by United Methodist News Service
The United Methodist bishop based in Moscow has expressed concern about a new law on religion passed recently by the Russian parliament.
According to Bishop Ruediger R. Minor, bishop of the Eurasia Area, the law passed June 18 -- called "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations" -- "severely restricts freedoms to exercise religion both privately and corporately, freedoms granted by the law presently in force."
Expected to pass on third reading in the near future and go to President Boris Yeltsin for his signature, it would replace a more liberal 1990 law on religious activity. Yeltsin does have the option of vetoing the new law.
According to Religion News Service, Senator Richard Lugar, R- Ind., a United Methodist, has urged President Clinton to discuss the new law with Yeltsin at the Summit meeting in Denver.
Under the new law, Minor said, a "lower category" of religious associations is introduced. Groups in that category would have no legal status and face restrictions such as not being able to publish or own property.
In a June 21 letter to other United Methodist bishops, boards, agencies, ecumenical representatives and the wider Christian community, Minor stated that the action of the Russian Federal Duma to implement such restrictions was no surprise. But, he added, "Up to now, common sense, wisdom and statesmanship have in previous times successfully resisted those attempts."
Minor said he was most concerned because the law "contradicts and violates the very principles of what the ecumenical community has been standing for."
Since the ecumenical community has defended the rights of the Russian Orthodox Church for years, "it is sad to listen to the commentaries of Russian Orthodox representatives who praise the new law while forgetting about Christian fellowship and solidarity," he added.
Local United Methodist churches in Russia could be "severely affected" if the new law were enforced. "Some of us have already experienced the intimidation that comes as a fallout of such changes of the political climate," Minor reported.
The Rev. Bruce Robbins, general secretary, United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, expressed his own dismay at the new law. "I find it deeply disappointing that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian government would support a law with these kinds of sweeping restrictions," he told United Methodist News Service. "I can understand the difficult situation in Russia with the tremendous influx of all sorts of Christian groups and other sects, but I wish there was another way to address the situation."
In his letter, Minor asked United Methodist representatives in the World Council of Churches, Conference of European Churches and U.S. National Council of Churches to encourage those bodies "to provide a forum for honest discussion" about the ecumenical fallout from the new law.
He also encouraged discussion with representatives of Orthodox churches regarding the matter.
June 23, 1997
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Global Connections: Russia
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