The role of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in spiritual and moral education of the citizens of modern Russia

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleРоль русской православной церкви в духовно-нравственном воспитании граждан современной России
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Asliturk, Miriam
5. lemma category Ethics - Ecumenism and dialogue > Education - Scientific theories and disciplines > Psychology-Psychoanalysis - Modes of interaction
6. Publication date 2012
7. lemma work Топольян, Артем Павлович [Author]. Роль русской православной церкви в духовно-нравственном воспитании граждан современной России
8. lemma manifestations НАУКА И ШКОЛА
9. Keywords Modernization - Sexuality - morality - ethics - Russian government - Russian Orthodox Church - family education - Russian education system - Youth
10. Url Click Here
11. Citations
    1. <p>Топольян, Артем Павлович & Старостин, Александр Михайлович (2012). Роль русской православной церкви в духовно-нравственном воспитании граждан современной России. <em>Наука и школа.</em> Retrieved from: <a href="http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/rol-russkoy-pravoslavnoy-tserkvi-v-duhovno-nravstvennom-vospitanii-grazhdan-sovremennoy-rossii">http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/rol-russkoy-pravoslavnoy-tserkvi-v-duhovno-nravstvennom-vospitanii-grazhdan-sovremennoy-rossii</a> </p> <div class="tab active"> </div> <p><br /><br /></p>
12. Lemma body

    1. The authors argue that today’s global economic crisis inspires interest in religion and traditional values globally. Russia is not an exception where the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) plays an important role as the state’s partner in creating conditions for the progress of the Russian society. Many ROC representatives take part in various civil organizations. The ROC has programs that, according to the authors, are sometimes more successful than the state ones such as helping large and poor families and fighting alcoholism and drug abuse. The ROC helps to develop measures to protect children’s sexual purity and systematically defends traditional family values. The ROC is categorically against the popularisation of ‘sexual deviations’, as authors put it. It is the ROC for example, that was the first to oppose the organization of gay parades in Russia and helps the state to resist such actions. According to the authors, the current Russian governmental measures of social support to families have positive dynamics. In their view, this is why the ROC should be even more involved in developing new policies concerning the well-being of Russian families. The authors state that although the ROC is aware of cases of corruption among the clergy, the overall positive role of the Church in Russia cannot be denied.

       The ROC also helps in developing civil society, especially in those areas where the state is not present. For example, priests provide psychological help to people who do not have a possibility to see a professional psychologist. Parishes help overcome the atomization and individualization of society. Remission of drug addicts is lower among those who got treatment at drug abuse centres organized by the ROC’s parishes. That is why the authors believe that the ROC should be more engaged in the education of children at schools and in afterschool teenage activities. A good example is the tradition of the ROC’s involvement in the education in Cossack regions of Russia. Moreover, the authors argue that Russians abroad face the problem of identity crisis and gradual assimilation in the host society if they are not engaged with the ROC.

       Topolyan and Starostin conclude by pointing out that in the sphere of education, the ROC and the Russian state should mainly focus on the coordination of efforts. This way it would be possible to create personalities with high ethical standards. The Church should concentrate on after-school children activities and the state should help this program with administrative measures, financially and most importantly, through the development of a legal base for such programs. The authors think that today Russian authorities are positive about such cooperation between the ROC and the state and that such collaboration will encourage Russian modernization.