Tänapäeva eestikeelsete õigeusklike katehheesist ja uskumustest

Abstract

Doktoritöö käsitleb kaasaegsete eestikeelsete õigeusklike uskumusi ja kogemusi. Andmed on pärit religioonisotsioloogilisest kvalitatiivsest uuringust, kus osales 57 õigeusu kiriku vaimulikku ja koguduse liiget. Uuringu tulemusena selgus, et enamik eestikeelseid õigeusklikke on kirikusse jõudnud oma perekondade või „olulise teise“ kaudu. Teine ühine omadus eestikeelsete õigeusklike juures on müstiline, ratsionaalse mõistuse väline ja seletamatu religioosne kogemus (85% informantidest). Müstilise kogemuse puhul ei mängi vanus, sugu, haridus või kirikusse sattumise viis mingit rolli. Valdav enamus eestikeelsetest õigeusklikest usuvad ka imedesse (inglitesse, pühakutesse ja/või imet tegevatesse ikoonidesse). Imetegude kogemused olid enamasti meeldivad, kuid oli ka painavaid ja hirmutavaid kogemusi. Ime kogemisel on teatud roll usul, et midagi imelist võib juhtuda. Samas leidus hulgaliselt ka nn argipäeva imesid, mis juhtusid igapäevases olukorras. Imede kogemused on inimeste usuelus väga olulisel kohal ning kinnitavad inimese usku Jumalasse. Nägemuse õigeusust konstrueerisid inimesed sageli vastandudes omadustele, mida arvati olevat teistes konfessioonides. Enamasti omistati teistele konfessioonidele liigset külmust, ratsionaalsust, ülemäärast intellektikesksust, tühisust ja pinnapealsust. Õigeusku nähti vastavalt vastandväärtustena - emotsionaalse, kogemusliku, soojana, aga ka kõikehõlmava ja täiuslikuna. Andmed vaimulike hariduse kohta on lünklikud. Ca 90% Moskva Patriarhaadi Eesti Õigeusu Kiriku (MPEÕK) vaimulikel on vähemalt vaimuliku seminari haridus. Kuna Eesti Apostlik-Õigeusu Kirikus (EAÕK-s) ei ole teoloogiline haridus kohustuslik, siis on enamikel vaimulikest teoloogiline haridus formaalselt lõpetamata. MPEÕK-s on katehhees (usuõpetus) enne kirikuga liitumist kohustuslik, EAÕK-s mitte. Mõlemal kirikul napib ressursse, eriti vastavate isuksusomaduste ja oskustega vaimulikke, et teha eestikeelset katehheesi. Õige katehhees algab miiminumteadmiste omandamisega enne kirikuga liitumist ning jätkub läbi kogu õigeuskliku elu. Katehheesi nõutakse nii enne kirikuga liitumist kui ka enne ristivanemaks saamist. Preestrid peavad usutõdedest olulisemaks seda, et inimese soov kirikuga liituda oleks siiras ja läbi mõeldud/tunnetatud.

The doctoral thesis provides an overview of the experiences and beliefs of contemporary Estonian-speaking members of the Orthodox Church. Thesis is based on qualitative research in sociology of religion where 57 respondents participated – clergy members as well as lay persons. The age of the respondents ranged from 22 to 89 years. Most Estonian-speaking Orthodox have been influenced in their path to the church through religious socialisation by family members or a ‘significant other’. The other shared characteristic is a mystical, unexplainable religious experience that is beyond rational thought (ca 85% of the respondents). Age, gender, education or the path to the church did not play any role in connection with mystical experiences. The majority of Estonian-speaking Orthodox also believes in miracles (angels, saints and/or miraculous icons). Miracle experiences are generally pleasant, but some respondents also reported tormenting and frightening experiences. The experience of miracles is somewhat facilitated by faith in the possibility that something miraculous can happen. However, the respondents also reported numerous ‘everyday miracles’, which occurred in routine situations. Experiences of miracles play a very important role in individuals’ religious life, affirming their faith in God. People constructed their idea of the values of Orthodoxy by contrasting them to characteristics that were thought to be inherent in other denominations. Excessive coldness, rationality, intellectualism, triviality and superficiality were the main traits attributed to other denominations. Conversely, Orthodoxy was seen to represent the opposite values – emotional, experiential, warm, but also comprehensive and perfect. The information on clergy education is sketchy. In the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOCMP), 90% of the clergy members have received education at least at a theological seminary. In the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC), theological education is not mandatory and most clergy members have formally incomplete theological education. Catechesis is mandatory for joining the EOCMP; this is not the case in the EAOC. Both churches suffer from shortage of resources, especially clergy members with suitable personality traits and skills to offer catechesis in Estonian. Proper catechesis starts with the acquisition of minimum knowledge before joining the church and continues throughout the Orthodox life. Catechesis is required before joining church, but also before coming a godparent. In the opinion of priests, having a genuine and well-considered desire to join the church is more important than the truths of faith.