Spiritual Security, the Spiritual Security, the Russian Orthodox Russian Orthodox

Church, and the Russian Church, and the Russian Foreign MinistryForeign Ministry

Collaboration or Co-optation?Collaboration or Co-optation?

Sergei Lavrov – head of RFMSergei Lavrov – head of RFM

““It is impossible to It is impossible to overestimate the overestimate the contribution of the contribution of the Primate of the Primate of the Church to Church to strengthening the strengthening the positions of our positions of our Fatherland in the Fatherland in the world and enhancing world and enhancing the international the international prestige of Russia”prestige of Russia”

2007 Act of Canonical Union 2007 Act of Canonical Union with ROCORwith ROCOR

First and foremost, the First and foremost, the signing of the 2007 signing of the 2007 Act of Canonical Act of Canonical Communion of the Communion of the Moscow Patriarchate Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian and the Russian Orthodox Church Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Outside of Russia signaled “a new stage signaled “a new stage in the [RFM’s] efforts in the [RFM’s] efforts to consolidate the to consolidate the Russian world.”Russian world.”

Alexey IIAlexey II During the reign of During the reign of

Alexey II, especially Alexey II, especially during the Putin during the Putin administration, the ROC administration, the ROC expanded its role, expanded its role, uniting its mission with uniting its mission with that of the RFM to that of the RFM to secure the rights or secure the rights or “spiritual security” of “spiritual security” of the Russian diaspora as the Russian diaspora as well as to reacquire well as to reacquire property that had property that had formerly belonged to formerly belonged to the Russian Empire and the Russian Empire and had been lost during the had been lost during the Communist period.Communist period.

Greater RussiaGreater Russia Furthermore, the Furthermore, the

church by church by collaborating with collaborating with the RFM has the RFM has signaled that the signaled that the church is indeed church is indeed united with the united with the state in promoting a state in promoting a greater Russia greater Russia through the spread through the spread of Russian Orthodox of Russian Orthodox Christianity.Christianity.

Spiritual SecuritySpiritual Security

2000 National Security Concept stated:2000 National Security Concept stated:– Assurance of the Russian Federation’s national Assurance of the Russian Federation’s national

security also includes protecting the cultural security also includes protecting the cultural and spiritual-moral legacy and the historical and spiritual-moral legacy and the historical traditions and standards of public life, and traditions and standards of public life, and preserving the cultural heritage of all Russia’s preserving the cultural heritage of all Russia’s peoples. There must be a state policy to peoples. There must be a state policy to maintain the population’s spiritual and moral maintain the population’s spiritual and moral welfare, prohibit the use of airtime to promote welfare, prohibit the use of airtime to promote violence or base instincts, and counter the violence or base instincts, and counter the adverse impact of foreign religious adverse impact of foreign religious organizations and missionaries.organizations and missionaries.

1997 Law on Freedom of 1997 Law on Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Conscience and on Religious

AssociationsAssociations

Brought to an end the brief period of Brought to an end the brief period of religious freedom that Russia religious freedom that Russia experienced following the 1990 law experienced following the 1990 law on Freedom of Worshipon Freedom of Worship

Then Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Then Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad in 1996 stated:Kaliningrad in 1996 stated:– Once the 1990 law allowed for freedom of conscience, Once the 1990 law allowed for freedom of conscience,

“hordes of missionaries dashed in, believing the former “hordes of missionaries dashed in, believing the former Soviet Union to be a vast missionary territory.”Soviet Union to be a vast missionary territory.”

– Instead of aiding the ROC, these proselytizing groups Instead of aiding the ROC, these proselytizing groups worked against the church “like boxers in a ring with worked against the church “like boxers in a ring with their pumped-up muscles, delivering blows.”their pumped-up muscles, delivering blows.”

– The blows were against the “people’s national and The blows were against the “people’s national and religious sentiments” leading to a state where for many religious sentiments” leading to a state where for many Russians, “non-Orthodox means those who have come Russians, “non-Orthodox means those who have come to destroy the spiritual unity of the people and the to destroy the spiritual unity of the people and the Orthodox faith – spiritual colonizers who by fair means or Orthodox faith – spiritual colonizers who by fair means or foul try to tear the people away from their church.”foul try to tear the people away from their church.”

Additionally, the idea arose that Additionally, the idea arose that these foreign missionaries were these foreign missionaries were actually covert foreign intelligence actually covert foreign intelligence workers, gathering information about workers, gathering information about “Russian policies and strategic “Russian policies and strategic activities.”activities.”

2000 National Security 2000 National Security ConceptConcept

In order to emphasize the spiritual In order to emphasize the spiritual danger facing Russia, Putin “drew a danger facing Russia, Putin “drew a tight connection between religion, tight connection between religion, culture and nationality and stressed culture and nationality and stressed its central role in Russian culture and its central role in Russian culture and social order.”social order.”

Other religions were seen as being Other religions were seen as being threats to the ROC and as such to the threats to the ROC and as such to the nation itself.nation itself.

Example of the Salvation Army.Example of the Salvation Army.

Alexey II and LubyankaAlexey II and Lubyanka March 2002, Alexey II March 2002, Alexey II

consecrated a church consecrated a church at the Lubyanka at the Lubyanka headquarters of the headquarters of the Federal Security Federal Security Agency, which is the Agency, which is the successor to the KGB.successor to the KGB.

““The ceremony The ceremony focused on the need focused on the need for concerted actions for concerted actions aimed at combating aimed at combating the current threats the current threats posed to Russia’s posed to Russia’s ‘spiritual security’ as ‘spiritual security’ as the Patriarch put it.”the Patriarch put it.”

Russian Civil SocietyRussian Civil Society

This spiritual security, then, serves This spiritual security, then, serves as the basis for protecting and as the basis for protecting and uniting the Russian Orthodox people uniting the Russian Orthodox people against threats to its spiritual and against threats to its spiritual and cultural well-being, especially by cultural well-being, especially by limiting the amount of freedom limiting the amount of freedom experienced in the civil society itself.experienced in the civil society itself.

Spiritual Security and the Spiritual Security and the DiasporaDiaspora

2007 Act of Canonical Communion 2007 Act of Canonical Communion between the ROC and ROCORbetween the ROC and ROCOR– Idea of a super-church uniting a Idea of a super-church uniting a

superpower around the globe was used superpower around the globe was used as one of the bases for reunificationas one of the bases for reunification

– 2003 Putin met with Met. Laurus in NYC 2003 Putin met with Met. Laurus in NYC to discuss reunification with ROCto discuss reunification with ROC

– 2007 Reunification occurred between 2007 Reunification occurred between the churchesthe churches

Super-church for a Super-church for a Superpower?Superpower?

Yuri Zarakhovich for Yuri Zarakhovich for TimeTime stated: stated:– Putin’s aim was for the take over of Putin’s aim was for the take over of

ROCOR by the Moscow Patriarchate in ROCOR by the Moscow Patriarchate in order to “launch a new globalized order to “launch a new globalized Church as his state’s main ideological Church as his state’s main ideological arm and a vital foreign policy arm and a vital foreign policy instrument.”instrument.”

Putin commented on the reunion of Putin commented on the reunion of ROCOR with the ROC as a part of the ROCOR with the ROC as a part of the spiritual security of the Russian nation, spiritual security of the Russian nation, “equat[ing] Russia’s ‘traditional “equat[ing] Russia’s ‘traditional confessions’ to its nuclear shield, both confessions’ to its nuclear shield, both … being ‘components that strengthen … being ‘components that strengthen Russian statehood’ and create Russian statehood’ and create necessary preconditions for internal necessary preconditions for internal and external security of the country.”and external security of the country.”

Spiritual Security and the Spiritual Security and the DiasporaDiaspora

Link Russians abroad to the Link Russians abroad to the Motherland through the ROCMotherland through the ROC

ROC and RFM work together to defend ROC and RFM work together to defend the rights of Russians abroadthe rights of Russians abroad

RFM helps with the spiritual needs of RFM helps with the spiritual needs of Russians living abroadRussians living abroad

RFM helps with building new churches RFM helps with building new churches and reacquiring lost propertyand reacquiring lost property

Struggle for Church Property in Struggle for Church Property in Western EuropeWestern Europe

1931 Met. Evlogii of Paris came under 1931 Met. Evlogii of Paris came under the authority of the Ecumenical the authority of the Ecumenical PatriarchatePatriarchate

All properties belonging to the Russian All properties belonging to the Russian Church in Western Europe had been Church in Western Europe had been liquidated by Patriarch Tikhon in 1922liquidated by Patriarch Tikhon in 1922

These properties came under the These properties came under the authority of the Western Exarchate authority of the Western Exarchate under Constantinopleunder Constantinople

Issue of Church PropertyIssue of Church Property Pat. Kirill insists that Pat. Kirill insists that

the properties do not the properties do not belong to the ROC but belong to the ROC but to the Russian state, to the Russian state, since it was the state since it was the state that built these edifices that built these edifices and then relinquished and then relinquished them.them.

Several court cases Several court cases have arisen in Western have arisen in Western Europe over whether Europe over whether these churches belong these churches belong to the Western to the Western Exarchate and to Exarchate and to Constantinople or to Constantinople or to Russia or the ROC.Russia or the ROC.

Issue of Canonical TerritoryIssue of Canonical Territory

2003 Alexey II issued communique to the 2003 Alexey II issued communique to the hierarchs of Russian tradition calling for hierarchs of Russian tradition calling for reunion with the Mother church.reunion with the Mother church.

Similar communiques and attempts at Similar communiques and attempts at reunion had been called in 1975 and 1976 reunion had been called in 1975 and 1976 under the Soviet Unionunder the Soviet Union

Was Alexey concerned about the Was Alexey concerned about the expansion of the canonical territory of the expansion of the canonical territory of the ROC since it had been reduced following ROC since it had been reduced following the downfall of the Soviet Union?the downfall of the Soviet Union?

Canonical TerritoryCanonical Territory

Canonical Territory refers to the Canonical Territory refers to the jurisdictional authority that a church jurisdictional authority that a church has in a particular area.has in a particular area.

For instance the canonical territory of For instance the canonical territory of the Metropolis of Denver is the Rocky the Metropolis of Denver is the Rocky Mountain states and the Great Plains Mountain states and the Great Plains of of

2006 Diocese of Sourozh conflict with 2006 Diocese of Sourozh conflict with Bishop Basil of Sergievo (Amphipolis)Bishop Basil of Sergievo (Amphipolis)

Canonical TerritoryCanonical Territory

The ROC has changed the idea of The ROC has changed the idea of canonical territory to be the canonical territory to be the territories where Russians live territories where Russians live throughout the worldthroughout the world

This idea both expands the concept This idea both expands the concept and creates conflict for the other and creates conflict for the other Orthodox communions who are now Orthodox communions who are now threatened by the expansion of the threatened by the expansion of the ROCROC

Orthodox Canon LawOrthodox Canon Law

The ROC expansion of the concept of The ROC expansion of the concept of canonical territory to a transnational canonical territory to a transnational concept violates Orthodox canon lawconcept violates Orthodox canon law

There can only be one church in one localeThere can only be one church in one locale Yes, the diaspora violates this concept Yes, the diaspora violates this concept

already, but now the ROC is causing more already, but now the ROC is causing more difficulties in the diasporadifficulties in the diaspora

It also promotes phyletism and goes It also promotes phyletism and goes against the universal and catholic nature against the universal and catholic nature of the church in each localeof the church in each locale

Where has the ROC Where has the ROC expanded?expanded?

Pyongyang, Havana, Pyongyang, Havana, Beijing, Hong Kong, Beijing, Hong Kong, Angola, Mar del Plata, Angola, Mar del Plata, Quito, Caracas, Rome, Quito, Caracas, Rome, Singapore with other Singapore with other expansions plannedexpansions planned

Challenges the EP as Challenges the EP as the voice of world the voice of world OrthodoxyOrthodoxy

Creates overlapping Creates overlapping jurisdiction with the EPjurisdiction with the EP