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Difficulties in training religion teachers

TEACHERS NOT READY TO TEACH FOUNDATIONS OF RELIGIOUS CULTURES IN SCHOOLS
Although only month and half remains before start of the experiment.

by Ekaterina Rozhaeva
Komsomolskaia Pravda, 12 February 2010

A Komsomolskaia Pravda correspondent investigated how preparations for introducing the most controversial school subject, "Foundations of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics," are going.

Very soon now, 1 April, in schools of 19 regions of Russia an experiment will begin. The new subject will begin to be taught to fourth graders. The course consists of six modules:  Orthodox, Islamic, Buddhist, and Jewish Cultures, History of World Religions, and Foundations of Secular Ethics. The pupil can choose for himself whose "foundations" are nearer to him. Children in the class will be divided into groups and each will study the module that he desires. At least this is the theory of the experiment. One thing for believers; another for atheists. And neither is offended. But how does one fulfill the theory in practice?

For this, training tutors have come from the experimental regions to Moscow, to the Academy for Professional Development of Education Workers. These are teachers who, in their turn, will return home and are supposed to relay their knowledge to teachers who will have to explain the "foundations" to pupils.

April Fools Joke

One does not push one's way in the wide corridors of the academy.   In the smoking room under the stairway are teachers from Kostroma, Tver, and Vologda provinces.

"My head is mush," a teacher of "Foundations of Orthodox Culture" [OPK] from Cherepovets says nervously. "How do I write an essay on my attitude toward introducing the 'foundations' course if I do not understand why and for whom it is needed?"

Colleagues from other regions nod in agreement.

"My director said right away: 'This is goofy!" a teacher from Tver joined in. "For a single subject it is necessary to rearrange the entire school schedule, devote additional hours, divide the children into groups, and find separate classrooms for everybody. In fact, nothing will come of it. They will have a talk with the parents and a single subjectÑFoundations of Orthodox CultureÑwill be left.

"And they say the textbook for the subject is excellent" I interject into the conversation.

"Have you seen it? Seen it? I have not," the Cherepovetsian warmed up. "It's a pig in a poke. A bunch of methods, resources, techniques, but what are you going to apply them to? This experiment is a kind of April Fools joke."

Difficulties of understanding

The training program is exhaustingÑnine hours a day. The course takes eight days, 72 classroom hours in all. Special resources and working notebooks with assignments for all 34 lessons have been developed, of which 29 deal with Orthodox culture. I took a look at a notebook and I understood:  outsiders who have never been interested in the history of religions will have a hard time understanding the material and doing the assignments.

For example: It is necessary to design a plan for the lesson "Sacred Constructions" (the "Foundations of World Religions" module).

"What are sacred constructions and whom are they intended for?

What is the basis for Christian church buildings?

What are icons?

Why do the Jews not consider a synagogue a temple? What are the rules for arranging a synagogue?

What distinguishes Orthodox and Catholic church buildings?"

The people frown and shrug their shoulders.

"People in the provinces do not understanding the tasks facing us. They think that these are ordinary courses of professional development and they sent teachers from the lower classes, social studies, and OPK," says the manager of the project, Olga Krutova. "But the goal is differentÑto explain to local teachers, people with experience in working with adult students, how to properly teach school teachers how to present the new subject to children. We cannot train all 25,000 teachers in Moscow who have to teach in the fourth quarter 'Foundations of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics!'"

So they summoned a thousand trainers from the regions. But 75 percent of those who came to the capital for study do not have a grasp on in-depth knowledge of even one religion; they even make spelling mistakes. To say nothing of the clarity of the text.

"Many confuse the concepts of 'ethics' and 'etiquette,'" laments Olga Eduardovna.

It is most difficult for teachers of OPK. They have already taught their course for some time and they are not ready to get deeper into the peculiarities of other religions. The majority are believing people and for them Orthodoxy is the only possible religion. With such an attitude, impartiality is very difficult.

"We have a secular, culturological course and not a religious one," Krutova continues. "The task is to acquaint the children with the foundations of all religious cultures existing in Russia. We even have some trainers who approach fanaticism. When Andrei Kuraev came to give a lecture, many teachers threw kisses to him and asked for his blessing. They did not even know that he is not a priest but an archdeacon!"

There is also another problem with the future tutorsÑcomputer illiteracy. The seminars presupposed mastery of technology at an elementary level, not advanced; teachers were supposed to know how to use a word processor and find information on the Internet. The lecturers confronted crude expressionsÑcomputers are unclean.

"Heretical textbook"

The authors of the courseÑscholars, religious studies expertsÑgave lectures to the trainers. The author of the "Foundations of Orthodox Culture" module, Archdeacon Andrei Kuraev, tried to direct his faith sisters onto the proper path. He frankly called his own textbook "heretical," since many fundamental Orthodox concepts are not explained in the book.

"Your lessons should be presentations of Orthodoxy and not propaganda," Andrei Viacheslavovich urged. "You should love your Orthodoxy, but not recruit for it. In every lesson you should provoke discussion and debate, but without personal attacks. Suppress your personal preferences. Any time, you can use examples the children understand. Let's say you are studying the Lord's Prayer; remember that traffic regulations and even emergency telephones also require knowing the Lord's Prayer."

A co-author of the "Foundations of Jewish Culture" module, kandidat of historical sciences, Mikhail Chlenov, tried to explain his subject with no less clarity. At first he told an anecdote about an Orthodox believer, Jew, and Muslim, for whom "There is one God; the providers are diverse." And then he answered a trick question from a teacher from Chechnya. Why is it necessary to circumcise that organ in order to become a Jew, when it is simpler to cut off half an ear and you are chosen.

"The point here is not chosenness," Mikhail Anatolievich responded with knowledge of the case. "There is a commandment. It commanded circumcision as a symbol of life, fertility, and death."

"In fact the Muslims have it also," the teacher chuckled.

A child's soul is clay; I want to mold it

At the conclusion of the course the future tutors take an examinationÑprepare a lesson on the chosen topic and an essay. Nine varieties are suggested.  For example:  "Your attitude toward introducing the course 'Foundations of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics' in the schools;" "Native religious cultural tradition as the spiritual foundation of a multinational people;" "Good and evil in the light of the ideology of the 'foundations' course." It is possible also to propose one's own topic.

"The essay is the most important part of the examination," Olga Krutova says. "From it we can see what kind of person we are dealing with. The trainer should not imagine himself as a teacher or an enlightener or a peacemaker. He must understand the task and be prepared to teach others. But by no means is everybody capable of this. There were essays where the pedagogues wrote that the soul of a child is clay and it is necessary for them to mold it. We cut off such people.

Ordinarily, of 200 students, 20 go home without a trainer's certificate.

P.S. By 1 March, the academy promises that all trainers will have finished study. Then they have a month to deliver their knowledge to the teachers.

Statistics

In Vologda province, 10,000 pupils will study "Foundations of Religious Cultures." The teachers have already surveyed the pupils. Here is what came out:

"Foundations of Secular Ethics" was chosen by 58% of fourth graders;

"Foundations of Orthodox Culture," 24%;

A total of eight pupils subscribed to "Foundations of Islam;" not one chose "Foundations of Buddhism" or "Foundations of Judaism."

Officially

Approval of the new subject will occur in Kalmykia, Karachaevo-Cherkesia, Udmurtia, Chechnya, Chuvashia, Kamchatka, Krasnoyarsk, and Stavropol territories, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Kostroma, Kurgan, Novosibirsk, Penza, Sverdlovsk, Tambov, Tver, and Tomsk provinces, and in the Jewish Autonomous province.

It is planned to conduct a sociological investigation on the results of the experiment and to prepare a report for the government of Russia.

"Now all the textual resources for the new subject are being printed and by the beginning of the experiment there will be sufficient for all 19 regions," the head of the Information Department of the Ministry of Education and Science, Alexander Kachanov, told us. "All teachers also will have undergone retraining in that time. I assure you, the experiment will come out successfully; we shouldn't surrender to a pessimistic mood."
(tr. by PDS, posted 16 February 2010)

Russian original posted on Interfax site, 12 February 2010

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Ministry of Justice not backing off anti-evangelism law

MISSIONARIES' RIGHT TO DRAW CHILDREN INTO RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY SOON TO BE RESTRICTED
Interfax, 15 February 2010

Evangelistic activity directed to Russians of minor age will be restricted in the very near future, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian federation reported.

"A draft of a federal law 'On introducing changes to federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" and the Russian federation Code of administrative violations of law' has been worked out and prepared for delivery to the government of the Russian federation," a press release of the ministry that was distributed Monday to the Summary College of the Ministry of Justice said.

The draft law aims "for a legislative definition of the concept of evangelistic activity and also for strengthening the restrictions on evangelistic activity directed to minors conducted by religious associations."

In addition, the draft provides for restrictions on evangelistic activity accompanied by offers of material, social, or other benefits for the purpose of drawing citizens into religious associations and on the sites of objects of religious significance belonging to another religious association. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 February 2010) 

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Setback for anti-evangelism law?

JURIDICAL PURGE. 
Ministry of Justice sacks people who conducted incompetent anti-evangelism policy against non-Orthodox

by Roman Lunkin
Portal-credo.ru, 10 February 2010

The uproar evoked by a series of initiatives of the Ministry of Justice of RF in the religious sphere roiled society and roused up against the ministry many believers and defenders of freedom of conscience in Russia and abroad. Since Alexander Konovalov's assumption of the post of minister in 2008, radical sect-fighters have been appointed the chief experts on religion in the Ministry of Justice, intimidating investigations of religious associations have begun, and in October 2009 the Ministry of Justice proposed a draft law harshly restricting evangelistic activity in Russia. All of this has sharply undermined the confidence of believers in the authorities in general, and they have begun talking about the onset of new persecution.

Meanwhile, when the situation had already flared up to the limit, at the beginning of 2010 it became known that key figures responsible for the incompetent policy with respect to believers had been dismissed from the Ministry of Justice. These were assistant of the minister, Aleksei Velichko, and the head of the Department on Noncommercial Organizations, which includes work with religious associations, Sergei Milushkin.  The press service of the Ministry of Justice confirmed that this is indeed so; the odious figures do not work in the Ministry of Justice any longer.

Instead of Velichko, on 14 January 2010 by order of Russian President D. Medvedev, Alexander Fedorov was named first deputy of the minister of justice; previously he had served as deputy to the head of the Federal Service for Drug Control of Russia.

From the moment of appointment (June 2008) Velichko was authorized from the very beginning to oversee noncommercial organizations, since they were moved out of the purview of the Federal Registration Service to be immediately under the Ministry of Justice. Previously he worked as deputy to the director of the administration of state registration of rights to immoveable property of the Federal Registration Service. And since 2006 he was assistant to Alexander Konovalov, who then was the presidential envoy for the Volga federal district. Aleksei Velichko naturally complemented his director, Alexander Konovalov, since Velichko is the author of books about the symphony of authorities in Byzantium and Russia. Naturally, almost immediately after the "Byzantine party" arrived at the ministry, it began to construct the ideal of symphony of church and secular authorities in the way that it understands it.

Aleksei Velichko began conducting a policy of pressure upon and intimidation of religious associations, especially non-Orthodox ones. In October 2008 the Ministry of Justice of RF first frightened believers when it published a list of 50 religious associations that were candidates for liquidation. Among them were Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, protestant, and alternative Orthodox associations. Many of the associations named by the Ministry of Justice had submitted accounts routinely and thus the clumsy step of the ministry was seen by all as some kind of signal.

It was Aleksei Velichko who was the patron of the sect-fighters led by Dvorkin, who with his support (and the support of the minister) were appointed in the spring of 2009 to the Council for Conducting State Religious Studies Expert Analysis of the Ministry of Justice. And Alexander Dvorkin, who is well known for his scurrilous articles and pronouncements against all non-Orthodox groups as "sectarians," became the chairman of this council. Against the sect-fighters and in defense of freedom of conscience there has been conducted an action labeled "No to Inquisitors!," which has collected 13,000 signatures of ordinary believers, church leaders, and secular scholars. Velichko himself, in an interview with "Rossiiskaia gazeta," had to justify Dvorkin by saying that "inquisitorial" policies have not been conducted in the ministry. However the sect-fighters have so far discredited the Ministry of Justice and the Russian state. Exploiting their status as members of the council within the Ministry of Justice, they have made statements in the press and turned loose law enforcement agencies upon separate churches in the regions (especially active in this are Dvorkin and a member of Dvorkin's council, the sect-fighter Kuzmin from Saratov).  Attempts to open a case against Kuzmin for incitement of interreligious strife have so far been unsuccessful. The protestant churches of Saratov have turned to another council created within the Ministry of Justice as an alternative to the infamous sect-fighting council, the Council for Conducting Expert Analysis of Religious Literature with Regard to the Subject of Extremism. The churches are demanding the conduct of an expert analysis of Kuzmin's publications to see whether they contain signs of incitement of interreligious hostility. Alarmed believers have filed suits against sect-fighters who are disciples of Dvorkin in many regions of Russia. Councils for Religious Studies Expert Analysis in the departments of justice in the provinces have begun to be headed either by overt sect-fighters or directly by Orthodox clergy (as in Rostov province). The impression has been created that the strained religious situation has been created under the patronage of the departments of justice.

Under the leadership of Velichko there also has continued in the Ministry of Justice work on the draft law for control of evangelistic activity. Dvorkin and another Orthodox activist and Islamic scholar Roman Silantiev, a member of Dvorkin's council, also participated in the development of the draft. The draft, which was posted on the web site of the Ministry of Justice on 12 October 2009, evoked a squall of letters and appeals from churches sent to President Medvedev with the demand not to permit the country to revert to the repressions of soviet times with respect to all those who evangelize. The draft law obliges each believer who evangelizes somewhere to have in his possession a document from a registered religious association, and members of a religious group who act without notification of the authorities are forbidden to evangelize. As a result, the draft was removed from the Ministry of Justice's site. The promotion of the draft law in round table sessions in the State Duma and at other events was undertaken by the head of the Department on Noncommercial Organizations, Milushkin, who insisted on its necessity. . . .
 
[The article contains numerous details of a scandal over property that involves Velichko, but has nothing to do with religion or the Ministry of JusticeÑed.]

There is no doubt that one should not entertain any illusions that after the departure of the discredited figure who conducted the incompetent policy the Ministry of Justice will abandon the attempt to construct a "symphony of authorities"Ñthe Russian Orthodox church and the state. Russian Minister of Justice Alexander Konovalov, a deeply Orthodox person with theological education, is himself an advocate of the original neo-Byzantinism. However, the scandalous dismissals and the discrediting in the eyes of believers of the capacity of the government and departments of justice to protect the principles of freedom of conscience may force higher bureaucrats to be more conscientious and not be so arrogant in a country of flourishing religious diversity such as Russia. Statements, letters, protests, and actions against the inquisitors slowly but surely are having their effect. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 February 2010)

Russian original posted on site of Slavic Legal Center, 10 February 2010

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Jehovah's Witnesses may lose Moscow building

HISTORIC MOSCOW BUILDING TO BE TAKEN FROM JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND GIVEN TO WAR VETERANS
Portal-credo.ru, 3 February 2010

The prefecture of the northern district of Moscow is working out the juridical aspect of the possibility of a transfer to veterans of war of a historic building in the Mikhalkovo estate, the press service of the prefecture reported to Interfax.

A conference was held 3 February devoted to questions of enforcing the legislation in the area of preserving the cultural and historic heritage on the territory of the Sokol  settlement and Mikhalkovo estate.

According to data of the prefecture, the building located at the address Mikhalovskaia street, section 36, structure 1 was illegally privatized by the Peter Alekseev Textile Factory of Moscow and donated to the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

Meanwhile, it unexpectedly transpired that the building is located on the territory of an historic estate and has historic value. In 1942 and the beginning of 1943, after the battle on the Volga, the 83rd Guard Mortar Regiment was created and organized here, which was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (2nd degree) for heroism. Also after the battle for Stalingrad, the famous 18th Guard Mortar Regiment was located here, and in 1942 the 47th Guard Mortar Regiment was created here.

Complaints from veterans have frequently arrived at the prefecture because at the present time the Jehovah's Witnesses organization is situated in the historic building on Mikhalkovskaia street.

At the present time, the judicial questions on the problem of "releasing" and transferring the building to veterans of the Great Patriotic War by 9 May 2010 are being worked out. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 February 2010)
 
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Pentecostal activity worries Orthodox

PERM DIOCESE OF RPTsMP RECEIVES DIRECTIVE FROM PATRIARCH KIRILL TO INCREASE EVANGELISTIC ATTENTION TO PENTECOSTALS' ACTIVITY
Portal-credo.ru, 3 February 2010

Ruling Bishop of Perm Irinarkh reported this, citing a resolution of the primate of the Russian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate (RPTsMP) with respect to the diocesan annual report, a correspondent of Portal-credo.ru reports.

In a general interview with the "Zvezda" newspaper of Perm, Bishop Irinarkh presented the following formulation of the patriarchal resolution:  "In evangelistic work the Perm diocese must devote special attention to the growth in the region of the non-Christian religious factor and the development of the activity of Pentecostals."

According to Bishop Irinarkh:  "His holiness the patriarch noted that Perm has been turned into the center of European neo-Pentecostalism." As the Perm bishop put it, Pentecostals "ensnare in their nets the Orthodox population of Perm through their proselytism."

The head of the Perm diocese thinks that the Lenin House of Culture, which has been given "to the Pentecostals for next to nothing" in Motovilikha, could be big enough to house the art gallery, which for more than 70 years has been located in the building of the historic Transfiguration cathedral church. Motovilikha is now an industrial region of Perm, while before the 1920s it developed as an independent Urals factory city. Because of the geographical peculiarities, Motovilikha is separated from old Perm by a large ravine and the region has maintained the identity of a separate settlement.

"The area there is 10,000 square meters and the gallery occupies 7,000 square meters, so why have the leaders of culture kept silent," the hierarch noted.

The promised construction of an art gallery has not begun, and in connection with this Bishop Irinarkh noted:  "They have spent so many millions on drawing up the plans for the new building for the gallery and, despite this, the governor was forced to 'cut' it."

Speaking of this, the head of the diocese quoted the opinion of Patriarch Kirill that he expressed to him during their last meeting regarding the necessity of seeking support from the Russian presidential administration if the problem is not resolved locally.

In addition, the hierarch has been told that in Perm, apparently, they are just waiting for the decisive statement regarding the transfer of the art collection to another place, in order after that "to pounce on the Orthodox bishop another timeÑthat's what the bishop does in Perm territory."

In response to possible reproaches of his imagined critics, Bishop Irinarkh declared:  "Well, I do my own thing! I have to answer for Orthodoxy and the Orthodox spirituality in Perm territory. But without property, without premises, I will not be able to do anything. I am not an angel. I am not able to prayer together with the Perm flock in the clouds. And I only ask for what is necessary for the life of believing citizens, for their spiritual nourishment by the clergy of the Russian Orthodox church in Perm territory." (tr. by PDS, posted 3 February 2010)


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