Socio-cultural and political aspects of transformation of the foundations of orthodox missionary work in Russian society

The study attempts to analyze the statutory documents regulating the missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries in the context of the socio-cultural and political changes taking place during this period. It is noted that changes in the statutory documents of the Russian Orthodox Church, regulating missionary activity, were introduced in the context of socio-political changes in the Russian state and formation of government-confessional policy. We have singled out three stages in the formation of the statutory framework for the missionary activity of the Russian Orthodox Church. We have analyzed the current state of missionary activity, its state regulation was determined at the end of the 20th century by implementation of a number of legislative acts. It is concluded that the missionary activity of Orthodoxy, in comparison with other confessions, is predominant, which is confirmed by the publication of various documents regulating missionary activity.