Social Functions Of Orthodoxy In The Context Of The Formation And Development Of Collective Identity And Civil Society In Modern Russia

In the post-Soviet period, Orthodoxy became an important element of Russia's collective identity, therefore the religiosity of most Russians remains superficial, and religion does not play a significant role in their lives. Orthodoxy is so influential due to not only its dogmatic nature but also more because it is perceived as the basis of national culture, statehood and the source of moral authority. In the post-Soviet situation, the social functions of religion were more in demand than its spiritual-mystical meaning. As a result of the activity of the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Russian political elite, Orthodoxy is gradually politicized and becomes a part of the emerging eclectic civil religion that justifies the specifics of Russian society, the uniqueness of its historical development and political structure.