Vsevolod Chaplin: ‘Might the Bolgarian Islamic Academy be followed by the Kazan Orthodox Academy…’

Features of the Tatar character

The upcoming visit of Patriarch Kirill to Tatarstan is not just a reason for the celebrations and exchange of compliments but also an opportunity to define problems that Orthodox Christians face and tell about the necessity of Orthodox and Muslim cooperation and its limits, of course.

Tatarstan is a great platform to demonstrate long-standing traditions and good neighbourliness and search for a realistic and optimal road to the future, including all threats and challenges, at the same time. The tsarist and imperial eras remember different occurrences. However, they taught the Orthodox and Muslim ethnicities of Russia to live together warning any enmity and attempts of driving a wedge between them. By the way, such consideration is one of the best features of the Tatar national character produced by un uneasy history for centuries.

'The upcoming visit of Patriarch Kirill to Tatarstan is not just a reason for the celebrations and exchange of compliments but also an opportunity to define problems that Orthodox Christians face.' Photo: patriarchia.ru

Time of homo soveticus passed

The Soviet era mixed different things. But then the best ethnic traditions came back. However, one temptation of that period left: to think the ethnic and religious identity is an insignificant thing of the past like 'we lived in peace, did not know who we were – whether Tatars or Russians, Orthodox Christians or Muslims – why should we rake it up?'

These inertial moods are a characteristic of creators of over-ethnic 'civil nation' and supporters of the 'all-European' and 'global' identity who miraculously cooperate with those foreign centres that stimulate ethnic and regional separatism in Russia. However, whether we like it or not, projects on the creation of a pan-human being failed even in the West. Today these projects are supposed to be a rottenness for a reason. National identity is quite important to most people, while the religious one is the most important one because not only the mortal life but also life after death depends on it.

It cannot be omitted. The age of a 'Soviet person' passed, the age of a 'global citizen' is unlikely to begin. We will have to work with different people and their different communities whose religion, culture, rules may be different. If the current vector of historical development of logic is conserved, the Russians will be more Russian, the Tatars will become more Tatar, Orthodox Christians and Muslims will be more active in their faith aimed at a strict adherence to religious principles and rules.

'People want to wear a hijab or beard – why not? People want their children to be taught the basics of their religious tradition <> at school. It should be remembered that parents, not administration of any level, should define the outlook and moral content of everything what their children study at school.' Photo: Roman Khasaev

It means we should not restrain the development of national and religious identities but accept this reality and care about peace between people and a mutual squabble of their interests at the same time. People want to wear a hijab or beard – why not? People want their children to be taught the basics of their religious tradition, which is meant to be true, compared to other traditions and materialistic point of view, at school. It should be remembered that parents, not an administration of any level, should define the outlook and moral content of everything what their children study at school. It is a clear requirement of the international law. And the approach of schools to different variants of the worldview choice based on it successfully works in most European countries and most regions of Russia now.

The Russians want to learn Tatar – great (if I lived in Tatarstan, I would certainly try to learn it). If they don't want, it is necessary to understand the reason and whether there is any compromise. They want to study the Russian language and literature at the same volume like in other regions and not at a specialised but an ordinary nearest school. This right probably should be given. Moreover, a possibility to study at Moscow or Petersburg universities depends on the fulfilment of this right. I hope all these problems will be mentioned during his visit and the people who worry about it will be heard out.

Tatarstan's experience in transformation

Kazan is one of the historical centres of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is one of the most ancient episcopal departments where many great hierarchs served. One of the four spiritual academies was situated here. And one of the centres of the Orthodox and Muslim dialogue should appear here under Metropolitan Feofan who has huge experience in construction and diplomacy. The identity of Mufti Kamil Samigullin also favours it.

'One of the centres of the Orthodox and Muslim dialogue should appear here under today's Metropolitan Feofan who has huge experience in construction and diplomacy. The identity of Mufti Kamil Samigullin also favours it.' Photo: Maksim Platonov

Yes, our religions are different. And we should not follow westerns or 'post-Soviet' scholars who preach a mixture of religions, make unrealistic statements about their coming union based on 'universal human values'. But resolution in their beliefs, mutual respect of their cohesiveness should not impede the Orthodox Christians and Muslims to build a common house and together oppose the attempts to expel piety and morality from the society by substituting them with their consumption and pragmatic 'social mechanics' from trendy psychologists and political experts.

Religious people should demonstrate the ability to organise life based on their principles – economic, social and cultural – to the whole world. They should show their ability to come to an agreement on 'demarcation' of borders because the rules they follow are different. The Soviet vacuum of piety is more impossible, but its remains are either used by destructive or dangerous extremist forces or will be filled by communes who have long-standing experience in living in a group and know the best way to act in Russia.

Tatarstan can offer the whole country transformations based on this experience and in promotion of religiously motivated financial systems (the Muslim system is being created, it is turn of the Orthodox one), creation of theological schools (might the construction of the Bolgarian Islamic Academy be followed by the erectin of the Kazan Orthodox Academy), harmonisation of the strengthening religious law with the secular legislation, renascence of moral lifestyle – in a family, culture, people's appearance, honesty of economic and managerial processes. The nearest time will show whether it is possible to fulfil all these opportunities.