Representation of the Concept of FAITH/IMAN in Russian-language Religious (Islamic) Discourse

IntroductionThe history, culture and religion of an ethnic group are reflected in language, this fact justifies the need to study the essence of a religious linguistic personality and its reflection in language; to study the relationship between religious and linguistic consciousness of people.

Currently, there are several directions in linguistics to study the problem of the interaction of language and religion: conditionally functional – the study of the phenomenon as a religious style (Krysin L.P., Mechkovskaya N.B., Prokhvatilova O.A., etc.); the study of religious language in the sociolinguistic aspect as a sociolect, a religious dialect (Bugaeva I.V., Mironova N.K. et al.); the study of the language of religion in discursive, linguoculturological and cognitive-semantic aspects [Karasik, 2018; Bobyreva, 2007; Berendeeva, 2017; Buevich, 2016; Galieva, 2019]. Many European scholars have also written about the benefits of the interaction of theology and linguistics and the need for linguistic research of sacred biblical texts [Wagner, 1999]. Relatively recently, a new interdisciplinary field of knowledge has emerged – theolinguistics, "exploring the manifestations of religion that have become entrenched and reflected in language" [Gadomsky, URL].

It should be noted that the main research available in science is carried out in line with the specifics of the Christian (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant) religious sphere. Initially, the close ties between Islam and the Russian language were investigated by scientists in connection with the study of the vocabulary of religious (Islamic) topics, primarily borrowed from the Arabic language. [Alexandrova, 2014; Bakhtiyarova, Fatkullina, 2015; Ragozina, 2017; Mohammed Abd Ali Hussein Al Kazzaz, 2017]. The study of the Russian Islamic sociolect is connected with the work of M. Kemper and A. Bstanov [M. Kemper, A. Bustanov, 2015], in which the authors consider the problem of the Russian Islamic sociolect, which, according to them, serves the emerging all-Russian Islamic discourse. A specific aspect of the consideration of Russian-language Islamic discourse as a tool of rhetorical influence is presented [Knysh, 2012]. The actualization of lexemes with religious (Islamic) meaning in lexical systems of various languages, including Russian, and the large-scale activity of texts of this subject in various genres put forward new promising directions of interdisciplinary research for linguists [Magomedova, Alivalieva, 2021].

The scientific relevance of research in the field of cognitive linguistics and linguoculturology is evidenced by numerous modern studies on the material of various languages, including Dagestani [Gasanova, M., Magomedova, P., Gasanova, S., 2016].

The main purpose of this study is to understand the linguistic and cultural concept of FAITH/IMAN in the Russian-speaking Islamic discourse of Dagestanis.

The work was carried out in line with the understanding of the linguocultural concept as a quantum of experienced knowledge having conceptual, figurative and value dimensions" [Karasik, 2018]

MethodologySince the subject of the study is particularly complex and multifaceted, a number of interdisciplinary methods and techniques are used in the study, including hermeneutic and partially phenomenological methods in analyzing the content of religious texts, linguoculturological (conceptual) analysis is used as the main method.

Linguistic comprehension of the concepts of FAITH and given as an equivalent of IMAN was carried out with verification of religious meanings existing in the ethnic consciousness of Dagestanis (based on linguistic data).

Discussion and resultsFAITH, acting as a key component of any religious picture of the world, is among the basic linguistic and cultural concepts, refers to "cognitively unique concepts", whose representatives can still be translated into other languages, since they correspond to certain universal cultural categories of the genus homo sapiens, but at the same time at the conceptual level contain a number of unique meanings and a specific value workload [Radbil, 2019, p. 24].

By "cognitive uniqueness", we understand: the articulateness of the conceptual space, the semantic scope of the concept, the particularity of its representatives and cultural elaboration [Vezhbitskaya, 1999, pp. 27-30]. The concept under consideration detects all the indicated parameters.

The concept of FAITH in the scientific literature is represented by many definitions, one of them is given by S.S. Averintsev: "a worldview position and at the same time a psychological attitude, including, firstly, the acceptance of certain statements (dogmas) <...> and the determination to adhere to these dogmas, despite all doubts (assessed as "temptation"); secondly, personal trust in God as the organizer of the believer's life, his guide, helper and savior in all specific situations, sending suffering and making difficult demands for the good of the believer himself; thirdly, personal loyalty to God, to whose service the believer gives himself" [Averintsev, 2001, p. 54].

We are interested in identifying the linguistic means of representing the concept of FAITH, describing its content and functioning in the space of Russian-speaking Islamic discourse. The data of various lexicographic sources, paremiological reference books, linguistic and cultural dictionary, Quranic text, religious Russian-language literature, content of Islamic websites and forums served as the material for the analysis.

The appeal to lexicographic sources allowed to reveal the semantic potential of the lexeme vera in the Russian language and compare it with the paradigm of lexico-semantic variants of the lexeme iman.According to the Large Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian language by A.S. Kuznetsov [Kuznetsov, 1998]:

Faith -s; f. 1. in whom-what. Firm conviction, deep confidence in whom-than-L. V. in the future. V. in goodness, in justice ... // The belief in the existence of something-L. V. in God. V. in miracles. V. in immortality.

2. with opr. Razg. Religious teaching, religion; religion. Christian, Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim V. A person of a different faith. Convert someone. in your faith (also: make your like-minded person).

3. Razg. Trust. To leave the faith (to lose the trust of someone). To take, to take on faith something (to trust without requiring proof). You have no faith!

? Faithfully and truly; faithfully, in zn. adverb. Razg. Honestly, faithfully. To serve faithfully.

Iman[Arabic. - "to believe"] – in Islam: the words of faith are confession with the tongue and recognition with the heart for the truth of what has been revealed by the Almighty and what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah brings [Komlev, URL].

A comparative analysis of the semantics of the presented lexemes suggests the presence of vera1, vera2 and vera3, while vera1 and vera3 are used in the mundane (everyday) sphere, vera2 – in the religious sphere. The lexeme iman has only semantic potential, covering the religious picture of world perception, which indicates its similar semantic intention. The use of the concept of the "duet" FAITH/ IMAN for explication implies a restriction only to the religious sphere of the use of these lexemes.

As you know, the language of Islam in Russia is the Russian language. But at the same time, the specifics of religious discourse is the prescription of communication with God in Arabic, endowed with the status of sacred. Although internal prayer and appeals to Allah by a Russian Muslim can be carried out in their native language, and official appeals by representatives of the Council of Muftis of the Russian Federation, Spiritual administrations of multilingual regions – in Russian. Consequently, it can be concluded that the Islamic discourse in Russia is multilingual [Hasanova, Murtazalieva, 2021, p. 556].

At the same time, negative stereotypes about Muslims exist in Russian discursive practices. Back in 1997, the Russian Islamic scholar L.R. Syukiyayen wrote that "a biased attitude towards Islam prevails in the public consciousness, distorting its true values and history" [Syukiyayen, 1997, p. 41], that Islam is perceived as "a primitive, past-turned teaching justifying blind fanaticism, intolerance and narrow-mindedness" [Ibid same: p.3]. Researchers have repeatedly noted the conflict potential of the semantics of derivatives of the word Islam, as well as the fact that a large number of contexts of the use of this lexeme are sources of a negative image of Islam [Ragozina, 2017, p.112].

Today, religion continues to actively penetrate into public life, its desire to influence the political sphere as well. What researchers have called a "religious renaissance", manifested in the inclusion of the discourse in question in the sphere of mass communication. Religious vocabulary has significantly expanded the Russian-language discourse serving the Islamic way of life. It is successfully assimilated and consolidated in the Russian language, which is associated with the active spread and strengthening of the Islamic faith in Russia. Errors in the use of religious concepts associated with linguistic and cognitive lacunae are not uncommon. As, for example, the use of the word prayer (s) to designate a room for prayer (prayer), when this lexeme nominates a concept related to the reality of Christianity.

Prayer service – (at Christ.) A short divine service (about health, well-being or laudatory) [Ozhegov, Shvedova, 1992].

The specified token has a marked sema "short divine service (Christ.)", therefore, the prayer room can be the place /room where this procedure is carried out, and not the room where Muslims perform their prayer. These concepts relate to different religious worldviews and cannot be interchanged.

Borrowed religious terms describe realities that are absent in most cases in the Russian language picture of the world, so a significant part functions in the form of cripples. They are in the process of adaptation, which affects the variability of their spelling and pronunciation. For example: avrat/aurat, tayammam/tayammum /tayamum, rakaat/rakat, sabr/sabur, etc.

Of particular interest are the neoplasms arising from Arabisms in colloquial speech, testifying to the influence and inclusion of religion in the everyday life of Dagestanis: imanist (from iman) – a believer who observes all religious precepts; urazist (from Uraza "fasting") – a person holding a fast, i.e. fasting; iftarit – formed from Arabism "iftar" - "conversation, an evening meal during fasting (Eid) in the month of Ramadan", during which it is customary to invite guests to conversations. Therefore, in colloquial speech, people going to open their post on a visit began to be half–jokingly called iftarities (consonant with and associated with the word "authority"), which was beaten in the Dagestan advertising of the Pavonia cafe chain with the slogan "Chicken from Pavonia - the choice of iftarity", i.e. the catering advertising offered to come to talk to them in the institution [https://www.instagram.com/paulownia_cafe ]. Of interest are the verbal neoplasms iftarit (from iftar) and suhurit (from suhur – "pre-dawn meal"), which are widely used in the colloquial speech of Dagestanis and in social networks.

The use of the combinations "collective iftar", "Ramadan tent", etc. indicates the expansion of the meaning of these borrowings and the broad involvement of lexemes in the processes of semantic derivation.

Some of the existing religious concepts can be fully translated into Russian. Some researchers even urge not to artificially introduce Arabic forms into the Russian text [Useinova, 2013]. This can be attributed to the concept of FAITH that we are considering, which is actively duplicated by the Arabism of IMAN.

In Russian-language Islamic literature, the tradition of representing the concept of FAITH by borrowing iman [Arabic. – "to believe"] – in Islam – "Iman (faith) is the recognition of the heart [of the truth of Allah and his Prophet], witnessing it with the tongue and fulfilling the precepts of religion [with the body]" [Al-Ghazali, 2011, p.528]

According to the Islamic creed, the foundations of religion are Iman (faith), Islam (Sharia), Ihsan (sincerity in worship), which are directly or indirectly mentioned in the verses of the Quran and in the Sunnah of the Prophet.

The Iman (faith) of Muslims consists of six obligatory components – pillars:

1.                 Faith in Allah, i.e. a deep conviction that there is nothing worthy of worship except one God – Allah;

2.                 Faith in the angels of Allah;

3.                 Faith in the Books of Allah, the Holy Scriptures revealed by the Almighty;

4.                 Faith in the Prophets of Allah;

5.                 Belief in the Day of Judgment;

6.                 Belief in the predestination of fate, that everything good and bad happens by the will of Allah.

If a Muslim does not recognize at least one of these pillars, then his faith is considered invalid [Fundamentals ..., 2009, p.23] Whoever clearly does not recognize faith is an unbeliever – kafir/kafir, and whoever does not believe with his heart is a hypocrite/munafik.

"Iman is faith as the central concept of religion (din). In addition, FAITH is the main element of the legal system. There are three degrees of faith: 1) verbal recognition (external FAITH); 2) deep, inner heartfelt acceptance of faith in Allah and the Prophet and 3) the exact fulfillment of all prescriptions" [FES, 198, p.213].

In religious discourse, such a concept is represented by the frequent use of the substantive faithful. The concept of FAITH is often actualized through the opposition "one's own – someone else's", for religious texts such an opposition is very characteristic: one's own, i.e. orthodox, someone else's – infidel, gentile, gyaur, kafir. Cf. Tabasaran proverb, in which such a symbolically significant opposition is realized: Jaradarin malayikkt I an zhvuvan sheit I an bagadi vu "Better your own devil than someone else's prophet."   

The conceptual field of FAITH in monotheistic religions is formed primarily by such a central concept as God, in Islam – Allah. Faith in the Creator is a key moral guideline of a person, protecting him from everything bad and vicious. Consequently, unbelief, godlessness is regarded as the gravest and greatest sin: There is no sin worse than godlessness. Allah and His slaves exist in any country [Kukhareva, 2015, p.29]. The most worthy of you before Allah are the pious. There is no more beautiful clothing for a person than piety [Kukhareva, 2015, p. 30].

Suliman Eltayeb Elzein Eltayeb in "The Russian conceptual field of FAITH (against the background of the Arab-Muslim linguoculture)" calls sworn assurances as one of the main differences in the understanding of faith in Christian and Muslim linguocultures. If such oaths as "I swear by my life", "I swear by my mother's health", etc. are quite used by a Christian, then in Islam they are prohibited, "since only the Almighty can swear by His creations, and therefore no Muslim can swear by anything other than Allah, since He is his Creator. Allah swears by His creatures: the stars, the sun, the moon, etc. A Muslim swears only by Allah" [Suliman, 2013, p. 19].

One of the ten Christian commandments says "Do not take the name of the Lord in vain," but in Islam, on the contrary, the constant mention of the name of Allah is approved. There is a group of religious "cliches" for every life situation: at any undertaking, Bismillah is said "In the Name of God"; Ma sha aLlah – as a manifestation of the emotion of joy, gratitude, praise to the Almighty; Alhamdulillah– corresponds to the Russian "Glory to God"; Inshallah means "if Allah wills". A Muslim must add it when he speaks about his intentions, the expression corresponds to the Russian "as God willing", "with God's help", etc.

The concept sphere of the concept of FAITH/IMAN includes moral qualities that strengthen it and support the good character of a religious person. This patience, tolerance are the essential character traits of a true believer, which consists in following beliefs, in resisting temptations, weaknesses and adversities:

"... Indeed, their reward will be given to the patient in full without counting." [Kuliyev, 2019, surah 39, verse 10].

It is easier to resist the forbidden Allah than his punishment. Patience is half of faith, and gratitude is the other half. The Lord is with the patient. Paradise is reserved for the patient. The best gift that a person is gifted with is patience. Patience is a virtue. The Lord is with the patient [Kukhareva, 2015, pp.48-49].

Truthfulness and honesty are mandatory qualities of a religious person, which is confirmed by surahs, hadiths and paroemias: 9. O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the truthful. [Kuliyev, 2019, surah 9, ayat 119]. Verily, truthfulness leads to piety, and, verily, piety leads to paradise [Kukhareva, 2015, p.74]. It would be better for them to be sincere before Allah [Kuliyev, 2019, surah 47, ayat 21]. O son of Adam! Your faith will not be right until your tongue is truthful, and your tongue will not be truthful until you are ashamed of your Lord [https://islamdag.ru/verouchenie/23281 ].

Al-Ghazali, revealing the essence of truthfulness, identified six meanings:

"You know that the expression "sydk" (truthfulness) is used in the following senses: truthfulness in speech (words), truthfulness in intentions and aspirations, truthfulness in determination, truthfulness in execution, truthfulness in actions and truthfulness in search of the steps of Religion. [Al-Ghazali, 2011, pp. 375-376]. Numerous hadiths, based on Quranic statements, are devoted to the question of truthfulness and falsehood: "Verily, truthfulness leads to piety, and, verily, piety leads to paradise, and a person will speak the truth until he is recorded before Allah the most truthful. As for falsehood, it leads to sinfulness, and, indeed, sinfulness leads to fire, and a person will lie until he is recorded before Allah as a notorious liar" [Sahih al-Bukhari, 2002, p. 341].

Courage, strength (faith gives strength and confidence): Whoever does not fight evil, creates it himself. Accordingly, cowardice and weakness are blamed: The death of a coward will come from above [from God] [Kukhareva, 2015, p. 41,45].

Good neighborliness is considered as one of the manifestations of faith and the performance of good deeds prescribed by religion: "Let the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day not harm his neighbor, and let the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day show respect to his guest, and let the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day say good or be silent [Sahih al-Bukhari, 2002, p.336-337].

Hospitality is a sacred duty of a Muslim. It is believed that the guest is the Messenger of Allah, so even if the enemy asks for shelter, he must receive it: A guest from Allah. A guest from the All-merciful. Though with a sword, but a guest [Kukhareva, 2015, pp.60-61].

Hospitality is also associated with such important qualities of a believer as generosity and generosity: A generous and generous person has a hospitable home. Generosity is the veil of the prophet. A person endowed with them can be forgiven for other shortcomings: Generosity covers any shortcoming. Avarice, forming an opposition to the concept of Generosity, is one of the most reprehensible vices in the religious picture of the world: A miser is an enemy of Allah. The miser eats himself. A miser reveals vices and hardens hearts [Kukhareva, 2015, pp.57-68].

Thus, the power of faith lies not only in the beliefs and individual moral qualities of a person, but also in his thoughts, actions and deeds: The depth of faith is confirmed by the deed [Kukhareva, 2015, p.28]. For every offense and misdeed, you will have to answer: "O son of Adam! I have created hellfire for every unbeliever, gossip, for disobedient to his parents, hypocrite, for not paying zakat from his property, for adulterer, usurer who uses intoxicants (hamr), for oppressing orphans, for a hired worker who cheats, for mourners, for anyone who harms neighbors, except those who repented and believed..." [https://islamdag.ru/verouchenie/23281 ]

Islam, like other confessional cultures, has an eschatological orientation. Death is inevitable and therefore requires humility and submission. Social status and wealth lose importance in front of her. Paremias focus on a philosophical attitude to death and concern for one's spiritual immortality:

I do good to meet him in the grave, i.e., a true Muslim should do good, not counting on a quick reward, should be content with the understanding that he will be rewarded for his good deeds after death.

"Half or a piece of a date can cause salvation from the fire of Hell"[an-Nawawi, cit. by https://islam.ru/content/veroeshenie/43534 ], i.e. a Muslim should do the right thing and do good, even if he is straitened in circumstances, and a small boon will be rewarded.

You should go to heaven, but hellfire is in your hand, so they say about insincere people who do good deeds for show and their intentions are not pure and noble.

Death has come for you, who left prayer [Kukhareva, 2015, p.25] – a five-fold prayer is one of the pillars of faith, punishment awaits those who do not observe. This paremiological image is used, as a rule, in a situation of deserved punishment. Let's compare with the Russian Those who move away from God perish.

At the same time, death for the sake of high religious ideals – Death in the name of Allah redeems everything except debt – is approved only after the completion of earthly affairs, settlements with debts, etc. Let's compare it with Russian, do everyday things, and remember death! Death knows no lack of time. The concept of FAITH/IMAN is found in the semantic interpretations of the concept of fear: "... spiritual wealth — true knowledge, right faith, love for Allah, fear of Him and hope for Him and other wonderful qualities — go only to the beloved servants of God" [Quran al-Saadi, 2012, Surah 2, verse 212].

"Know that every thing has its own beauty, and the beauty of worship is the fear of Allah." [Abdulaev, 2016, p.164].

God–fearing and good morals are a profitable business. Anyone who does not fear Allah is a fool. Whoever does not fear Allah, fear him. Who was afraid, he was saved [Kukhareva, 2015, p. 43].

The concept of FAITH/IMAN is associated with such ethnospecific moral concepts of the Dagestan linguistic picture of the world as yakh I/yag, namus (conscience, honor), which often actualize the religious code of culture:

Avar paremias Bihinchiyasul Yahi guroni, Zhuzhakhialul Tsietsa buhIulareb jo Gyechiebila "The only thing that does not burn in hellfire is the honor of a man." Zhuzhakhialul Tsyetsagi buhIulareb zhoyila Yahi "Even in the fire of hell, conscience does not burn," confirm what has been said.

Let's compare with the Lezgian paremia Small to I valin meshrb ya, namus – insandin "Property is the decoration of the house, honor and dignity are the adornment of a person"; Tsakhurskaya – Yaig deshye, imanid ihes desh "If there is no dignity, then there is no faith". Lak paremias confirm: Yah I bakun sharssa x I aran, shar dakun kyapa x I aran. Mi tsaragu dakanan, shala duniyal x I aran. "It's a sin for an unscrupulous person to get married. It's a sin for an unmarried man to wear a hat. To one who does not possess any of them, the whole world is a sin." Duniyallul yah I gu, gyattal azawgu tsar tsassar "Conscience on earth and torment in the grave are proportionate." The Archin benevolence of Lovu ts I ulleika, buva-diyamai bargya, iman-Islam ittut ka, sokh I bulher ittut ka "Let the child be healthy, so that the father and mother raise together, let it grow with Iman and Islam, let it become kind and useful [for people]" is addressed to the newborn.

In the general Dagestan linguistic consciousness, an integral part of a strong iman/faith of a Muslim, as a manifestation of piety, is a good disposition, which is ordered to be observed according to the prescriptions of religion. In the linguoculture of Dagestanis, the phrase t1abig1at bertsinli "good disposition" integrates the meaning of religious-sacred and ordinary (a pious person => well-behaved). The corresponding state of affairs is represented through stable formulas of benevolence and paremias: iman bugev vuk1aigi l'imer "with true faith will be born (about a newborn)", iman-yahya bugev ros schvaigi "with faith-conscience will send the groom", iman schuliyab kye Bet1ergyan "O Almighty, give me strong faith", etc.

The permissibility of using in the Avar language "constructions such as the lexeme iman bugev chi in the meaning of "pious, believing person" and in parallel in the meaning of "honest, decent person", which is also recorded by dictionaries, speaks of folk stereotypes of thinking embodied in the language" [Magomedova, Sabulaev, 2021, p.388].

The wide representation of paremias of religious origin and religiously labeled proverbs expressing mythological and religious ideas of a particular ethnic group is due to the "axiological value and significance" of the Scriptures and religious cult for modern man [Galieva, 2019, p. 499]

The religious code of Dagestan culture also reveals ancient religious and mystical ideas of a pagan nature. For example, the mention in the Lak proverb of the Hall – the supreme god of the pagan pantheon: Bagyana zalunnal lyakayssar, ajal zannal bulayssar "The owners find a reason, but death gives the Hall." This deity was previously perceived as the master of all things, whose location was considered to be the sky, and the highest points were chosen as the place of appeal to him: mountain peaks as the closest to the sky. They turned to him in all difficult life situations with requests and spells for help, they could also ask for punishment for the offender. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods or lightning strikes were perceived as an expression of his anger. Now the Hall is perceived and used as a synonym for Allah. Until now, the Laks have kept their oaths: Yaluvssa Zannain khan! "I swear by the Hall above us!", Hall dakIninu tIii hurrah "With the Hall in my soul I say" [Seferbekov, 2009, pp.165-166]. Each Dagestan nation had its own name of such a pagan god, preserved until now in folklore ritual practices: the thunderer deity Umchar among the Tabasarans, Alpan among the Lezgins, CIoba among the Avars, etc.

As we can see, Dagestan religious discourse and its key concepts are specific and interesting, including their syncretic character, in which the canons and moral and ethical norms of Islam were synthesized with pre-monotheistic beliefs.

Conclusion (Conclusions)The analysis of the value component of the concept of FAITH/IMAN in the Dagestan linguistic and cultural space has revealed key dominants that have absorbed ideas about the qualities of a true believer, which generally correspond to universal moral ideals, which allows in everyday consciousness, in the naive picture of the world, "religious, believer" is often identified with the concept of "moral".

In Russian, the word "faith" has many meanings, including beliefs not only of a religious nature: you can believe in God and you can believe in a person, in yourself, in a happy future, etc. The semantics of Arabism Iman reflects precisely the religious aspect, actualizing the concepts of absolute conviction in the truth of faith in Allah as the only deity.

The linguistic representatives of the studied conceptual sphere, represented in the sacred texts of the holy Quran and the Bible, in the parodies of the people, in artistic, journalistic and scientific texts, as well as in the oral colloquial speech of native speakers.

Understanding the phenomenon of FAITH / IMAN from the point of view of its representation in linguoculture and the subsequent description, in our opinion, is advisable to carry out in line with the interdisciplinary science – theolinguistics, using the entire arsenal of methods and techniques of theology and philology.

Insofar as the undertaken research has a pronounced interdisciplinary character and combines advanced developments in the field of text theory and discourse, cognitive linguistics, linguoculturology, the depth and scale of the new knowledge analyzed and potentially deduced within the framework of the topic will contribute to the development of advanced areas of modern Islamic theolinguistics.

An attempt to verify the idea of the beliefs contained in the concept of FAITH/IMANSMANS as value dominates existing in the ethnic consciousness of Dagestanis (through these languages) in the context of a religious and proverbial picture of the world turned out to be quite effective.

In the future, it is necessary to expand the subject of the study, to establish communicative-pragmatic, sociolinguistic and cognitive-semantic mechanisms for the implementation of theological (Islamic) thought and a discursive study of the modeling of religious communication. Of particular interest is the direction associated with the interpretation and translation of theological texts into Russian.