Russian Orthodox Church opposes becoming state religion
July 19, 2011
A spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate has announced that the patriarchate would oppose efforts to name Russian Orthodoxy the state religion.
“We do not want [the Church] to become part of the state apparatus, state machinery, to assume secular functions,” said Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, who leads the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations.
The spokesman’s remarks followed a recent poll showing that 30% of Russians are in favor of Orthodoxy becoming the state religion.
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Posted by: Saint Jimbob of the Apokalypse -
Jul. 19, 2011 1:48 PM ET USA
That's very interesting, given the Russian church's support of government repression of Catholic missions and other christian sects. By using the government to keep foreign-born cleric from other churches out, Russian Orthodoxy is the de facto state religion.
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Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Jul. 19, 2011 10:07 AM ET USA
That's good news. The caesaropapism problem has been a problem in the Orthodox world from the beginning -- too cozy of a relationahip between church and state.
