Legal Basics of Status of the Orthodox Church in Russia

The article is devoted to the history of relations between the state and the Church. In the history of the Church there are many dramatic pages: rivalry and open confrontation, the desire of the Church authorities to subdue the state power and the struggle of the state for a way out of the influence and control of the Church. Special attention is paid to the relations of secular and Church authorities, which permeate the histo-ry of many States. These relations served as the basis for the development of various philosophical theories, changes in social ideas about the functions of religious ideology. In recent years, the influence of the Church and religious norms and values on the life of society in post-socialist States has increased markedly.This is to some extent due to a significant change in living conditions and approach to religion as the most important unifying force and factor of spiritual and moral revival of Russia. It is shown that today in Russia there is a consolidation of religious denominations and freedom of religion is the highest value.