History-making part taken by Ivan the Terrible in centralizing the Russia nationhood (XVI century) on the grounds of doctrinal paradigm by the orthodox Сhristian church

The paper deals with the issue of specific importance for the country, the problem’ solving upon has drawn much attention in the reign of Ivan the Terrible (XVI cent.]. In shaping a single Russian statehood, reformation of the nationwide Russian Orthodox Christian Church mattered a lot, as well as its policy with regard to reforms carried on by the Tsar. Along with integration of Russian lands and building spiritual foundations of the nationhood supported by the Orthodox Christian Church, consolidation of the Russian statehood proceeded withits pace. In the middle of the XVI century the Church tended to prevent from the slightest departure from the Holy Writ’ wording while being guided by purely pragmatic concerns on ways to safeguard their authority. Confrontation between the power and the Church might have a pernicious effect on the destiny of the Russian culture, and this trend has to be overcome.