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UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, 7th Annual International Postgraduate Conference

Inclusion Exclusion

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Friday 17 February 4:30 – 6:00: Panel G2: Dividing Religion

Zanda Mankusa (University of Greifswald): ‘Devil’s confessors and owners of the truth: church heritage of Soviet times’

Almost fifteen years after the break-up of the Soviet Union Christian churches in that territory still seem to continue living according to former paradigms. Although in official rhetoric and individual self-conception exactly the opposite have been claimed, ways of decision-making and treating people in- and outside of particular church confirms the continuity. This study examines the case of Latvian Lutheran church from historical perspective. It offers analyses of historical and contemporary sources which reveal the tendency of the church to make divisions between people.

At present the division is made mainly between: ours = traditional = Christian = good = true and theirs = modern/post-modern = liberal = Unchristian = bad = false. So, everybody in Latvian Lutheran church following mainstream line and accepting views of church leaders can count him- or herself to holders of the truth, whereas people having different views are regarded as not true Christians or even "bad sinners" – depending on how dangerous those views seem to the authorities of the church. [Not] surprisingly, the main groups of people excluded are women and sexual minorities. At the same time Latvian Lutheran church also consciously excludes (practically, not officially) itself from Lutheran world, and seeks to join separate, similarly orientated churches. Are these divisions and grouping arbitrary? traditionally and/or theologically based? And what kind of tradition and theology they follow? Are the church leaders and parish members aware of them? – These are some of the questions the paper seeks to answer.

The paper offers several examples of origins and development of these including-excluding tendencies, as well as problematic aspects in the case of Latvian and other post-soviet churches. It reveals how soviet regime, but also some still honoured Latvian pastors have brought their contribution to excluding nature of present Lutheran church in Latvia.