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A new compulsory subject "Orthodox religion fundamentals" will be taught in four schools of Russian regions from September, 1. Children will study Orthodox religion in Belgorod, Kaluga, Bryansk and Smolensk Territories. As NTV reports, decisions to include the subject to curriculum were made locally and adjusted with eparchies. This news must have been totally surprising for federal officials of educational departments. They had suggested including another similar subject to extra curriculum: "The history of world religions".
Victor Bolotov, the head of Federal Educational and Science Inspectorate, stated, 'Russia is a secular state. Schools are secular in our country too. For this reason this subject may be learnt only extra curriculum for parents and children.'
Russian Orthodox Church supports religious innovations. It stresses that the subject is rather cultural study than religious. Moscow and All-Russian Patriarch Alexiy the Second, stated, 'If people, who have different beliefs, live in our country, they must know their culture too. However, they are also to know the history of the country they live in.' 11 more Russian regions will teach the new subject extra curriculum this school year too.
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