Peculiarities of interaction between the state and the ROC in modern Russian society

The Russian Orthodox Church has been an integral institution of social development for many centuries. The history of the relationship between the State and the Church is very rich and, at different times, there have been a number of peculiarities. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the development of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the state received a new impetus, and today it is difficult to imagine the development of a large number of public institutions without the participation of the Church. In Russia there is a traditional relationship between the Church and the state, which has its own specificity. According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Church and the state relate to separate spheres of activity and cannot interact with each other in the areas of governance and politics. However, in Russia there is a tradition of recognizing religion as an important component of the country’s cultural heritage, as well as recognizing religious organizations as social institutions that have the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression. Church and state can interact within the framework of legislation, for example, in the field of charity, the protection of cultural heritage, religious propaganda and education. Nevertheless, any form of Church interference in political processes is prohibited by law. State support for religious organizations is also provided, including tax exemptions and the provision of land for the construction of churches and monasteries. In general, this support is based on general grounds and is not tied to the Church’s political influence on the state. Overall, the interaction between the Church and the State in Russia is characterized by the observance of the principle of separation of powers and respect for the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of speech. The paper attempts to examine the key features of the interaction between the State and the Church as a model of communication of the Russian Federation’s modern society.