Kristlike kogudustega liitumise põhjustest
Kuupäev
2020-01-28
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Abstrakt
Kuigi eestlasi kiputakse mõnikord pidama usuleigeteks, tunnistab rahvaloenduse andmetel peaaegu neljandik meie elanikkonnast mõnda usku. Igal aastal saab üsna paljudest Eesti inimestest ühe või teise kristliku koguduse liige. Kui meie maa on väidetavalt nii ilmalik, tekib küsimus: miks inimesed üldse liituvad kogudustega? Sellele teemale püüdis valgust heita Tartu Ülikooli usuteaduskonna doktorandi Liina Kilemiti doktoritöö.
Uurimistöö tulemusena selgus, et põhjusi, mis inimesi kogudustesse võib viia, on arvukalt. Olulisematest võib nimetada sõprade, pereliikmete või muidu sümpaatsete inimeste eeskuju ning soovi enda kogemusi ja maailmas toimuvat usu abil seletada ja mõtestada ning oma elu kindlate ja terviklike seisukohtade ning väärtuste abil eesmärgistada. Usulistele otsingutele tõukavad inimesi sageli ka õnnetused ja psühholoogilised kriisid, millest väljapääsu leidmiseks võivad inimesed muuhulgas pöörduda ka usu poole.
Kui vahel on arvatud, et eestlaste jaoks ei seostu luterlus kuigi tugevalt meie rahvusliku kultuuri ja identiteediga, siis Kilemiti uuring näitas, et see nii siiski ei ole. Luterliku kirikuga liitujad tõstsid ühe liitumise põhjusena esile selle kiriku seotust meie rahvuslike traditsioonide, kommete ja ajalooga. Kuigi nõukogude okupatsioon on meie ühiskonnas toonud kaasa katkestuse usuliste traditsioonide edasikandumises, mäletatakse ja peetakse osade inimeste poolt endiselt au sees pere ja suguvõsa vanu traditsioone, milles ristiusk oli omal kohal. Neid traditsioone mäletatakse enamasti vanavanemate põlvkonna vahendusel.
Uurimistöö näitas ka, et konfessiooni valik ei ole kaugeltki mitte juhuslik. Mõned inimesed võivad kogudust, mille õpetuslikud seisukohad, vaated, sakramendid, palved ja jumalateenistuse kord oleksid neile tähenduslikud ja kõnekad, kaua otsida. Liitujate jaoks on enamasti oluline ka see, et koguduses valitseks soojad ja sõbralikud inimeste vahelised suhted. 21. sajandi alguse eestlaste teekonnad kogudustesse on väga mitmekesised ja erinevad. Usulised otsingud ei pruugi alata sugugi mitte kristlikest kogukondadest, vaid vahel võidakse eelnevalt tutvust teha hoopis teiste religioonide või uue vaimsuse õpetustega ning alles seejärel liikuda kristluse juurde.
Liina Kilemiti doktoritöö aluseks olid nii küsitlusuuringud kui ka arvukalt süvaintervjuusid, mille käigus uuriti kõigi Eesti suuremate kristlike konfessioonide ja üksikkogudustega liitunuid.
Estonians are sometimes considered to be areligious, however, according to the census, almost a quarter of our population have admitted belonging to some religion. Every year, quite a few Estonian people become members of one or another Christian congregation. When our land is said to be so secular, the question arises: why do people join the church congregations at all? Liina Kilemit, PhD student of the School of Theology and Religious Studies of the University of Tartu, tried to shed light on this topic. As a result of the research, it has been found that the causes which can lead people to congregations are numerous. Among the most important ones there is an example of friends, family members, or otherwise sympathetic people, and an aspiration to explain and ponder about their own experiences and what is happening in the world, to target their lives with firm and holistic views and values. Accidents and psychological crises frequently push people for religious searches, and people can, among other things, turn to religion to find a way out. Though it is sometimes assumed that for Estonians Lutheranism is not strongly associated with our national culture and identity, the Kilemiti’s study revealed that this is not the case. Those who joined the Lutheran Church highlighted the association of this church with our national traditions, customs and history as a reason for joining. Although the Soviet occupation has led to an interruption in the transmission of religious traditions in our society, the old traditions of family and next of kin, where Christianity was in its place, are still remembered and held by some people. These traditions are mostly remembered by the grandparents’ generation. The research also showed that the choice of confession is far from being random. Some people may be in a long-term search for a church whose teachings, views, sacraments, prayers, and worship arrangements are meaningful and eloquent to them. Another key factor for new members is having warm and friendly interpersonal relationships in the congregation. The journeys of Estonians to church communities at the beginning of the 21st century are numerous and diverse. Religious searches may start far from Christian congregations, sometimes people may first probe other religions or new spiritual teachings, and only then turn to Christianity. Liina Kilemit’s doctoral thesis was based on interview surveys as well as on numerous in-depth interviews, in which those who joined all major Christian denominations and individual congregations in Estonia were studied.
Estonians are sometimes considered to be areligious, however, according to the census, almost a quarter of our population have admitted belonging to some religion. Every year, quite a few Estonian people become members of one or another Christian congregation. When our land is said to be so secular, the question arises: why do people join the church congregations at all? Liina Kilemit, PhD student of the School of Theology and Religious Studies of the University of Tartu, tried to shed light on this topic. As a result of the research, it has been found that the causes which can lead people to congregations are numerous. Among the most important ones there is an example of friends, family members, or otherwise sympathetic people, and an aspiration to explain and ponder about their own experiences and what is happening in the world, to target their lives with firm and holistic views and values. Accidents and psychological crises frequently push people for religious searches, and people can, among other things, turn to religion to find a way out. Though it is sometimes assumed that for Estonians Lutheranism is not strongly associated with our national culture and identity, the Kilemiti’s study revealed that this is not the case. Those who joined the Lutheran Church highlighted the association of this church with our national traditions, customs and history as a reason for joining. Although the Soviet occupation has led to an interruption in the transmission of religious traditions in our society, the old traditions of family and next of kin, where Christianity was in its place, are still remembered and held by some people. These traditions are mostly remembered by the grandparents’ generation. The research also showed that the choice of confession is far from being random. Some people may be in a long-term search for a church whose teachings, views, sacraments, prayers, and worship arrangements are meaningful and eloquent to them. Another key factor for new members is having warm and friendly interpersonal relationships in the congregation. The journeys of Estonians to church communities at the beginning of the 21st century are numerous and diverse. Religious searches may start far from Christian congregations, sometimes people may first probe other religions or new spiritual teachings, and only then turn to Christianity. Liina Kilemit’s doctoral thesis was based on interview surveys as well as on numerous in-depth interviews, in which those who joined all major Christian denominations and individual congregations in Estonia were studied.
Kirjeldus
Märksõnad
Estonia, Christianity, credo, belief, religious conversion, sociology of religion, interviews, case analysis, discourse analysis