Dialogue or Confrontation? New Religious Movements, Mainstream Religions and the State in Secular Estonia
Issued Date: 3 Aug 2012
Abstract
The article focuses on the relations between the state , mainstream religions and new religious movements in Estonia from the early 1990s until today. Estonia has been known as one of highly secular and religiously liberal countries. During the last twenty years Estonian religious scene has become considerably more pluralist, and there are many different religious traditions represented in Estonia. The governmental attitude toward new religious movements has been rather neutral, and the practice of multi-tier recognition of religious associations has not been introduced. As Estonia has been following neoliberal governance also in the field of religion, the idea that the religious market should regulate itself has been considered valid. Despite of the occasional conflicts between the parties in the early 1990s when the religious market was created the tensions did decrease in the following years. The article argues that one of the fundamental reasons for the liberal attitude towards different religious associations by the state and neutral coexistence of different traditions in society is that Estonian national identity does not overlap with any particular religious identity.
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References
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2000 aasta rahva ja eluruumide loendus IV. Haridus. Usk. Population and Housing Census IV. Education. Religion. Tallinn: Statistical Office of Estonia. Available on-line www.stat.ee/dokumendid/26499. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
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Altnurme, Lea.
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2011 “Changes in Mythic Patterns in Estonian Religious Life Stories.” Social Compass 58(1): 77–94.
Altnurme, Riho.
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Berger, Peter, Grace Davie and Effie Fokas.
2008 Religious America, Secular Europe? A Theme and Variations. Aldershot: Ashgate.
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Elust, usust, usuelust.
1995 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by the Estonian Council of Churches (unpublished).
2000 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by the Estonian Council of Churches (unpublished).
2005 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by the Estonian Council of Churches (unpublished).
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Islam in Estonia.
2008 Islam Eestis. Islam in Estonia. Tallinn: Huma.
Jaanus, Eeva-Liisa and Marge Unt.
2012 “Eestimaalaste religioossus Euroopa taustal (The Religiosity of Estonian Population in the European Framework).” In Astu alla rahva hulka. Artikleid ja arutlusi Eesti elanikkona vaimulaadist (Step Down Amongst the People. Articles and Essays on the Spirituality of Estonian Population), edited by E. Jõks, 213–229. Tallinn: Estonian Council of Churches.
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Jürjo, Villu.
1992 “Kas riigikirik?” (The State Church?) Eesti Kirik 17 (December): 6.
Jürjo, Silvester.
2009 “Chaplaincy.” In History of Estonian Ecumenism, edited by R. Altnurme, 404–423. Tartu/Tallinn: University of Tartu/Estonian Council of Churches.
Kiviorg, Merilin.
2011 Estonia. International Encyclopedia of Laws: Religion. Edited by Rik Torfs. Alphen aan den Rijn: Kluwer law International.
Kärmas, Mihkel.
1999 “Usulahk viis Eesti lapsed Ameerikasse orjadeks.” (Sect Took Children to Slavery in America). Eesti Ekspress 6 May.
LDS Website.
2012 The Webite of the Estonian Congregation of the LDS. www.jeesusekristusekirik.ee. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Liiman, Raigo and Tarmo Tuisk.
2012 “Eestimaalaste hoiakute muutused usu- ja moraaliüsimustes 1990–2010 (The changes in the attitudes conserning religious and moral question among Estonian population from 1990 to 2010).” In Astu alla rahva hulka. Artikleid ja arutlusi Eesti elanikkona vaimulaadist (Step Down Amongst the People. Articles and Essays on the Spirituality of Estonian Population), edited by E. Jõks, 113–142. Tallinn: Estonian Council of Churches.
Muttika, Jüri.
2005 “Riik kiusab sataniste.” Eesti Ekspress 14 April. Available on-line: http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/B096B369E4ECBBF1C2256FE1006D1831. Last accessed 13 February 2007.)
O’Hagan, Maureen.
2001 “Pastor Guilty of Importing Laborers. Estonian teens hoped to be missionaries.” Washington Post, August 15.
Plaat, Jaanus.
2003 “Religious Change in Estonia and the Baltic States During the Soviet Period in Comparative Perspective.” Journal of Baltic Studies 34(1): 52–73.
Pollack, Detlef.
2002 “The Change in Religion and Church in Eastern Germany after 1989: A research note.” Sociology of Religion 3: 373–387.
Pollack, Detlef and Olaf Müller.
2006 “Religiousness in Central and Eastern Europe: Towards Individualization?” In Religions, Churches and Religiosity in Post-Communist Europe, edited by I. Borowik, 22–36. Krakow: Nomos.
Racius, Egdunas.
2009 “Estonia.” In Yearbook of Muslims in Europe, edited by J. Nielsen, 111–116. Leiden: Brill.
Rahvastiku koostis ja korteriolud.
1935 “Rahvastiku koostis ja korteriolud: 1. III 1934 rahvaloenduse andmed” (Composition and Housing Situation of the Population), vol 2. Tallinn: Riigi Statistika Keskbüroo.
Riigikogu.
2001 “Protocol of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament,” No 66, 15 October 2001. Available from www.riigikogu.ee. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
2000 Protocol of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament No 26. 3 April 2000. Available from www.riigikogu.ee. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Ringvee, Ringo.
2008 “State, Religion and the Legal Framework in Estonia.” Religion, State and Society 36(2): 181–196.
2009 “Legal Aspects of the State-Churchs Relations in the Baltic States, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Religion - Staat - Gesellschaft. Zeitschrift für Glaubensformen und Weltanschauungen, Journal for the Study of Beliefs and Worldviews 10(2): 249–265.
2011 “Riik ja kirik nõukogudejärgses Eestis 1991–2008 (State and Religion in Post-Soviet Estonia 1991–2008)”. Dissertationes Theologiae Universitatis Tartuensis 23. Tartu: University of Tartu Press.
Ritari, Tiiu and Raimu Hanson.
1994 “Uinunud mõistus sünnitab koletisi ehk Meie igapäevane Satanism. (Sleeping mind creates monsters or Our everyday Satanism)” Postimees 30 November.
Rohtmets, Priit.
2009 “Development of the Membership of the Estonian Council of Churches.” In History of Estonian Ecumenism, edited by R. Altnurme, 273–308. Tartu/Tallinn: University of Tartu/Estonian Council of Churches.
Riigi Teataja (Herald of the State). Available on-line at www.riigiteataja.ee.
Riigi Teataja I 1993, 30, 510. Kirikute ja koguduste seadus (Churches and Congregations Act).
Riigi Teataja I 1996, 20, 366. Desicion No 689 of the President of the Republic from 13 March 1996.
Riigi Teataja I 1996, 35, 737. The Constitutional Review Chamber of State Court Decision 3-4-1-1.
Riigi Teataja I 2002, 24, 135. Kirikute ja koguduste seadus (Churches and Congregations Act).
Saard, Riho.
2009 “Establishment of the Council of Churches.” In History of Estonian Ecumenism, edited by R. Altnurme, 240–239. Tartu/Tallinn: University of Tartu/Estonian Council of Churches.
Self Awareness Training Center Website.
2012 Project “Improvement and Diversification of the Visitation Facilities of Lilleoru Center” http://www.lilleoru.ee/?mid=5390&mid=5392. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Statistics Office Website.
2011a “Population Indicators and Composition.” http://www.stat.ee/population. Last accessed 10 January 2012.
2011b “PO0222: Population by Sex, Ethnic Nationality and Country, 1 January 2011.” http://pub.stat.ee/px-web.2001/I_Databas/Population/01Population_indicators_and_composition/04Population_figure_and_composition/04Population_figure_and_composition.asp. Last accessed 10 January 2012.
Talts, Mait.
2008 “The First Buddhist Priest on the Baltic Coast: Karlis Tennison and the Introduction of Buddhism in Estonia.” Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore 38: 67–112. http://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol38/talts.pdf.
Tomka, Miklós.
2006 “Catholics and Protestants in Post-Communist Europe.” In Religions, Churches and Religiosity in Post-Communist Europe, edited by Irina Borowik, 37–51. Krakow: Nomos.
Vakker, Triin and Priit Rohtmets.
2008 “Estonia: Relations between Christian and Non-Christian Religious Organizations and the State of Religious Freedom.” Religion, State and Society 36(1): 45–53.
Veidemann , Andra.
1992 “Toimetusse helistas...” (The call to the editors….). Eesti Kirik, 18 June, p.2.
Vimmsaare, Kuulo.
1992 “Results of the Survey on Church Goers in Tallinn.” Unpublished manuscript.
Västrik, Ergo-Hart.
1995 “The Heathens in Tartu in 1987–1994: Heritage Protection Club Tõlet. Some comments on Zhivile’ Ramoshkaite-Sverdioliene’s speech The Archaic Patterns of Modern Life on the Conference of Contemporary Folklore in Tartu, Nov. 3, 1995.” Available from . Last accessed 20 January 2012.
2000 aasta rahva ja eluruumide loendus IV. Haridus. Usk. Population and Housing Census IV. Education. Religion. Tallinn: Statistical Office of Estonia. Available on-line www.stat.ee/dokumendid/26499. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Alexy II.
1999 Православие в Эстонии (Orthodoxy in Estonia). Moscow: Church Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia.”
Altnurme, Lea.
2005 Kristlusest oma usuni. Uurimus muutustest eestlaste religioossuses 20. sajandi II poolel. (From Christianity to Own Belief. A Study About the Changes in the Religiosity of the Estonians in the Second Half of the 20th Century.) Dissertationes Theologiae Universitatis Tartuensis 9. Tartu: Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus.
2011 “Changes in Mythic Patterns in Estonian Religious Life Stories.” Social Compass 58(1): 77–94.
Altnurme, Riho.
2001 Eesti Evangeeliumi Luteriusu Kirik ja Nõukogude riik 1944-1949. (Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Soviet State 1944-1949). Tartu: Tartu University Press.
Archive of the Religious Affairs Department.
1992 Correspondence 1992 File 19-1.
Archive of the Religious Affairs Department.
1993 File Crispus Ratnam, Application to the Minister of the Interior, 11 April 1993.
Berger, Peter, Grace Davie and Effie Fokas.
2008 Religious America, Secular Europe? A Theme and Variations. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1412
1999 Illegal Activities of Sects. Available from http://assembly.coe.int/main.asp?Link=/documents/adoptedtext/ta99/erec1412. htm Last accessed 15 January 2012.
Elust, usust, usuelust.
1995 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by the Estonian Council of Churches (unpublished).
2000 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by the Estonian Council of Churches (unpublished).
2005 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by the Estonian Council of Churches (unpublished).
2010 Elust, usust, usuelust (On Life, Faith and Religious Life). A Social Survey Conducted by Social and Market Research Company Saar Poll from 25 March to 11 April 2010 (unpublished).
Eurobarometer.
2005 “Special Eurobarometer 225 ‘Social values, Science & Technology’” Report of the European Commission, 2005. On-line http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf. Last accessed 15 January 2012.
Islam in Estonia.
2008 Islam Eestis. Islam in Estonia. Tallinn: Huma.
Jaanus, Eeva-Liisa and Marge Unt.
2012 “Eestimaalaste religioossus Euroopa taustal (The Religiosity of Estonian Population in the European Framework).” In Astu alla rahva hulka. Artikleid ja arutlusi Eesti elanikkona vaimulaadist (Step Down Amongst the People. Articles and Essays on the Spirituality of Estonian Population), edited by E. Jõks, 213–229. Tallinn: Estonian Council of Churches.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Official Web Site.
2011 “Report of Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide.” http://www.watchtower.org/e/statistics/worldwide_report.htm. Last accessed 20 January 2012
Jõgeda, Tiina.
1996 “Beebi vabastamine emast.” (Releasing Baby from Mother). Eesti Ekspress 23(August). Available on-line: http://blog.ekspress.ee/Arhiiv/Vanad/1996/34/magnet.html. Last accessed 25 July 2012.
Jürjo, Villu.
1992 “Kas riigikirik?” (The State Church?) Eesti Kirik 17 (December): 6.
Jürjo, Silvester.
2009 “Chaplaincy.” In History of Estonian Ecumenism, edited by R. Altnurme, 404–423. Tartu/Tallinn: University of Tartu/Estonian Council of Churches.
Kiviorg, Merilin.
2011 Estonia. International Encyclopedia of Laws: Religion. Edited by Rik Torfs. Alphen aan den Rijn: Kluwer law International.
Kärmas, Mihkel.
1999 “Usulahk viis Eesti lapsed Ameerikasse orjadeks.” (Sect Took Children to Slavery in America). Eesti Ekspress 6 May.
LDS Website.
2012 The Webite of the Estonian Congregation of the LDS. www.jeesusekristusekirik.ee. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Liiman, Raigo and Tarmo Tuisk.
2012 “Eestimaalaste hoiakute muutused usu- ja moraaliüsimustes 1990–2010 (The changes in the attitudes conserning religious and moral question among Estonian population from 1990 to 2010).” In Astu alla rahva hulka. Artikleid ja arutlusi Eesti elanikkona vaimulaadist (Step Down Amongst the People. Articles and Essays on the Spirituality of Estonian Population), edited by E. Jõks, 113–142. Tallinn: Estonian Council of Churches.
Muttika, Jüri.
2005 “Riik kiusab sataniste.” Eesti Ekspress 14 April. Available on-line: http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/B096B369E4ECBBF1C2256FE1006D1831. Last accessed 13 February 2007.)
O’Hagan, Maureen.
2001 “Pastor Guilty of Importing Laborers. Estonian teens hoped to be missionaries.” Washington Post, August 15.
Plaat, Jaanus.
2003 “Religious Change in Estonia and the Baltic States During the Soviet Period in Comparative Perspective.” Journal of Baltic Studies 34(1): 52–73.
Pollack, Detlef.
2002 “The Change in Religion and Church in Eastern Germany after 1989: A research note.” Sociology of Religion 3: 373–387.
Pollack, Detlef and Olaf Müller.
2006 “Religiousness in Central and Eastern Europe: Towards Individualization?” In Religions, Churches and Religiosity in Post-Communist Europe, edited by I. Borowik, 22–36. Krakow: Nomos.
Racius, Egdunas.
2009 “Estonia.” In Yearbook of Muslims in Europe, edited by J. Nielsen, 111–116. Leiden: Brill.
Rahvastiku koostis ja korteriolud.
1935 “Rahvastiku koostis ja korteriolud: 1. III 1934 rahvaloenduse andmed” (Composition and Housing Situation of the Population), vol 2. Tallinn: Riigi Statistika Keskbüroo.
Riigikogu.
2001 “Protocol of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament,” No 66, 15 October 2001. Available from www.riigikogu.ee. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
2000 Protocol of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament No 26. 3 April 2000. Available from www.riigikogu.ee. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Ringvee, Ringo.
2008 “State, Religion and the Legal Framework in Estonia.” Religion, State and Society 36(2): 181–196.
2009 “Legal Aspects of the State-Churchs Relations in the Baltic States, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Religion - Staat - Gesellschaft. Zeitschrift für Glaubensformen und Weltanschauungen, Journal for the Study of Beliefs and Worldviews 10(2): 249–265.
2011 “Riik ja kirik nõukogudejärgses Eestis 1991–2008 (State and Religion in Post-Soviet Estonia 1991–2008)”. Dissertationes Theologiae Universitatis Tartuensis 23. Tartu: University of Tartu Press.
Ritari, Tiiu and Raimu Hanson.
1994 “Uinunud mõistus sünnitab koletisi ehk Meie igapäevane Satanism. (Sleeping mind creates monsters or Our everyday Satanism)” Postimees 30 November.
Rohtmets, Priit.
2009 “Development of the Membership of the Estonian Council of Churches.” In History of Estonian Ecumenism, edited by R. Altnurme, 273–308. Tartu/Tallinn: University of Tartu/Estonian Council of Churches.
Riigi Teataja (Herald of the State). Available on-line at www.riigiteataja.ee.
Riigi Teataja I 1993, 30, 510. Kirikute ja koguduste seadus (Churches and Congregations Act).
Riigi Teataja I 1996, 20, 366. Desicion No 689 of the President of the Republic from 13 March 1996.
Riigi Teataja I 1996, 35, 737. The Constitutional Review Chamber of State Court Decision 3-4-1-1.
Riigi Teataja I 2002, 24, 135. Kirikute ja koguduste seadus (Churches and Congregations Act).
Saard, Riho.
2009 “Establishment of the Council of Churches.” In History of Estonian Ecumenism, edited by R. Altnurme, 240–239. Tartu/Tallinn: University of Tartu/Estonian Council of Churches.
Self Awareness Training Center Website.
2012 Project “Improvement and Diversification of the Visitation Facilities of Lilleoru Center” http://www.lilleoru.ee/?mid=5390&mid=5392. Last accessed 20 January 2012.
Statistics Office Website.
2011a “Population Indicators and Composition.” http://www.stat.ee/population. Last accessed 10 January 2012.
2011b “PO0222: Population by Sex, Ethnic Nationality and Country, 1 January 2011.” http://pub.stat.ee/px-web.2001/I_Databas/Population/01Population_indicators_and_composition/04Population_figure_and_composition/04Population_figure_and_composition.asp. Last accessed 10 January 2012.
Talts, Mait.
2008 “The First Buddhist Priest on the Baltic Coast: Karlis Tennison and the Introduction of Buddhism in Estonia.” Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore 38: 67–112. http://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol38/talts.pdf.
Tomka, Miklós.
2006 “Catholics and Protestants in Post-Communist Europe.” In Religions, Churches and Religiosity in Post-Communist Europe, edited by Irina Borowik, 37–51. Krakow: Nomos.
Vakker, Triin and Priit Rohtmets.
2008 “Estonia: Relations between Christian and Non-Christian Religious Organizations and the State of Religious Freedom.” Religion, State and Society 36(1): 45–53.
Veidemann , Andra.
1992 “Toimetusse helistas...” (The call to the editors….). Eesti Kirik, 18 June, p.2.
Vimmsaare, Kuulo.
1992 “Results of the Survey on Church Goers in Tallinn.” Unpublished manuscript.
Västrik, Ergo-Hart.
1995 “The Heathens in Tartu in 1987–1994: Heritage Protection Club Tõlet. Some comments on Zhivile’ Ramoshkaite-Sverdioliene’s speech The Archaic Patterns of Modern Life on the Conference of Contemporary Folklore in Tartu, Nov. 3, 1995.” Available from . Last accessed 20 January 2012.
