Russia's patriarch condemns communist's anti-Semitic statements
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Subject: Russia's patriarch condemns communist's anti-Semitic statements
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Russia's patriarch condemns communist's anti-Semitic
statements
Ecumenical News International
ENI News Service / 11 November 1998
Russia's patriarch condemns communist's anti-Semitic statements
By Andrei Zolotov
Moscow, 11 November (ENI) -- Amid growing concern in Russia about the
rise of anti-Semitism, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church,
Patriarch Alexei II, has condemned anti-Semitic statements by a
Communist member of parliament.
Speaking at two recent rallies, General Albert Makashov, a radical
Communist deputy in the State Duma (parliament), blamed "zhidy", a
derogatory term for Jews, for Russia's economic and political turmoil.
"I will round up all the [Jews] and send them to the next world,"
Makashov shouted at the rally. Parts of his speech have been shown
several times on national television. Anti-Semitic slogans were also
prominent during the rallies, held to commemorate the 81st anniversary
of the Bolshevik revolution.
Patriarch Alexei told reporters yesterday, 10 November, that the
Russian Orthodox Church opposed all attempts to stir up prejudice on
"nationalist or religious grounds". He added that "all attempts to
provoke discord destabilise the fragile peace in our society, and are
inadmissible".
Government agencies said that Makashov's remarks could in principle be
subject to legal action, but that as a member of the Duma (the lower
house of parliament) he was immune from prosecution.
Last week, the Duma failed to adopt a resolution rebuking Makashov for
his remarks, largely because of support for him from fellow Communist
parliamentarians. The Duma's reluctance to reprimand him has already
been interpreted by some commentators as a sign of a shift by the
Communist-dominated legislature towards dangerously radical
nationalism. The Communists' influence has grown considerably since
President Boris Yeltsin gave up much of his power due to severe health
problems, leaving greater control to the new cabinet, which was
appointed in September.
Makashov's statements and the Communist Party's refusal to distance
itself from him have prompted outrage in the media. Liberal
politicians have called for the banning of the Communist Party, but
the government is highly unlikely to take such a step.
Relationships with Jews and with Judaism itself are a complex matter
for the Russian Orthodox Church. Even though the church's leaders have
in the last few years shown openness and tolerance towards Russia's
historic non-Christian religions, some highly conservative nationalist
groups in the Orthodox Church continue to express anti-Semitic views.
After giving a speech to a gathering of rabbis in New York in 1991,
Patriarch Alexei returned home to face accusations of promoting a
"Judaic heresy". The accusations came from an extremist church group
which has since been disbanded.
Nationalist politicians like Makashov often describe themselves as
Orthodox Christians, claiming to defend the church as a symbol of
Russia itself.
Unlike some Western churches, which, since the end of the Second World
War have tried to repent for ancient prejudices against the Jews, the
Russian Orthodox Church has never felt any responsibility for the
Holocaust. In fact many nationalist Orthodox Christians see the church
as a victim of persecution by Communists, many of whom were of Jewish
origin.
Violence against Jews has been condemned by the church, but at the
same time Judaism is often portrayed in sermons as an anti-Christian
force.
But church leaders continue their fight against anti-Semitism in the
church and in Russian society. In May this year, Patriarch Alexei and
other religious leaders condemned the bombing of a Moscow synagogue in
which two people were injured.
* * *
Ecumenical News International
Tel: (41-22) 791 6087/6515 Fax: (41-22) 798 1346
E-Mail: [email protected]
PO Box 2100 150 route de Ferney CH-1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland
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