Marina V. Vorobjova,
Director of Religious Studies Research Center "Ethna"
(St.-Petersburg, Russia)
E-mail: ethna@upelsinka.com

Title: The Problem of Perception of "Another" in the Religious World

Abstract: It is characteristic of an ethnic community in general and each person in particular to have not only a specific way of living, a psychological type, a geographical territory etc., but also an identity. Realization of one's unique position in various spheres (identification may be national, gender, cultural or religious) leaves an imprint on a human perception of the surrounding world. Religious beliefs — that being religious identity that views another human being through a prism of one's own religious worldview — play a major role in this. Superficial differences of "another" (language, customs, character and territory) shift to the background in a religious consciousness. "Another" has a worldview, different from my own - and this becomes of first-grade importance in religious world. Since religion touches deep foundations of human being the problem of perception of "another" in the religious world becomes sharper than in a secular one. This is exactly why the subject seems to be of extreme relevance in the context of intercultural relations.