Religion and Language in Post-Soviet Russia (Routledge Contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe Series) - Hardcover

Bennett, Brian P.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0415780632 ISBN 13: 9780415780636

Publisher: Routledge, 2011

Synopsis

Church Slavonic, one of the world's historic sacred languages, has experienced a revival in post-Soviet Russia. Blending religious studies and sociolinguistics, this is the first book devoted to Church Slavonic in the contemporary period. It is not a narrow study in linguistics, but uses Slavonic as a passkey into various wider topics, including the renewal and factionalism of the Orthodox Church; the transformation of the Russian language; and the debates about protecting the nation from Western cults and culture. It considers both official and popular forms of Orthodox Christianity, as well as Russia's esoteric and neo-pagan traditions. Ranging over such diverse areas as liturgy, pedagogy, typography, mythology, and conspiracy theory, the book illuminates the complex interrelationship between language and faith in post-communist society, and shows how Slavonic has performed important symbolic work during a momentous chapter in Russian history. It is of great interest to scholars of sociolinguistics and of religion, as well as to Russian studies specialists.

About this title

About the Author

Brian P. Bennett is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Niagara University, USA.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415780632
• ISBN 13: 9780415780636
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 200