The Link between Religiosity and Marriage Values and Norms: Examining the Perspectives of Married Russian Youth

Abstract

Many social researchers are examining the relationship between religiosity and value preferences, particularly the connection between marriage norms and values, and religiosity in Russia. Individual religiosity might be associated with more ‘traditional’ views on marriage, as the Orthodox Church—the most prevalent denomination in Russia—imparts specific marriage norms which believers, it can be hypothesized, adhere to. Some survey data suggest the existence of this link, however, empirical reality generally contradicts this hypothesis. Although from 60 % to 70 % of Russians identify themselves as Orthodox, there is still an ongoing shift in marriage norms and values, with the latter becoming less Orthodox in nature. For instance, cohabitation is gaining legitimacy, tolerance towards divorce is increasing, and the divorce rate in Russia is among the highest in the world. To resolve this inconsistency, attention should be given to how religiosity is measured, as indices with social components have greater potential to reveal the connection between religiosity and values than individual ones. This is particularly true given the absence of a link in most former Soviet countries, which have experienced rapid secular transitions. This paper examines the relationship between Russian marriage norms, value preferences, and religiosity, with the latter measured in various ways. The empirical foundation of the study is 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 40 who are officially married. Spearman correlation coefficients are utilized in this study. The results indicate that more religious individuals are likely to adhere to the marriage norms and values promoted by the Orthodox Church. However, paradoxically, while more religious respondents condemn sexual relationships outside of marriage, their acceptance of cohabitation, which is a non-marital union, appears to have no connection to religiosity. This is surprising since both practices are considered equally sinful by the Orthodox Church. Moreover, religiosity indices that incorporate social components are more effective in establishing a link between religiosity and marriage norms and values. This finding supports the network approach thesis, suggesting that marriage values are more closely tied to the “religious environment” than to individual religiosity. Consequently, we can hypothesize the presence
of an Orthodox “ecology of choice”.