The paper deals with the religious movements in Latvia.

What is it about?

The issue concerning the number of religious movements in Latvia is very complicated. The last population census, which included a question about an individual’s religion, took place in 1989. In turn, annual reports of the Ministry of Justice on activity of religious organisations in Latvia provide information about a very limited number of the new religious movements: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baha’i, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Sukyo Mahikari, Neopagans (Dievturi), Christian Science, ISKCON, and the Church of the Last Testament. Most of the new religious movements in Latvia have not been officially registered as religious organisations, but they function as social organisations, cultural associations, training centres, etc.

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Why is it important?

The religious environment of Latvia is still developing. The Communist regime, which undermined the traditional Latvian institutions of Christian confessions, created a favourable situation for development of post-Soviet religious market where Hindu-related groups have gained ground. Their exclusion from this market seems impossible, since the East, which is still first and foremost associated with India, is a strong source of religious and spiritual inspiration. Although teaching of Hinduism has been delivered in an extremely simplified and even deformed manner by adjusting Eastern religious ideas to the needs of Western people, Hindu-related groups have not created problems by their presence in Latvia. The esoteric movements in Latvia are primarily active in the education and medical sectors by offering various human transformation techniques and by making every effort to enhance the pursuit of the next step towards spiritual evolution of mankind.

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