Russian youth ‘bored with propaganda’

Press, 3 August 1981, Page 4

Russian youth ‘bored with propaganda’

Russian youth is becoming bored with official Soviet propaganda, according to the head of the Russian department at an .American university.

Dr Dmitry Grigorieff lectures in Russian language and literature at Georgetown University and he is also Provost of the Russian National Cathedral in Washington DC.

He has been invited by the Christchurch Diocese of the Anglican Church to make a six-week lecture tour of New

Zealand. The diocese is interested in revitalising worship by drawing on a wide range of worship styles. _ Dr Grigorieff was born in England of Russian parents. Much of his vouth was spent in Latvia but in 1940. when Soviet forces occupied that country, he was taken to Australia. Later, with the help of friends, he settled in the United States. His wife was an immigrant to New Zealand in 1949. The couple met when she was on holiday in the United States in the 19605. Her father did much of the carving in the Russian Orthodox Church in Sydenham. Dr Grigorieff has made many trips to the Soviet Union, where more than 30 million people attend Orthodox Church services. “The official ideology of the State regards religion as out-lived." he said. "They say that religion is the opia’te of the people and that education will make it unnecessary. “After 60 years the zeal of' their propaganda has dulled. They are just running out of energy. “More and more people, in particular educated young people, are showing an interest in religion."

An interest in Russian literature or history inevitably led to the closely related topic of religion, said Dr Grigorieff. “The Church is the only officially tolerated organisation which preserves the historical and spiritual traditions of Russia." he said. Russian history offered its people an alternative to both a Communist government or a Western-style democracy. A nineteenth’century movement in north-western Russia had suggested a unique form of democracy based on community councils. "Problems were discussed in a lengthy way. rather as the Maoris did." said Dr Grigorieff. Western democracy was not the only form of democracy which could develop, he said. The Church's future depended on the whims of Soviet policy. At the moment it was viewed as a “partial ally." because its deeply rooted nationalism found favour with the State, he said. Dr Grigorieff described the situation as a "battle for Man’s soul between Marxist Leninism and the Church."