wfn.org | Impact of Russian Religious Law

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

CONTACT: 	Linda Bloom
(10-21-71B){109}
		New York (212) 870-3803			  Feb. 25, 1998 

NOTE: This is a sidebar to UMNS story #108.

New Russian religious law
won't stop church there

by Paul W. Widicus*

	ST. LOUIS (UMNS) -- The new Russian law on religious freedom was
a major topic of discussion during a recent consultation here sponsored
by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
	About 260 people attended the Feb. 19-21 consultation on the
denomination's Russia Initiative. The participants included a delegation
of pastors, seminary students and laity from 35 chartered congregations
in Russia.
Andrei Pupko, pastor of Bethany United Methodist Church in Pushkin,
Russia, likened his country and the United States to two chessboards
that have the same pieces. However, he explained, "The rules of the game
are completely different."
"In Russia, we often have to move like a knight, one to the side and
then two forward," he said. "We have learned to do this, and we will do
it with the new religious law."
The controversial Religious Freedom Law, passed last year, is expected
to curtail the activities of all but a few faith groups in Russia. It
seems aimed at restricting the Roman Catholics and most Protestant
groups.
Nevertheless, the United Methodist Church continues to grow because it
meets the needs of the people, said Bishop Ruediger Minor of Moscow.
"Our churches have not seen any major fallout from the new Russian law,"
he said. "The atmosphere has changed, but we continue business as
usual."
Lawrence Uzzell, a journalist with the Keston Institute in Moscow, told
the group that people are waiting to see how the new law will be
enforced.
He said the new law violates the Russian Constitution in two ways.
First, he explained, "any religious group or structure is suspect simply
because it is new." Second, he added, "Any religious group that was not
legal 15 years ago faces a struggle to be recognized."
So far, the law has not affected western Protestant churches and
missionaries. However, Uzzell said, "I expect Russia to have less
religious freedom a year from now, but I do not know how much less
freedom that will be."
Minor echoed Uzzell's concerns. "Getting a place to meet is one of the
most challenging things for the church," he said.
In different provinces and communities, the law is interpreted in
different ways, he noted. Most churches meet in facilities leased from
the government, and some now must apply for permission to continue to
meet.
Volunteers-in-Mission teams remain welcome in Russia, according to
Stephen Darr, VIM coordinator for the Russia Initiative, and Vladimir
Shaporenko, coordinator for the Russia Peace Foundation, one of the
mission partners.
"The day will come when the politicians will find out they need the
church more than the church needs them," Uzzell concluded. "Then the law
of 1997 will become a bad memory."
				# # #
*Widicus is co-director of communication and co-editor of the Illinois
Great Rivers Conferences.
  

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