Denomination, from the Latin confessio, means confession. Usually the term "confession" is applied to some direction within a particular religion. The interaction between religions and confessions constitutes interfaith relations.
The importance of interfaith relations in society
Interfaith relations are relations both between confessions (directions) and between communities of adherents of major world religions. In society, confessions are represented by ideology, clergy, groups of believers, as well as people who sympathize with them.
The religious affiliation of people in the past was an important factor in social life, and it remains so in the modern world. The stability of communities, which is characterized by a variety of confessions and ethnic groups, depends on interfaith relations. Harmony between confessions is a necessary condition for the preservation of peace and for their most comfortable existence. Indeed, in the course of a confrontation, one of the confessions often begins to dominate the country, and the special support for it by the state is undesirable for the rest.
Any contradictions between ethnic groups affect relations between confessions, and vice versa. This can sometimes lead to conflicts.
Peaceful coexistence of different confessions and the consent of social groups who consider themselves believers are two important factors for successful interaction. In fact, religions and denominations are usually quite autonomous and self-sufficient, so no direct interaction is required. What matters is the consent formally voiced in the state and society.
Quite often, in multi-ethnic countries, the population identifies their ethnic and confessional affiliation. This is because, as a rule, people "inherit" the religion and traditions of their parents. In Asian countries, Islam predominates, and the majority of Russian-speaking believers, according to statistics, classify themselves as Orthodox Christians. The reason is that historically religions have spread in certain areas, and geopolitics has played a role here. Often a particular religion or confession is preferred at the state level, even if it is considered secular.
To maintain peaceful and stable inter-confessional relations, the state recognizes the autonomy of each of the confessions, and also creates a single legal space for them.
The human factor in interfaith relations
One of the main problems and reasons for competitive interfaith relations is the conviction of adherents of each religious trend that their ideology and faith are the best. This creates grounds for the involvement of religion in interethnic and interstate conflicts. Then religion can be presented from a position of strength.
The state of interfaith relations depends not only on the ideology of different confessions, but also much more - on the intentions and attitude of politicians and the higher clergy, as well as on the level of development of believers of certain religions / confessions, their ability, without aggression and arrogance, to accept the right of each person to their own choice and ability to coexist peacefully.
