The Closed Religious Community: the Strategy of Forming аnd the Principles of Functioning
Research Article
Acknowledgments
The research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project № 19-511-60005
How to Cite
Riazanova S.V. 2020. The Closed Religious Community: the Strategy of Forming аnd the Principles of Functioning — Sociologicheskaja nauka i social’naja praktika. Vol. 8. No. 2. P. 86-100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/snsp.2020.8.2.7306
Abstract
The point of the author’s research interest is mechanisms for the formation of a private religious community on the example of the Intersession brotherhood. A group of believers was emerged as part of the revival of the Orthodox life of the Kama region, but transformed into specific organization with features of popular religion, new religious movements and so-called “historical sects.” Author reconstructs the history of the community involving elements of the biographical method. The study is based on interviews and correspondence with former members of the community, close people of the residents of the commune, as well as analysis of the materials of the closed group on the social network, some audio of the groups’ seminars, photocopies of the working notebooks of the group and a series of photographs made by the believers. The investigation is based on the theoretical constructions of E. Goffman and the concept of total community. Intersession brotherhood appears as a community with the features of totality – territorial and communication closure of the residents, their employment in internal jobs, perception of the group as a family. Lack of privacy is combined with the presence of “mother-child” connection to the leader. The practice of naming for adults, the creation of new marriages, participation in gender-oriented councils create a special micro-environment with the unification of the world view. The system of privileges for advanced residents is supplemented by a developed system of fines. It makes possible to speak about special tools that lead to a change of values, a narrowing of the set of social roles and a reduction of critical thinking.
Keywords:
total institutions, religious community, Intersession commune total institutions, Intersession commune
References
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Ryazanova S. V. (2019). «Narodnoe bogoslovie» v tserkvi «Sem’ya Bozhiya»: syuzhety, obrazy, mify. [“Folk theology” in the church “Family of God”: plots, images, myths]. Bulletin of PNIPU. The culture. History. Philosophy. Right. No. 1. P. 85–100. (In Russ.).
Ryazanova S. V. (2014). Spetsifika mifa kak kul’turnoj formy. [The specifics of myth as a cultural form]. Bulletin of the Perm Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. No. 4. P. 37–44. (In Russ.).
Ryazanova S. V. (2012). Struktura sovremennogo religioznogo soznaniya: obshchee i osobennoe [The structure of modern religious consciousness: general and special]. Bulletin of NSU. Series: Philosophy. Vol. 10. Issue 3. P. 197–204. (In Russ.).
Senin Yu. (1969). SSHA: Krizis very [USA: The Crisis of Faith]. Science and Religion. No. 9. P. 88–89. (In Russ.).
Tkacheva A. A. (1989). Induistskie misticheskie organizacii i dialog kul’tur. [Hindu mystical organizations and dialogue of cultures]. М. (In Russ.). 187 p.
Tkacheva A. A. (1993). Krishna Hare [Krishna Hare]. Asia and Africa Today. No. 8. P. 56–57. (In Russ.).
Tkacheva A. A. (1991). «Novye religii» Vostoka». [“New religions” of the East]. М. (In Russ.). 137 p.
Total’nye instituty v Rossii. (2019). [Total institutes in Russia]. Social Policy Research Journal. Vol. 17. No. 3. (In Russ.).
Zabiyako A. (1992). Spasut li nas chuzhie bogi. [Will alien gods save us]. Prospects. № 2. P. 112–118. (In Russ).
Aidada A. A. (1985). Social Change, Gender Roles, and New Religious Movements. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 46. № 3. P. 287–314.
Beckford J. A. (1983). Some Questions about the Relationship between Scholars and the New Religious Movements. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 44. № 3. P. 189–196.
Beckford J. A. (1981). Cults, Controversy and Control: A Comparative Analysis of the Problems Posed by New Religious Movements in the Federal Republic of Germany and France. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 42. № 3. P. 249–264.
Berger A. L. (1981). Hasidism and Moonism: Charisma in the Counterculture. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 41. № 4. P. 375–390.
Campbell B. A. (1978). Typology of Cults. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 39. № 3. P. 228–240.
Davil G. (2001). Global Civil Religion: a European Perspective. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 62. № 4. P. 455–473.
Gussner R. E., Berkowitz S. D. (1988). Scholars, Sects and Sanghas: Recruitment to Asian-Based Meditation Groups in North America. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 49. № 2. P. 136–170.
Hoge D. R., Smith E. L. (1982). Normative and Non-Normative Religious Experience Among High School Youth. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 43. № 1. P. 69–82.
Johnson B. (1992). On Founders and Followers: Some Factors in the Development of New Religious Movements. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 53. № 4. P. 1–13.
Robbins T., Anthony D., Richardson J. (1978). Theory and Research of Today’s “New Religions”. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 39. № 4. P. 95–122.
Robertson R. (1979). Religious Movements and Modern Societies: toward a Progressive Problemshift. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 40. № 4. P. 297–314.
Stone D. (1978). New Religious Consciousness and personal religious Experience. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 39. № 2. P. 123–134.
Swatos W. H. (1981). Church-Sect and Cult: Bringing Mysticism Back in. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 42. № 1. P. 17–26.
Wallis R. (1988). Paradoxes of Freedom and Regulation: the Case of New Religious Movements in Britain and America. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 48. № 4. P. 355–371.
Asaulenko O. (2017). Grazhdanskij sud. [Civil court]. The territory Perm. March 14. P. 3. (In Russ.).
Asaulenko O. (2019). «Po delam uznaete ih…». [“By deeds you will know them ...”]. The territory of Perm. July 22. P. 3. (In Russ.).
Balagushkin E. G. (1984). Kritika sovremennyh netradicionnyh religij (istoki, sushchnost’, vliyanie na molodezh’ Zapada). [Criticism of modern non-traditional religions (sources, essence, influence on the youth of the West)]. М.: MGU. (In Russ.). 286 p.
Balagushkin E. G. (1980). Netraditsionnye religii v kapitalisticheskih stranah Zapada i ih vliyanie na molodezh’. [Non-traditional religions in the capitalist countries of the West and their influence on youth]. М. (In Russ.). 103 p.
Balagushkin E. G. (1999). Netraditsionnye religii v sovremennoj Rossii. Morfologicheskij analiz. [Non-traditional religions in modern Russia. Morphological analysis]. М: IFRAN. (In Russ.). 244 p.
Barker A. V. (1997). Novye religioznye dvizheniya: Prakticheskoe vvedenie. [New religious movements. Practical introduction]. SPb.: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta. (In Russ.). 282 p.
Goffman E. (2019). Total’nye instituty. Ocherki o sotsial’noj situatsii psihicheski bol’nyh pacientov i prochih postoyal’cev zakrytyh uchrezhdenij. [Total institutions. Essays on the social situation of mentally ill patients and other guests of closed institutions]. М.: Elementarnye formy. (In Russ.). 464 p.
Grigulevich I. R. (1983). Proroki «novoj istiny»: ocherki o kul’takh i sueveriyakh sovremennogo kapitalisticheskogo mira. [Prophets of the “New Truth”: Essays on the cults and superstitions of the modern capitalist world]. М. (In Russ.). 303 p.
Grigor’eva L. I. (2001). Novye religioznye dvizheniya i gosudarstvo v sovremennoj Rossii. [New religious movements and the state in modern Russia]. М.: Progress. (In Russ.). 425 p.
Grigor’eva L. I. (2002). Religii «Novogo veka». [Religions of the “New Age”]. Krasnoyarsk: Nauka. (In Russ.). 399 p.
Gurevich P. S. (1985). Netraditsionnye religii na Zapade i vostochnye religioznye kul’ty. [Non-traditional religions in the West and eastern religious cults]. М. (In Russ.). 64 p.
Gurevich P. S. (1983). Sovremennye vnekonfessional’nye religioznye organizatsii na Zapade. [Modern out-of-confessional religious organizations in the West]. М. (In Russ.). 64 p.
Kanterov I. Ya. (2006). Novye religioznye dvizheniya v Rossii. Religiovedcheskij analiz. [New religious movements in Russia. Religious analysis]. М. (In Russ.). 472 p.
Klyuev B. I. (1984). Neoreligioznye dvizheniya v sovremennoj Indii. [Non-religious movements in modern India]. Peoples of Asia and Africa. No. 6. P. 25–34. (In Russ.).
Matveev V. (1990). Predannye Krishny – kto oni? [Krsna’s devotees – who are they?] Science and religion. No. 10. P. 25–28. (In Russ.).
Mitrohin L. N. (1984). «Religioznye kul’ty» v SSHA. [“Religious Cults” in the USA]. M. (In Russ.). 64 p.
Mitrohin L. N. (1985). Religii «novogo veka». [Religions of the “New century”]. М. (In Russ.). 157 p.
Nevill R. (1995). «Bostonskoe konfutsianstvo» – korni vostochnoj kul’tury na zapadnoj pochve. [“Boston Confucianism” – the roots of Eastern culture on Western soil]. Problems of the Far East. No 1. P. 138–149. (In Russ.).
Nikiforova B. (1976). Iskaniya molodezhi i “Dvizhenie Iisusa”. [The Searches of Youth and the Jesus Movement]. Science and religion. No 5. P. 78–80. (In Russ.).
Panchenko A. A. (2004). Hristovshchina i skopchestvo: Fol’klor i traditsionnaya kul’tura russkih misticheskih sekt. [Christendom and Savings: Folklore and the Traditional Culture of Russian Mystical Sects]. М.: Ob”edinennoe gumanitarnoe izdatel’stvo. (In Russ).
Pravoslavnaya obitel’ ili sekta: dve istorii permyakov, zhivshih v «Pokrovskoj obiteli». (2019). [Orthodox cloister or sect: two stories of Permians who lived in the Pokrovskaya cloister]. 59.RU. September 20. (In Russ.).
Ryazanova S. V. (2012). Mif v ego sootnoshenii s religioznym i svetskim tipami mirovozzreniya. [The myth in its relation to the religious and secular types of worldview]. Scientific Yearbook of the Institute of Philosophy and Law, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Ekaterinburg. P. 123–136. (In Russ.).
Ryazanova S. V. (2019). «Narodnoe bogoslovie» v tserkvi «Sem’ya Bozhiya»: syuzhety, obrazy, mify. [“Folk theology” in the church “Family of God”: plots, images, myths]. Bulletin of PNIPU. The culture. History. Philosophy. Right. No. 1. P. 85–100. (In Russ.).
Ryazanova S. V. (2014). Spetsifika mifa kak kul’turnoj formy. [The specifics of myth as a cultural form]. Bulletin of the Perm Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. No. 4. P. 37–44. (In Russ.).
Ryazanova S. V. (2012). Struktura sovremennogo religioznogo soznaniya: obshchee i osobennoe [The structure of modern religious consciousness: general and special]. Bulletin of NSU. Series: Philosophy. Vol. 10. Issue 3. P. 197–204. (In Russ.).
Senin Yu. (1969). SSHA: Krizis very [USA: The Crisis of Faith]. Science and Religion. No. 9. P. 88–89. (In Russ.).
Tkacheva A. A. (1989). Induistskie misticheskie organizacii i dialog kul’tur. [Hindu mystical organizations and dialogue of cultures]. М. (In Russ.). 187 p.
Tkacheva A. A. (1993). Krishna Hare [Krishna Hare]. Asia and Africa Today. No. 8. P. 56–57. (In Russ.).
Tkacheva A. A. (1991). «Novye religii» Vostoka». [“New religions” of the East]. М. (In Russ.). 137 p.
Total’nye instituty v Rossii. (2019). [Total institutes in Russia]. Social Policy Research Journal. Vol. 17. No. 3. (In Russ.).
Zabiyako A. (1992). Spasut li nas chuzhie bogi. [Will alien gods save us]. Prospects. № 2. P. 112–118. (In Russ).
Aidada A. A. (1985). Social Change, Gender Roles, and New Religious Movements. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 46. № 3. P. 287–314.
Beckford J. A. (1983). Some Questions about the Relationship between Scholars and the New Religious Movements. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 44. № 3. P. 189–196.
Beckford J. A. (1981). Cults, Controversy and Control: A Comparative Analysis of the Problems Posed by New Religious Movements in the Federal Republic of Germany and France. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 42. № 3. P. 249–264.
Berger A. L. (1981). Hasidism and Moonism: Charisma in the Counterculture. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 41. № 4. P. 375–390.
Campbell B. A. (1978). Typology of Cults. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 39. № 3. P. 228–240.
Davil G. (2001). Global Civil Religion: a European Perspective. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 62. № 4. P. 455–473.
Gussner R. E., Berkowitz S. D. (1988). Scholars, Sects and Sanghas: Recruitment to Asian-Based Meditation Groups in North America. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 49. № 2. P. 136–170.
Hoge D. R., Smith E. L. (1982). Normative and Non-Normative Religious Experience Among High School Youth. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 43. № 1. P. 69–82.
Johnson B. (1992). On Founders and Followers: Some Factors in the Development of New Religious Movements. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 53. № 4. P. 1–13.
Robbins T., Anthony D., Richardson J. (1978). Theory and Research of Today’s “New Religions”. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 39. № 4. P. 95–122.
Robertson R. (1979). Religious Movements and Modern Societies: toward a Progressive Problemshift. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 40. № 4. P. 297–314.
Stone D. (1978). New Religious Consciousness and personal religious Experience. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 39. № 2. P. 123–134.
Swatos W. H. (1981). Church-Sect and Cult: Bringing Mysticism Back in. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 42. № 1. P. 17–26.
Wallis R. (1988). Paradoxes of Freedom and Regulation: the Case of New Religious Movements in Britain and America. Sociological Analysis. Vol. 48. № 4. P. 355–371.
Article
Received: 27.01.2020
Accepted: 30.06.2020
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
Harvard
Riazanova, S. V. (2020) ’The Closed Religious Community: the Strategy of Forming аnd the Principles of Functioning’, Sociologicheskaja nauka i social’naja praktika, 8(2), pp. 86-100. doi: https://doi.org/10.19181/snsp.2020.8.2.7306.
Section
SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
Publisher: Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FCTAS RAS)