Features of the interaction of politics and religion in modern Russian society

Filina Nina Vladimirovna PhD in Politics Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, History, Economic Theory and Law, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Omsk State Agrarian University named after P.A.Stolypin" 644121, Russia, Omsk region, Omsk, Kalinina str., 12, sq. 74 permusik@rambler.ru Other publications by this author

Despite the constitutional principle of secularism ^{[3, pp.65-68]}, which proclaims the separation of the state from religion, there has been a close relationship between politics and religion throughout the history of the formation and development of the state. ^{[12, pp.47-49]} This is explained by the increased role of religious organizations in the implementation of social functions of the state, such as promoting a healthy lifestyle, helping people without a fixed place of residence, organizing rehabilitation centers for people suffering from addiction, participating in the protection of motherhood and other socio-political issues.  Today, none of the public spheres is complete without a religious factor. ^{[10, pp.151-154]} 

Corporate social responsibility is being actively introduced into the economic sphere and is successfully taking root. This responsibility is not only to the company's employees, but also to society. Corporate social responsibility today is the prospect of close cooperation between business and society in the form of charity events, construction of social infrastructure facilities, targeted assistance and much more. All these forms are the result of high culture, religiosity, tolerance of modern society. This can be seen as moral, moral principles that are closely related to religion. ^{[8, pp.43-45]} 

Thanks to the painstaking policy of the Russian Orthodox Church, its social service, family values are formed. ^{[11, pp.312-321]} Today it is fashionable to be married, the desire to live in a full-fledged family is a transformational process taking place in modern Russian society, not without the participation of religious organizations that actively opposed divorce and abortion.

There are shifts in the spiritual sphere. If we compare the 1990s, where we observed the loss of morality, morality, degradation, cruelty of Russian society, today 2018 is not coincidentally held under the auspices of volunteering. This is due to the desire of modern Russian society to share the good, to help those in need, to participate in social actions. It should be noted the high culture and modern youth who are very willing to participate in the volunteer movement. Young people also engage in dialogue with representatives of religious organizations, which testifies to the religiosity of modern youth. The issue of close cooperation and prospects of the relationship between the modern student environment and the Russian Orthodox Church is being considered at the level of the regional government. ^{[5, pp. 49-71]} School education was not left aside. The introduction of electives "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture and Secular Ethics" is gaining momentum. The education of tolerance through religious principles gives its positive shoots. Religious organizations and the Russian Orthodox Church put social service in the first place in their Charters. The Patriarch has repeatedly said at Bishops' councils that the church should be rebuilt, pointing to those areas in the interaction of a religious organization and an individual that need to be reformed. Through his personal authority and example, the Patriarch calls for the restructuring and adaptation of the modern religious organization to the needs of society. What is very important, these conversations and instructions do not pass without a trace. It should be noted that the number of parishes in the Russian Orthodox Church has increased. In the state register of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the period from 2003 to 2018, the number of registered religious organizations is increasing. ^[7] This can be seen from the diagram see Figure 1.

Figure 1 – Number of religious organizations registered

in the Russian Federation (according to the State Register)

The diagram shows a significant increase in religious organizations in Russia and these are only legally existing and registered organizations. Such a variety of religious organizations is typical not only for Russia, but also for the entire world community. Not a single person is left without the attention of the ministers of the church, and what is gratifying in families, we are increasingly hearing about confessors who are spiritual mentors of the family. The church formation of modern youth, the individual, the family, and society occurs through morality, morality, and religious norms.

The views of political scientists, clerics, believers and the public are focused on the spiritual sphere today. Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is being discussed in the media today. Despite the possible split and rupture of relations, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia calls for peace, harmony and is ready for dialogue. This situation shows that the world is very unstable, established relationships can collapse for centuries. Once again, the fact of close interaction between religion and politics is confirmed.

 In the political sphere, we observe close interaction of representatives of different faiths with the authorities. We believe that such interaction is permissible and necessary. The state today is a mechanism, an apparatus that is designed to serve society through the implementation of national policy. Representatives of religious denominations actively participate in the discussion of draft laws at meetings of the State Duma, interact with the head of state to resolve foreign policy issues. The close cooperation of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Government of the Russian Federation on issues of demography and migration is aimed at long-term cooperation. All foreign policy issues are not ignored by the Russian Orthodox Church. This includes national security, the Syrian issue, Crimea, and the war in Ukraine. The term "religious extremism" has become familiar in the life of modern Russian society. Representatives of pseudo-religious organizations are trying to undermine the authority of a religious organization or political structure. In our opinion, religious extremism is a consequence of the unstable situation in the world, perhaps this is the next stage of the redistribution of the world. The warring countries and their allies are trying to shake the world and undermine the authority of the authorities through religion. The increase in religious extremism can be explained by the political instability in the relations between Russia and Ukraine. ^{[9, pp.99-102]} The fact of Internet extremism is also confirmed by official materials of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. ^[1] On 20.04.2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation liquidated the Organization and 395 local religious organizations included in its structure, on 17.07.2017. The reason for the liquidation was the religious literature of extremist orientation imported by the Organization into the territory of the Russian Federation. The difficult situation is reflected in the interaction of politics and religion, which today needs an assessment of modern reality, support and protection, prevention of religious conflicts, extremism. Today we can observe a similar scenario of the development of relations in the religious environment between Constantinople, the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. What will this religious schism and disagreement lead to? There is an assumption that to incite a civil war on the territory of Ukraine.  And this will affect the socio-political situation in Russia. There is already an information struggle going on in the media. Having analyzed more than 1,500 websites, having studied opinions and views on the issue of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, it can be concluded that most of the Internet resources are blamed by the Ukrainian authorities and the Moscow Patriarchate. In our opinion, this is a soft influence on the formation of public opinion in the direction of a negative attitude towards Patriarch Kirill, who refuses to comment and accuse.  The results of the study are presented in Figure 2. I am glad that the Moscow Patriarchate has enough fortitude, moral and moral convictions not to engage in a skirmish, but to call for peace, harmony and common sense. Time will tell what this will lead to in modern conditions with freedom of speech.  But radical social groups are already clearly visible under the influence of foreign religious organizations or religious groups. According to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, control over religious organizations for legality, compliance with the Charter of religious organizations is carried out over registered ones. Unregistered religious groups are difficult to control. 

Figure 2 –Opinions and views of society on the issue of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (according to their own research)

Analyzing all of the above, we can conclude that religion has never moved away from politics, but has been and will be a faithful ally, support, spiritual principle, carrier of morality, morality in the economy, social sphere of foreign and domestic policy of the state. The main forms of interaction between religion and politics are realized through the formation of social norms and attitudes, which, under the influence of the religious factor, are transformed into an individual's worldview, behavior, and consciousness. This leads to the formation of life positions, lawful behavior, education of the younger generation in peacefulness and mutual respect.

The activity of clerics belonging to various confessions is aimed at the implementation of religious and national policy. They actively interact through the departments of external relations with state and political structures. The results of this work are peacemaking actions, anti-extremist propaganda, especially during social and national conflicts, the fight against corruption, assistance and support to civil society, regardless of religious affiliation, calling for peace, harmony, condemning violence. At the same time, there is an association of representatives of various faiths, in the defense of the nation, national history, tradition, culture.

The public opinion of representatives of religious denominations on the deformations observed in the socio-political sphere is also important. This includes crime in the authorities, new subcultures and movements inspired by the West. Representatives of all faiths urge believers only to the legal solution of controversial issues.

It should be noted that the interaction of religion and politics does not occur without preferences from the state, as scientists often note ^{[4, 6]}. As an example, the provision of material privileges, a certain patronage from the actors of power and much more can serve. We often observe the blessing of political leaders in socio-political, foreign policy initiatives.

Religion, religious organizations, and the feelings of believers are often a means of manipulation. The ongoing political games lead to the destabilization of modern Russian society, the shattering of peace and interfaith harmony ^[2].

In our opinion, the merging of politics and religion brings undoubtedly positive results on the one hand, on the other hand, there is a rethinking of the essence and significance of religion in the modern socio-political process.  There is a transition to new forms of work within religious organizations themselves, they become part of the political system of society, while losing their independence.

The peculiarity of the interaction of religion and politics is both the legal and contractual basis, which is implemented on the principles of multinational, poly-confessional tolerance, equality and religious freedom. In our opinion, these principles formed the basis of the national and regional policy of the modern Russian state and the policy pursued by religious organizations. Politics is a vector of promising interaction.