Shirokalova S.G., Shimanskaya O.K. Orthodox Trade fairs as a form of religious activism. Bulletin of the Nizhny Novgorod University named after N.I. Lobachevsky. Series: Social Sciences. 2023. No. 2 (70). Pp. 63-74.

Abstract

The research of religious activism in domestic religious studies are often conducted within the framework of Islamic studies. Religious activism of the Russian Orthodox Church as a multifaceted phenomenon is more large-scale and is implemented in accordance with time requirements in modernised forms, starting from the time of preparation for the 1000th anniversary of Christianity adoption in Rus' in the 1980s, but it is not properly reflected in scientific literature. Numerous works in religious studies are often performed on the basis of quantitative methods, which do not take into account the causes and the motives of religious practices. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to examine the activities of the representatives of the religious organizations (monasteries, temples) at Nizhny Novgorod Orthodox Exhibitions-Fairs (ОЕF). A structured interview was chosen as the main research method, which made it possible to conduct a qualitative analysis of the obtained data. As a result of the study, the hypothesis about the multifunctionality of fairs, both for their exhibitors and visitors, was confirmed. Since the survey was conducted between 2020 and 2022, the opinions of clerics and church-going believers about the causes of the pandemic, the motivation for behavior in conditions of isolation, their attitude to the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor, etc. were also revealed. Forms of religious activism at exhibitions-fairs depend on the goals of their organisers, the number of exhibitors, the readiness of their representatives to fulfill their tasks, the significance of religious objects, and the venue of the fair. For a quarter of a century, Orthodox exhibitions and fairs have formed as an integral social institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, supporting spiritual unity within the Moscow Patriarchate. Analyzing the functions of religion tradi-tionally singled out in religious literature, the authors introduce the function of material support for the activities of religious organizations, arguing that it provides the economic conditions for the implementation of the others. The research of religious activism in domestic religious studies are often conducted within the framework of Islamic studies. Religious activism of the Russian Orthodox Church as a multifaceted phenomenon is more large-scale and is implemented in accordance with time requirements in modernised forms, starting from the time of preparation for the 1000th anniversary of Christianity adoption in Rus' in the 1980s, but it is not properly reflected in scientific literature. Numerous works in religious studies are often performed on the basis of quantitative methods, which do not take into account the causes and the motives of religious practices. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to examine the activities of the representatives of the religious organizations (monasteries, temples) at Nizhny Novgorod Orthodox Exhibitions-Fairs (ОЕF).A structured interview was chosen as the main research method, which made it possible to conduct a qualitative analysis of the obtained data. As a result of the study, the hypothesis about the multifunctionality of fairs, both for their exhibitors and visitors, was confirmed.Since the survey was conducted between 2020 and 2022, the opinions of clerics and church-going believers about the causes of the pandemic, the motivation for behavior in conditions of isolation, their attitude to the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor, etc. were also revealed.Forms of religious activism at exhibitions-fairs depend on the goals of their organisers, the number of exhibitors, the readiness of their representatives to fulfill their tasks, the significance of religious objects, and the venue of the fair. For a quarter of a century, Orthodox exhibitions and fairs have formed as an integral social institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, supporting spiritual unity within the Moscow Patriarchate. Analyzing the functions of religion tradi-tionally singled out in religious literature, the authors introduce the function of material support for the activities of religious organizations, arguing that it provides the economic conditions for the implementation of the others.