Non-traditional religious views among Moscow and Belgorod residents of different marital statuses
The article examines the relationship between the marital status of the population and their non‑traditional religious views and practices, using Moscow and the Belgorod region as case studies. The relevance of this sociological research stems from the transformation of social institutions in the context of globalisation and the growing popularity of non‑traditional religious and mystical movements – including in traditionally Orthodox regions of Russia. Studying this relationship helps to better understand the processes of cultural and religious transformation in society. The aim of this work is to study the characteristics of non‑traditional religiosity among populations with different marital statuses (the groups are: “not married”, “in a registered marriage”, and “in an unregistered marriage”) in two regions: the multi‑confessional metropolis of Moscow and the Belgorod region, where Orthodoxy dominates. The methodology is based on a comprehensive approach to operationalising the concept of “non‑traditional religiosity” through two components: the religious consciousness and cultic behaviour of respondents. In 2024, a questionnaire survey was conducted at the Institute of Social Demography of the Federal Research Sociological Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISD FNSC RAS) among the population (N=500 in Moscow, N=501 in the Belgorod region). The “in a registered marriage” group demonstrates the highest level of belief in God (85-97%) coupled with minimal interest in alternative beliefs (27-35 %), which confirms the role of institutional marriage as a guardian of traditional attitudes. Respondents in the “in an unregistered marriage” group show the greatest interest in non‑traditional religions: 69% in Moscow and 58% in the Belgorod region. In Moscow, the involvement of this group in non‑traditional cultic activities reaches 60%, which is 3.5 times higher than among those in an official marriage (17%). Although the motivation to turn to non‑traditional religions and mystical teachings varies by region, no correlation with marital status is observed. Empirical results of the sociological research show that marital status influences religious consciousness and cultic practice among non‑traditional believers: most respondents who are in an official marriage uphold traditional values, while those who prefer alternative forms of family relationships are more open to accepting non‑traditional religious and mystical teachings.
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Lyutenko, I. V. (2026), “Non-traditional religious views among Moscow and Belgorod residents of different marital statuses”, Research Result. Sociology and Management, 12 (3), 47-64. DOI: 10.18413/2408-9338-2026-12-3-0-4.
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