The process of conversion in the context of Orthodox religiosity

The purpose of this article is a meaningful correlation of diff erent methodological approaches to the analysis of the process of religious conversion from the point of view of Orthodox confessional interpretative specifi cs. The semantic fi eld of the analysis includes important elements of the structure of conversion to Orthodoxy: the participants (subjects, agents) of conversion, motives of conversion, conversion practices, eff ects (results) of conversion, sub-eff ects of conversion, criteria (signs) of conversion. The convert, the social environment of the convert and the Orthodox preacher are considered as participants (subjects) of the appeal. The motives of the appeal are described: overcoming a diffi cult life situation, salvation from social disasters, getting out of a crisis psychological state. The emotional component of the conversion process is considered. The problem of multidirection, diversity and intensity of social infl uence on the treatment process is discussed. The subjects of conversion to Orthodoxy are described: participation in the church sacrament of baptism, repentance, free self-determination of a person to religious faith, participation in the church sacrament of confession, acquisition of religious faith. Special attention is paid to the analysis of conceptual provisions on the social factors of conversion to Orthodoxy. Among the main social factors of conversion to Orthodoxy, the following are considered: the religious and moral nature of the social environment, the degree of emotional and volitional infl uence of the social environment on the convert, the degree of consolidation of the social environment in the process of moral and religious infl uence on the convert. The parameters of conversion to Orthodoxy as a process are analyzed: awareness of conversion, speed of conversion, multiplicity, reversibility, depth of conversion. It is emphasized that the identifi ed and substantiated parameters of conversion to Orthodoxy are of scientifi c interest from the point of view of their verifi cation in sociological empirical studies.