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

2. 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

3. Ethnic groups in Latvia in 2006. 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

4. Number of Schools 1990/911995/962000/012001/022002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/09 No. Schls. 96210941074106610521044102610171008992982 No. Pupils 352 450347 541359 818351 989340 308327 358315 633298 516279 872263 944249 446

6. 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%)

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%)

8. 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

9. 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 252 302305 301 Roman Catholic 187 247251 250 Orthodox 89 114118 119 Baptist 61 8792 95 Pentecostal 7 8148 49 Old Believers 65 6667 69 Adventists 28 4650 51 Evangelicals -...33 40 New Generation - 1615 National paganism - 1311 Methodists - 1013 New Apostolic - 11 Jehovah Witnesses - 1013 14 Vishnavites - 1011 Augsburg Confession Lutheran - 910 9 Jewish 4 713 Islam - 614 16 Buddhists - 34 4 Mormon - 34 4 other - 1737 43 Total 693105811201138

10. 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%)

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. The most confess sins by people in Latvia I March, 2009 1.Laziness 2.Anger, bate 3.Arrogance 4.Insatiability 5.Envy 6.Carnality, desire 7.Greediness, stinginess 8.No one from the list 9.NA

16. The most confess sins by people in Latvia II March, 2009 1.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

17. 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

18. Research on Readiness for RE, 2003 (Sabiedrisko pētījumu centrs - SKDS) parents= 616 and school administrators = 303 57% 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.

19. Thank you!