Digital Transformation of the Russian Orthodox Church and Its Impact on Russian Domestic Policies

Maria Kolgushkina
School of Governance and Politics, MGIMO University

Anfisa Grigorenko
School of Governance and Politics, MGIMO University

Abstract

In the century of rapid technological development and rise of digital literacy, even the most conservative and traditional institutions have no choice but to adapt to the challenges of the era. Religious practices, usually associated with inability to accept new developments, are no exception.

The paper examines the nature of digitalization of religious sphere and its connection to political life within Russian Federation. The research specifically targets the development of digital media in Russian Orthodox Church that has been taking place since the fall of Soviet Union. Historically, Orthodoxy has been an important part of Russian state, and even with the persecution of religion in Soviet era religion still played an important role in formation of political and social life of the country. As of now, Russian Federation is a secular state, which, however, doesn’t mean that religion fails to contribute to the political aspect of peoples’ lives. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the connection between internal political processes of Russian Federation and the digitalization of Russian Orthodox Church, as well as to examine how exactly digital religion functions.

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