a whole. The court ordered a "Complex Psycho-linguistic religious studies expert analysis," authorizing specialists who do not have education in religious studies. These experts discovered in publications presented for expert analysis indicators of incitement of religious strife, and the Gorno-Altaisk court agreed with the conclusions of the expert analysis.

Thus, one publication was found to be extremist because in an autobiographical article there was mentioned a protestant priest who could not answer a theological question. On the basis of this the experts concluded:  "The brochure does not contain information about the positive conduct of clergy or about their conscientious attitude toward ministry. Consequently, the material was created with an original intent of portraying a negative image of Christian clergy." Thus, the expert came to the conclusion: "If a confessional publication does not contain a positive assessment of another religion, that means that it is intended to arouse religious strife."

The decision has evoked anxiety in the leadership and members of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization in Russia, who are worried about acts of violence which may be motivated by the fact that now Jehovah's Witnesses are allegedly prohibited.  "Thus, such a decision may lead to the legalization of illegal actions against peaceful citizens who wish to worship God in accordance with their own conscience and the principles of the sacred scriptures, the Bible," think people in the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

The decision of the Gorno-Altaisk city court will be appealed in the Supreme Court of the Altai republic.  (tr. by PDS, posted 2 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Jehovah's Witnesses case appealed to Russian Supreme Court

GORNO-ALTAISK COURT REFUSES TO HALT REVIEW OF CASE OF EXTREMIST LITERATURE OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Portal-credo.ru, 2 October 2009

At a trial going on in Gorno-Altaisk regarding recognition that Jehovah's Witnesses' literature is extremist, the court denied a petition of the defendant (the local Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization) for halting the review of the suit by the prosecutor's office on the basis that a similar case will be reviewed in the near future by the Supreme Court. This was reported to a Portal-credo.ru correspondent at the press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

On 30 September attorneys for the Jehovah's Witnesses filed an appeal regarding the Taganrog case in the Supreme Court. A month ago a Rostov provincial court issued a decision finding Jehovah's Witnesses' literature extremist materials and liquidating the local religious organization in Taganrog. Jehovah's Witnesses also filed a separate appeal at the highest judicial instance of the Russian federation against the refusal of the court to satisfy their petition in the Gorno-Altaisk trial.

At the same time, following the petition by the Jehovah's Witnesses, the court in Gorno-Altaisk did not proceed to an examination of the publications which had been reviewed in the Taganrog trial regarding the recognition of literature which the local Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization as extremist literature. (tr. by PDS, posted 2 October 2009)


RUSSIAN SUPREME COURT CONFIRMED LEGALITY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' ACTIVITY
Portal-credo.ru, 24 September 2009

On 22 September the Supreme Court of the Russian federation left in force a decision by the Kaliningrad provincial court refusing to grant the suit filed by the directorate of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian federation for Kaliningrad province for the liquidation of the local "Kaliningrad" Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization, "Regions.ru" reports.

The court also confirmed that no kind of supplementary permissions or consents are required for conducting worship services.

Previously, on 18 August 2009, the Supreme Court of the Russian federation also rejected an appeal by the prosecutor's office of Samara and recognized as legal and substantiated the decision of the Samara provincial court refusing to liquidate the "Togliatti" local Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization. (tr. by PDS, posted 2 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Jehovah's Witnesses attacked in central Russia

"Fifth column to a certain degree"
Jehovah's Witnesses in Nizhny Novgorod province considered antigovernment organization
by Sergei Anisimov, Nizhny Novgorod
Vremia novostei, 30 September 2009

Experts of the N.I. Dobroliubov Nizhny Novgorod State Linguistic University recently published a linguistic expert analysis of literature distributed by the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization. The result of the work of the linguists could be a prohibition of the activity of the sect on the territory of the region.

The experts received a request from law enforcement agencies (which ones, specifically, were not stated) to conduct an expert linguistic analysis of the leaflets "Government that brings paradise," "Hail life on earth," and "Who the Jehovah's Witnesses are." This literature has been distributed in recent years among Nizhny Novgorodians on the streets and it has appeared in their mailboxes.  The experts faced two main questions: do the leaflets use manipulative approaches to influence the reader and expressions directed to the incitement of religious strife?  "We answered these questions in the affirmative," a member of the guild of linguistic experts on informational and documentary disputes, Tatiana Markova, told a "Vremia novostei" correspondent.

In the course of the linguistic analysis it became clear that Jehovah's Witnesses "exploit themes of fear and curiosity," and "give nontraditional interpretations to separate biblical texts," but, the main thing is that the "vocabulary of these leaflets has more of a political than a religious tone." For example, the phrase "Government that brings paradise." Jehovists talk of a kind of supranational government. However, in Tatiana Markova's opinion, for a Russian person the word "government" has more of a political than religious association."

In addition, among Jehovists a "call to social passivity" is detected. Hence the final conclusions are not far to reach. "The Jehovah's Witnesses are an intelligence group that wants to disrupt social peace in Russia and cause people dissatisfaction," Tatiana Markova affirms. But even this is not all. "It is possible to get the false impression that no harm comes from the activity of the organization" the expert continues. "After reading the leaflet some old lady would be quite capable of taking some parcel and throwing it where she is told." Thus, the threat of terrorism also flows directly from the linguistic analysis that was ordered.

"These leaflets do not contain a word of pride in the Russian nation and our achievements," the head of the department of Russian philology and general linguistics of the Nizhny Novgorod Linguistic University, Mikhail Grachev, said with alarm. "Our government summons Russians to social activism, but here it is all the other way round." The linguists' conclusion:  the leaflets reveal an "antigovernment organization that is alien to Russia."

According to the linguists, the results of the expert analysis were delivered to law enforcement agencies. To the question why such an expert analysis has been ordered at this time if Jehovah's Witnesses have been working in Russia and Nizhny Novgorod province for more than 15 years now, Mikhail Grachev answered: "Previously there was not such a possibility, but now the science of forensic linguistics is being actively developed, which permits one to make such an analysis."

Incidentally, representatives of the regional government do not conceal their own hostility to Jehovah's Witnesses. Thus, for example, last year the mayor's office of the city of Dzerzhinsk sent a request to law enforcement agencies to conduct an investigation of the case of the construction of a private bungalow on one of the streets of the city. The investigation showed that a Jehovah's Witnesses house of worship was being built there and this construction was prohibited. (The "Vremia novostei" newspaper wrote about this conflict.)

"We should not be afraid that somebody will understand us incorrectly," Dzerzhinsk Mayor Viktor Portnov said on this occasion. "The West has not understood us for a long time now. This sect has a mass of moronic doctrines that threaten the life and health of people. These people engage in vigorous evangelistic activity; they go from house to house, offer literature, and conduct discussions, while our Orthodox leaders do not even do such things. Thus we conclude that Jehovah's Witnesses are to a certain degree a fifth column."  (tr. by PDS, posted 2 October 2009)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 1 October 2009


NIZHNY NOVGOROD EXPERTS, SEEKING EXTREMISM IN JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' PUBLICATIONS, REPORT THAT THEY DISTORT THE SYNODAL TRANSLATION OF BIBLE
Portal-credo.ru, 30 September 2009

Specialists of the Nizhny Novgorod State Linguistic University, in response to a request "of one of the governmental organs," analyzed three leaflets of Jehovah's Witnesses which are distributed on the streets and through mailboxes in the city: "Government that brings paradise," "Hail life on earth," and "Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses?" the on-line publication "Interfax religiia" reports.

"We faced two main questions: do the leaflets use manipulative approaches to influence the reader and expressions directed to the incitement of religious strife?  On the basis of the results of expert analysis, we answered both of these questions in the affirmative," a member of the guild of linguistic experts on informational and documentary disputes and docent of the university, Tatiana Markova, reported on 30 September.

In particular, the leaflets contain "nontraditional interpretations of biblical texts":  "In the text there is an appeal to a quotation from the Bible, although when you open the Bible either you do not find the quotation or it is incorrectly interpreted," Markova explained. Obviously the expert did not know that Jehovah's Witnesses use only their own translation of the Bible where, in particular, trinitarian fragments or evidence about the consubstantiality of the Son and Father have been "smoothed out."

Also the linguists found in the texts of the leaflets "summons to social passivity" and to a distancing from representatives of other religious organizations.

The directorate of the Ministry of Justice for Nizhny Novgorod province sent an inquiry to the court of Rostov province, which on 11 September issued a decision to find the Jehovah's Witnesses organization registered in Taganrog and active also in Neklinovsk and Matveevo-Kurgan regions of Rostov province as extremist and liquidating it.  "After receipt of the materials we shall study them and see what the court's decision was based on and what kind of violations in the activity of the religious organization were found, after which we shall decide the question of our response," a representative of the directorate said. (tr. by PDS, posted 2 October 2009)


Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

European court rules against Russia

EUROPEAN COURT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES UNANIMOUS DECISION IN RUSSIAN SCIENTOLOGISTS' FAVOR
Portal-credo.ru, 1 October 2009

The European Court for Human Rights issued a unanimous decision in favor of two religious groups of Scientology in Russia, recognizing their right in accordance with Russian legislation to be registered in the capacity of religious organizations, the European office of the International Church of Scientology reports.

The court ruled that the petitioners were not able to get recognition in Russia or effective exercise of their rights to freedom of religion and association from any of the competent state organizations. Registration of the religious organization of Scientologists in Surgut, for example, was refused on the grounds that Russian authorities did [not?] consider it a religious group and receipt of applications for registration from Scientologists of both cities was declined by reason of an insufficient length of time of the existence of their religious societies.

After a thorough examination of the case the European court concluded: "In light of the foregoing, the court draws the conclusion that interference in the rights of petitioners to freedom of religion and association cannot be considered 'necessary in a democratic society.' Thus, there has occurred a violation of article 9 of the convention in light of article 11."  (tr. by PDS, posted 1 October 2009)


Russia Religion News Current News Items

---