Compulsory Courses on Christianity for Muslim Children in Russia

Compulsory courses on Orthodox Christian culture will be part of the curriculum in public schools in several regions of the country this school year, which begins Friday, September 1. The introduction of courses in Orthodox culture are just one example of the growing influence of the church.

The church\'s presence in the military, for example, has been growing steadily in recent years with the encouragement of the top brass. Orthodox priests already preach informally in many units, including those fighting Muslims in the North Caucasus, and the Russia\'s Defense Ministry is currently considering the introduction of official chaplains in the armed forces.

The Belgorod and Bryansk regions are among those introducing compulsory courses in Orthodox culture for the first time.

Pupils belonging to other religions should study Orthodoxy because it is the culture of the traditionally Orthodox country they live, said Svetlana Kalashnikova, deputy head of the Belgorod region\'s education and science department. The new course will be taught to grades 2 through 11.

In the Bryansk region, the course will be mandatory for first- through fourth-graders.

The patriarchate does not keep statistics on how many regions have introduced Orthodox culture classes, said Alexander Kantsarin, a consultant at Moscow Patriarchate\'s department of religious education and catechesis.

Muslims in Russia are concerned about the Orthodox Church\'s expansion into public schools.  Most regions now host Muslim refugees from war  zones in the Caucasus and Central Asia.