YAKOV KROTOV

Michail Mchedlov published statistics on religiosity of Russian young generation. Mchedlov specialized in anti-religious propaganda and "Communist sociology" from 1960-s, he still keeps his nomenclatural position in the governmental Russian Independent Institute of Social and Nationalaties Problems, which also recieves money also from the German Friedrich Ebert, Hanns Seidel and Ludwig Erhard Foundations. The research was done in 1997. Personal remarks of Mchedlov still show that he remains a very tough atheist with little or none scientific approach. But figures are valid due to German techniques. On my site there is large review of this work in Russian.

(Another large poll on religion in general was made by Mchedlov's group in NG-religiya, 10.10.2001, and I put the figures of this poll in a special set of tables).

There is no large difference in the level of religiousity of young generation (32,1% believe in God) and adults (34,9%.) "Hesitating between faith and atheism" - 27% and 27,6%. Non-believers: 14,6% and 13,5%. Indifferently looking upon religion 13,9% and 14,7%.

For many young people Russian Orthodoxy is an ethnical factor: 2,1% of unbelievers stated that they are Russian Orthodox (and 56% of hesitators, 8,8% of people with indifferent views.)

32% of Russian Orthodox stated that they are still "between" faith and non-belief; the same is position of 14,3% of Protestants.

Only 5,4% of respondents think that religios confessions must play large role in social life. Only 17,4% of beivers support the idea of making Russian Orthodox the established religion.

40% of all youth are for the equal rights for all religions.

18,4% of Russian Orthodox want to see their religion as a State Church.

Only 3,2% of repondents are church-goers! The level is higher among Muslims (13,3) and Protestants (57,1%.)

There is site of the Institute and Mchedlov's center "Religion in modern world" in English - http://www.riisnp.ru/contents1.htm. Not very informative. The insitutute is in the large building on the street of Vilghelm Pick in Moscow, h. 4 (I guess this is some former Communist institute, just renamed - and, oh! I've remembered, this is the famous building of Komintern, Communist International! I guess Mchedlov even haven't chaned his room after the 'downfall' of Bolshevism.)