Religiosity of Latvian society Asoc.professor Dr.Paed.Laima Geikina 2010

Basic Facts Latvia (Lettland, Lettonie) – one of the three Baltic states (Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania), borders with Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Byelorussia Capital – Riga Currency – Lats (1.4 €) 1991 – Independence from the Soviet Union 2004 – Accession to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Ethnic groups in Latvia in Population – 2.29 mln (2006) Latvians59,0 Russians28,5 Byelorussians3,8 Ucranians2,5 Poles2,4 Lithuanians1,4 Jews0,4 Gipsies0,4 Germans0,2 Estonians0,1 Other1,3

Number of Schools 1990/911995/962000/012001/022002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/09 No. Schls No. Pupils

Do you believe in God? March, 2009 believe in God and consider themselves as Christians (42,3%) believe in God, but don’t consider themselves as Christians (31,5%) do not believe in God (18,5%) NA (7,7%)

Do you believe Darwin or Rational Creator? I October, 2008 Whom one position you support more? life on the Earth is created by God (Rational Creator) (43,2%) life on the Earth developed in the natural way by natural selection (31,6%) NA (25,2%)

Do you believe Darwin or Rational Creator? II October, 2008 life on the Earth is created by God (Rational Creator) life on the Earth developed in the natural way by natural selection NA

Multireligious context of education Religions registered by the state Number of parishes 1990 Number of parishes 2000 Number of parishes 2005 Number of parishes 2008 Lutheran Roman Catholic Orthodox Baptist Pentecostal Old Believers Adventists Evangelicals New Generation National paganism Methodists New Apostolic - 11 Jehovah Witnesses Vishnavites Augsburg Confession Lutheran Jewish Islam Buddhists Mormon other Total

Self-identification I (2005) In what faith you include yourself? 1)Orthodox (24,1%) 2)Catholic (20,7%) 3)Lutheran (20%) 4)Old Believer (4,4%) 5)Baptist (1%) 6) Adventist (0,5%) In what faith you include yourself? 7) Jewish (0%) 8) Consider myself as a believer, but can not account to some confession (10,6%) 9) Non believer (15,8%) 10) Other (1%) 11) NA (1,7%)

Self-identification II (2005) In what faith you include yourself? 1.Orthodox 2.Catholic 3.Lutheran 4.Old Believer 5.Baptist 6.Adventist 7. Jewish 8. Consider myself as a believer, but can not account to some confession 9. Non believer 10.Other 11. NA

How often do you read Bible? June, 2005 every day or almost every day seldom as one time through year few times every monthdo not read few times through yearNA 1)Total 2)Orthodox 3)Lutheran 4)Catholic 5)Consider myself as believer, but can not account to some confession 6)Non believer

We celebrate Easter by national traditions in our family March, 2006 completely agree rather agree rather disagree completely disagree NA

Processes in society will happen better, if Church will have more power February, 2006 completely agree rather agree rather disagree completely disagree NA agree disagree NA

The most confess sins by people in Latvia I March, Laziness 2.Anger, bate 3.Arrogance 4.Insatiability 5.Envy 6.Carnality, desire 7.Greediness, stinginess 8.No one from the list 9.NA

The most confess sins by people in Latvia II March, Laziness 2.Anger, bate 3.Arrogance 4.Insatiability 5.Envy 6.Carnality, desire 7.Greediness, stinginess 8.No one from the list 9.NA Christians other people in Latvia

Number of confessed sins by Latvian people 1.Laziness 2.Anger, bate 3.Arrogance 4.Insatiability 5.Envy 6.Carnality, desire 7.Greediness, stinginess Did not sins

Research on Readiness for RE, 2003 (Sabiedrisko pētījumu centrs - SKDS) parents= 616 and school administrators = % of parents and 32% of school administrators have a positive attitude toward the possibility to choose between Christian education and Ethics; 67% would choose Ethics; 23% -Christian education; 10% - no opinion.

Thank you!