2012/05/22 by Geoff Brumfiel, Бесков Андрей Анатольевич · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Environmental Science · Health Professions · Medicine · Social Sciences · #Radiation Dose and Imaging #Radioactive contamination and transfer #Radioactivity and Radon Measurements #Regional Socio-Economic Development Trends #Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices #Sociopolitical Dynamics in Russia
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/485423a
openalex publication_date 2014/01/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
The paper provides an analysis of multiple logical contradictions typical of the Russian neopaganism phenomenon itself as well as its reflection in science. It is shown that despite of the established practice of using this term in the Russian literature, the term itself does not have a clear subject matter and some of its definitions make us doubt the existence of the phenomenon that this term should define. To find a way out from this theoretical methodological dead end, the author suggests using the term ―neopaganism‖ for phenomena exclusively religious in their core and introduces into scientific use such terms as ―quasipaganism‖ and ―pseudopaganism‖ to identify phenomena similar in form and different in content. Based on the analysis of the papers written by some Russian neopaganism ideologists, the author comes to the conclusion that one of the reasons giving rise to this phenomenon is dissatisfaction of a part of the society with the modern Russian Orthodox Church he identifies some features relating the Russian neopaganism with the Orthodoxy. A for further theological and sociological research in this area is substantiated.