The Russian Orthodox Church has long been allied with the state, even during the Soviet era when the relationship was somewhat strained. When Stalin got (or at least tolerated) religion, you know things were bad in the mother country. Under Putin and Medvedev, the relationship has become even more cozy. Russian Orthodoxy is no stranger to power.
This [...]
Tags:Checkhov·Chekov·Dostoevsky·excommunication·Medevev·power·Putin·Russia·Russian Orthodox Church·Stalin·state·Tolstoy
The story is a familiar one: a new religion is founded — or, as the sociologist Rodney Stark would say, a new sect is born from an older tradition — and over time it becomes successful. By success, I mean that it grows, becomes popular, and shows few signs of slowing down.
At some point during [...]
Tags:Beijing·Buddhist economy·China·Chinese Buddhism·Chinese government·Chinese state·Christianity·co-opt·co-optation·Confucius·Constantine·Cultural Revolution·Dalai Lama·domesticated religion·Foucault·new religions·official atheism·political power·power·profits·religion as commodity·resistance·Roman Empire·sects·state·suppression·surveillance·Tibetan Buddhism·Western Buddhism·World Buddhist Forum
