▁ ▁Relig ious ▁views ▁ ▁Sh af are v ich ▁ad her ed ▁to ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Christian ity ▁and ▁incorpor ated ▁the ▁ne o - Pl at onic ▁views ▁of ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox y ▁into ▁his ▁understanding ▁of ▁the ▁relation ▁of ▁mathematics ▁and ▁religion . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁talk ▁to ▁the ▁Gött ingen ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences ▁upon ▁receiving ▁a ▁prize , ▁Sh af are v ich ▁presented ▁his ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁mathematics ▁and ▁religion . ▁He ▁notes ▁the ▁multiple ▁discover ies ▁in ▁mathematics , ▁such ▁as ▁that ▁of ▁non - E uclidean ▁geometry ▁to ▁suggest ▁that ▁pure ▁mathematics ▁reflect s ▁an ▁objective ▁reality , ▁not ▁a ▁set ▁of ▁conventional ▁definitions ▁or ▁a ▁formal ism . ▁He ▁claimed ▁that ▁mathematics ' ▁growth ▁in ▁itself ▁is ▁not ▁directed ▁or ▁organ ic . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁unity ▁and ▁direction ▁mathematics ▁needs ▁a ▁goal . ▁This ▁goal ▁can ▁either ▁be ▁set ▁by ▁practical ▁applications ▁or ▁by ▁God ▁as ▁the ▁source ▁of ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁development . ▁Sh af are v ich ▁opt ed ▁for ▁the ▁latter , ▁as ▁pure ▁mathematics ▁is ▁not ▁in ▁itself ▁driven ▁by ▁practical ▁applications . ▁ ▁In ▁Russian ▁politics ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁con gress ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁All - Pe ople ' s ▁Union ▁head ed ▁by ▁Serge i ▁Bab ur in . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Salv ation