Religions in Russia

The revival of the Russian Orthodox Church is one of the big stories of the post-Communist era. Savagely suppressed throughout the long years of Communist rule, the church has rapidly regained a powerful position in Russian society. Russian Orthodoxy is so strong today that all the major candidates in the recent presidential election -- including the Communist, Gennady Zyuganov -- claimed to represent the traditions of the church.

While claiming the allegiance of more than 70 percent of the country's population, Russian Orthodoxy is by no means the only religion in Russia. Even after the break-up of the Soviet Union, substantial numbers of Muslims, Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Buddhists remain within Russia's boundaries. The largescale emigration of Jews during the past two decades has reduced Judaism's ranks to fewer than one million.

Resources

The most comprehensive book in English on religions in Russia is The Modern Encyclopedia of Religions in Russia and the Soviet Union.

You can find links to online resources on Orthodox Christianity and other religions at a McKinley Internet Yellow Pages 4-star Web site, Facets of Religion. For still more links, try the McKinley Magellan Internet Guide.