MOSCOW, September 18, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data about the attitudes of Russians towards teaching religion in school, and which of the courses within the framework of a new humanitarian program "Spiritual and Moral Training" they would choose for their children.
The amount of those who support the introduction of the God's Law into schools has been increasing. More than half of Russians are "for" the teaching of religious foundations and the Law of God at school, and this share has increased over the recent years (from 48% to 53%). At the same time, the part of those who oppose this idea has declined (from 36% to 27%).
Most of those who are in favor of this initiative are residents of big cities (58%), women (58%), elderly citizens and Russians with low level of education (65% and 69% respectively); the idea is least supported by Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (43%), men (48%), respondents under 24 (42%) and respondents with secondary education (49%).
Russians choose studying the history and foundations of three major world religions from other subjects within the framework of new humanitarian program "Spiritual and Moral Training" (27%). Every fifth prefer studying the history and foundations of one out of four traditional religions of Russia (21%); other 19% choose secular ethics. And finally, 13% would prefer none of the above-mentioned disciplines.
Respondents who choose studying the history and foundations of the major world religions are basically from Moscow and Saint-Petersburg (36%), and aged 35-44 (33%). Those who prefer the course the history and foundations of traditional religions of Russia are residents of small cities and rural area (23-24%), and respondents aged above 45 (23-25%); the foundations of secular ethic is preferred by metropolitan residents and rural area inhabitants (23 and 22% respectively), as well as 25-34-year-old respondents (25%) and those who have schoolchildren (23%).
The higher the level of education of Russians is, the more often they choose the history and foundations of major world religions and the foundations of secular ethic (32 and 23% among high-educated respondents, and 24 and 8% among low-educated respondents respectively). On the contrary, Russians with low level of education are basically in favor of teaching the history and foundations of traditional religions of Russia (28% versus 19% among high-educated ones).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on August 22-23, 2009. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of errordoes not exceed 3.4 %.
Do you approve or disapprove of the introduction of foundations of religion and the God's Law in schools? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2001 | 2009 |
Approve | 48 | 53 |
Disapprove | 36 | 27 |
Hard to tell | 15 | 19 |
Do you approve or disapprove of the introduction of foundations of religion and the God's Law in schools? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Age, years | ||||
18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and above | ||
Approve | 53 | 42 | 47 | 52 | 56 | 65 |
Disapprove | 27 | 37 | 34 | 30 | 23 | 19 |
Hard to tell | 19 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 17 |
Since September 1st 2009 a new subject has been introduced in Russian schools within the framework of new humanitarian program "Spiritual and Moral Training". Which of the following subjects would you choose for your children? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Age, years | ||||
18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and above | ||
the foundations of one out of four traditional religions of Russia (Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism) | 21 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 23 | 25 |
the history and foundations of the major world religions | 27 | 24 | 24 | 33 | 27 | 26 |
the foundations of secular ethics | 19 | 21 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 11 |
None of the above-mentioned | 13 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 11 |
Other | 1 |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 19 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 25 |
Since September 1st 2009 a new subject has been introduced in Russian schools within the framework of new humanitarian program "Spiritual and Moral Training". Which of the following subjects would you choose for your children? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| Total respondents | There are school children | There are no schoolchildren in family |
the foundations of one out of four traditional religions of Russia (Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Buddhism) | 21 | 22 | 20 |
the history and foundations of the major world religions | 27 | 25 | 27 |
the foundations of secular ethics | 19 | 23 | 18 |
None of the above-mentioned | 13 | 15 | 13 |
Other | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 19 | 12 | 21 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,
the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!