THE relationship between the Church and the government in Estonia remains strained, as the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOC-MP) refuses to sever its canonical links with the Russian Orthodox Church, despite mounting pressure from the government.
Following the lead of recent Ukrainian legislation that restricts religious organisations with ties to Moscow (News, 23 August and 30 August), the Estonian government is now considering similar legislation.
The Estonian Minister of the Interior, Lauri Läänemets, recently announced a new legislative measure that potentially could ban the EOC-MP from functioning in the country.
In a speech at the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, at the end of last month, Mr Läänemets said that legal changes were needed to stop religious organisations that presented a “threat to public or constitutional order in Estonia, support military aggression or call for war . . . terrorism or violent behaviour in any way”.
He has voiced concerns that the Church was making insufficient effort and dragging its heels in dissociating itself from Moscow.
“The Estonian State cannot accept a situation where, because of the affiliation of the Estonian Orthodox Church with the Moscow Patriarchate, dozens of churches and tens of thousands of Orthodox believers are forced to recognise a former KGB agent as their highest spiritual authority,” Mr Läänemets said.
Estonian society is split on the matter. In a recent survey by the consultants Kantar Emor, most of the Estonian respondents (59 per cent) agreed that the Church should terminate all relations with Moscow.
This sentiment was particularly strong among ethnic Estonians: 75 were in favour, while only 25 per cent of individuals among other nationalities agreed, 41 per cent disagreed, and 34 per cent were unable to respond.
The suggested amendments to the law are opposed by the EOC-MP. Bishop Daniel (Lepisk) of Tartu, an auxiliary bishop in the Church’s Tallinn diocese, said that the newest legislative proposals could undermine the principles of religious freedom. He also resisted the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church’s earlier proposal to grant his Church autonomous vicariate status, which would, in effect, unify the two Orthodox Churches.