«Orthodox Monitor» project is initiated by “Sociology of Religion” team in St.Tikhons Humanitarian Orthodox University. The survey of Russian Federation population religiosity and the relation of the population towards Russian Orthodox Church was started in 2011 with the support of PSTGU.
In 2013 methodological work within the “Orthodox Monitor” project was supported by the Cariplo Foundation in cooperation with Landau Network – Centro Volta.
Goal of the research. The research is aimed at studying the inter-relations between religiosity, values, and practices of the Russian population.
The first three waves of the survey were conducted in Russia during 2011 and 2012 with a multi-stage stratified random sample design. The survey was designed by the “Sociology of Religion” project at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University, and the field work was carried out by the “Public Opinion Foundation”.
The first wave (December 2011) was a detailed study of the general population’s attitudes towards the Russian Orthodox Church, religious involvement characteristics and motivation, values, practices.
The second wave (October 2012) was a shortened replication of the same questions from the first cycle.
The third wave (December 2012) is a study of the core Church members. It contains church social work participation, and social networks.
Results. The monograph, containing the results of the first three waves of the survey, is in progress and expected to be published in 2014.
At the moment the “Orthodox Monitor” project requires funding for the following waves of the survey.
About the project
Most contemporary surveys of religiosity are based mainly on Protestant ideas of religious practice. Such surveys are insufficient in order to understand religious practice in Orthodox Christian countries such as Russia, because the following indicators inherent to Orthodoxy are not taken into account:
(1) The particular characteristics of the Church, such as the organization of church officials (patriarchy and clergy authority, etc.), the significance of the sacraments, and the priests’ background.
(2) The situation in Orthodox Christian countries, many of which experienced forced secularization during their socialist period, does not lend itself to a so-called “religious market” where practitioners may choose among many denominations, as is common in the United States.
“Orthodox Monitor” is a research project, aimed at the in-depth study of religiosity in Orthodox countries. Developing the project in cross-cultural perspective is one of our future goals.
Long-term results of the project
Periodical bulletin “Religious life in Russian Federation: monitoring”
Unique base of sociological data on the dynamics of the Russian Federation population religiosity, the influence of the religiosity upon significant social indicators and the dynamics of the population relation towards Russian Orthodox Church and its initiatives.
Materials on methodology and methods for studying religiosity in Post-Soviet world.
Relevant publications
Relevant News
