Posted on 11/22/2002 10:19:31 AM PST by Destro
Schools dust off religious studies
November 20 2002
Russia is to introduce Orthodox religious education in schools for the first time since the Tsars.
Under a controversial proposal by the Education Ministry, head teachers will be able to schedule courses in a subject called Orthodox Culture.
The Education Minister, Vladimir Filippov, has proposed the course, which will not be compulsory. Opponents of the plan say the multi-ethnic nature of Russia, home to many Muslims, Jews and Buddhists, makes it unsuitable.
In the time of the Tsars children studied divine law, a course offering Orthodox religious and moral guidance. After the revolution in 1917, religious studies were replaced by courses in Marxism and Leninism. History, geography and other subjects were tailored to suit the ideological requirements of the Communist leaders.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 education has remained secular, but in recent years the resurgent Orthodox Church has called for the inclusion of religious studies.
The timetable for introducing the new course is unclear, but officials say a 30-page document issued by the Education Ministry sets out the subject matter to be included. Topics will include the traditions of Orthodoxy, asceticism, the liturgy and the Bible, as well as religious art and literature.
The Orthodox Church says teaching religion will help counter alcoholism, AIDS, crime and drug addiction.
The Telegraph, London
Your reference to the Crusades as secular wars is way off the mark. In fact, the Crusades embodied the religious theory of the "just" war in defense of the Christian faith and the idea that reclaiming lost lands for Christendom was just and moral which it was. That is what they were about except for the disaster of the 4th Crusade, a catastrophe whose repercussions are felt today. In a larger historical context the Crusades were an attempt to defeat/hold back/ the terrible enemy Islam - an enemy which had already devastated formerly Christian lands and could not be held in check by Byzantium alone.
In any case, all Christians have the duty and obligation to spread the faith to non Christians either actively through martyrdom and evangelism or passively through good works and charity.
Not necessarily.
Then tell me what are the Protestant beliefs which are additional in relation to the Orthodox/Catholic? I mean the positive ones which add to the set, not the ones which are negative ie remove/negate something.
Hmm, you appear to be confused.
1. Romans indeed did not conquer Gaul for religious reasons - both Latins and Gauls were Indoeuropean pagans whose religions were not so different and pagan Romans were quite syncretic (ecumenical).
2. Wars with Persia had little religious motive - Christian Rome and Zoroastrian Persia were primarily competing empires. The spread of Christianity at that time was based on slow gradual missions.
3. Western Europe at the time of Emperor Justinian was ALREADY Christian. The objective of the war was first to reestablish the authority of the Empire over its historical craddle in Italy. The religious component was the following - the Germanic barbarians like Goths, Visigoths, Vandals and others were followers of the Arian heresy - while ruling over the Orthodox/Catholic population. Orthodox/Catholic population was looking for help and leadership toward the Emperor in the Constantinople or toward key local bishops or toward the Pope in Rome. (Only later Popes established the aliance with Catholic Franks and helped their king to become Western Emperor and defender of the Faith after the Langobards/Lombards reduced the Byzantine rule in Italy and Muslim threat became urgent in the West as well).
Well, I think when you reintroduce a foreign notion -- like Calvin's reintroduction of inexorable pagan fate or other bits of pseudo-science and "New Age" nonsense revolutionaries are MOST CAREFUL to ostensibly source from "within the set" with a Big Lie -- you are adding something that's just in total contradiction to truth rather than negating or removing from the deposit of the Church.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.