This year Russian fourth-grade pupils began to study a new subject – “Religious Culture and Secular Ethics Bases.” It includes six modules; parents can choose one of them: “Orthodox Culture Bases,” “Islamic Culture Bases,” “Buddhist Culture Bases,” “Hebrew Culture Bases,” “The World Religious Cultures Bases,” and “Secular Ethics Bases.” It is too early to speak about the results of the innovation, but experts have tried to sum up the first results.
Alexander Milkus, editor on education and new technologies in Komsomolskaya Pravda
There is a threat that this subject which initially was launched for consolidation of the society, development of tolerance, and presenting the country as a multi-confessional state might lead to the separation of the country. For example, in Grozny the subject will be taught by imams. However, development of the experiment required that people who are involved into religious administration will not teach this subject. Moreover, in many regions children have no choice: in most cases it is Secular Ethics or if the majority of population is Russians, it is Orthodox Culture. I have a letter from parents of the Moscow region which says that an application includes the printed pattern which states: “I choose Orthodox Culture Bases.” It means everybody will study Orthodox Culture Bases a priori. It is also understandable. There is a lack of tutors and teachers who would teach all six modules.
Igor Metlik, Head of scientific-methods office of the religious education and catechesis of Russian Orthodox Church
All these problems are not new. Today we speak about extension and extrapolation for the whole country. Many people for the first time others not are facing these problems. As for an attitude, of course it will be various. It cannot be that 100% of the population would support this or that launching subject. At the same time, independent data of social polls state that 80-90% of participants express positive attitude to the subject. Children, teachers got a better opportunity to learn cultures, traditions, religions of pupils’ families. Stereotypes which we are baring from the Soviet past about studying religions and religious education prevent us from achieving success. But I am sure if we are gathered next year and discuss the results on Moscow, we will have the same result – a positive attitude of the majority of participants.
Mikhail Chlenov, General Secretary of Eurasian Jewish Congress, the author of the text-book on Hebrew
I think it would be more reasonable to teach pupils the basis of world religions, for they know all of them.
Alexander Danolyuk, Head of the center of educational projects of Prosveshchenie Edition
The subject is absolutely new, and methods haven’t been developed appropriately yet. The training courses provided by the ministry do not cover the whole amount of teachers. I’ve been to Kursk, the region which underwent approbation. I was present at a model lesson on Orthodox Culture Bases. A teacher who attended training courses told children: “If you eat meat during fast, you will go to hell.” From traditions’ point of view she was right: violation of fast is a sin, and a sin leads to heavy consequences. She was right in a content aspect. But the teacher didn’t consider children perception; as a result one girl stopped eating meat at all. Moscow is a difficult region. The idea of spiritual raising is accepted with great difficulty. The problem exists, but it can be solved.
