TOPOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF RELIGIOUS IDENTITY

The article presents an overview of the ideas of the authors developing a spatial (topological) approach to the analysis of religious identity. The authors point out the need to form a reliable theoretical and methodological basis for the selection of attributes of space, religious landscapes, directly or indirectly mediating the characteristics of the religious identity of the population. The purpose of the review material is to search for methodological grounds for a topographical analysis of the social space in which the religious identity of the population is being formed, and to identify the attributes of this space that are subject to operationalization, sociological survey and further mapping. The article presents an overview of the parameters of religious landscapes and institutional elements of space considered in the scientific literature, marking the religious identity of the population of communities. The issue of classification of new religions and modern forms of religious identity is indicated as a debatable one.