Russian Orthodoxy, Russian nationalism, and Patriarch Aleksii II

This paper was first presented at the Association for the Study of Nationalities 2005 World Convention at Columbia University, New York City. The author is grateful to Beth M. Admiraal and Tanya Dunlop for their comments on the earlier drafts of this work.

Notes

This paper was first presented at the Association for the Study of Nationalities 2005 World Convention at Columbia University, New York City. The author is grateful to Beth M. Admiraal and Tanya Dunlop for their comments on the earlier drafts of this work.

1. Hereafter the terms ‘Russian Orthodox Church’ and ‘Orthodox Church’ are used interchangeably to refer to the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). There are other Russian Orthodox churches registered in Russia: the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church; Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia; True Orthodox Church; Russian Orthodox Free Church; and Old Believers' churches. Of these, the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is the only jurisdiction recognised by the Eastern Orthodox leader, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.

2. See the table in Kimmo Kääriäinen and Dmitri Furman, “Religiosity in Russia in the 1990s,” in Matti Kotiranta, ed., Religious Transition in Russia (Helsinki: Kikimora, 2000), p. 60.

3. Mikhail Tul'skii, “Vakhkhabity v Rossii pobezhdaiut umerennykh musul'man?” Nezavisimaia gazeta, 19 June 2001, p. 8.

4. See, for example, Aleksandr Komozin, “100 vedushchikh politikov Rossii v mae,” Nezavisimaia gazeta, 10 June 2001, p. 11.

5. See, for example, statements by this broad range of commentators: James H. Billington, Russia in Search of Itself (Washington D.C. Woodrow Wilson Center Press; Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004), p. xv; Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, cited in Elena Tsivileva, “Vosstanovlenie sviatyni zaversheno,” Nezavisimaia gazeta, 6 October 2000, p. 2; Irina A. Papkov, “The Resurgence of Russian Orthodoxy and Its Implications for Russian Democracy,” in Christopher Marsh, ed., Burden or Blessing: Russian Orthodoxy and the Construction of Civil Society and Democracy (Boston: Institute of Religion, Culture and World Affairs, Boston University, 2004), p. 38; Nicolai N. Petro, “The Orthodox Are Coming!” New Europe Review, Vol. 2, No.1, 2005, pp. 11–13; Julia Sudo, “Russian Nationalist Orthodox Theology: A New Trend in the Political Life of Russia,” Political Theology, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2005, p. 67; and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sluzhba kommunikatsii OVTsS MP, “Prezident Rossii V.V.Putin vruchil gosudarstvennye nagrady sviashchennosluzhiteliam,” (16 January 2002), <http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru/nr101161.htm>(accessed 24 March 2005).

6. Billington, Russia in Search of Itself, pp. 67–68.

7. Some strands of neo-paganism and Eurasianism are notable exceptions to this general rule.

8. Aleksandr Verkhovsky, “The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Nationalist, Xenophobic and Antiwestern Tendencies in Russia Today: Not Nationalism, but Fundamentalism,” Religion, State and Society, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2002, p. 334.

9. “Vashi proroki—nashi proroki,” in Rech; patriarkha Aleksiia II k ravvinam g. N'iu Iorka 13 noiabria 1991 goda i eres' zhidovstvuiushchikh (USA: Pallada, 1992), pp. 8–11.

10. Alla Snegina and Evgenii Strel'chik, “Gde pliaska, tam i diavol,” Segodnia, 6 October 1999, p. 6.

11. K. Dushenov et al., “Molim Vas—Prislushaites'!” Sovetskaia Rossiia, 18 February 1993, p. 3.

12. Oxana Antic, “Revival of Orthodox Brotherhoods in Russia,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Research Report, Vol. 1, No. 11, 1992, p. 62.

13. Dimitry V. Pospielovsky, “The Russian Orthodox Church in the Postcommunist CIS,” in Michael Bourdeaux, ed., The Politics of Religion in Russia and the New States of Eurasia (New York and London: M. E. Sharpe, 1995), p. 62.

14. The other instance was when Patriarch Aleksii II stated that the introduction of individual tax numbers should not concern believers despite fears that it would impose the number of the Antichrist (666) on them. Stella Rock, “‘Militant Piety’: Fundamentalist Tendencies in the Russian Orthodox Brotherhood Movement,” Religion in Eastern Europe, Vol. 22, No. 3, 2002, p. 7.

15. The other chief contender, Metropolitan Filaret, has since established a rival Orthodox jurisdiction, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate). For an overview of Patriarch Aleksii II's activities in international ecumenical organisations, see DECR Communications Service, “Aleksii II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia: A Biographical Note,” <http://www.mospat.ru/text/e_holiness/id/178.html>(accessed 25 March 2005).

16. Mitropolit Ioann, “‘Ia ne politik, Ia—pastyr’,” Sovetskaia Rossiia, 11 June 1993, p. 3. For discussion of the authorship of Ioann's articles, see Dimitry V. Pospielovsky, The Orthodox Church in the History of Russia (Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1998), p. 373, and Wendy Slater, “A Modern-Day Saint? Metropolitan Ioann and the Postsoviet Russian Orthodox Church,” Religion, State and Society, Vol. 28, No. 4, 2000, p. 317.

17. Ioann, “Bitvy za Rossiiu',” Sovetskaia Rossiia, 20 February 1993, pp. 1, 4. For further discussion of “target oppressors” for extreme nationalists, see Julia Sudo, “Russian Nationalist Orthodox Theology: A New Trend in the Political Life of Russia,” Political Theology, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2005, pp. 76–79.

18. “Redaktsiiu posetil, metropolit Ioann,” Sovetskaia rossiia, 11 June 1993, p. 3.

19. Redaktsiia gazety Sovetskaia Rossiia, “Pamiati mudrogo druga,” Sovetskaia Rossiia, 4 November 1995, p. 3

20. Julie A. Corwin, “Group Claims Responsibility for US Embassy Shooting,” RFE/RL Newsline, 31 March 1999.

21. Billington, Russia in Search of Itself, p. 86.

22. John B. Dunlop, “The Russian Orthodox Church as an ‘Empire-Saving’ Institution,” in Michael Bourdeaux, ed., The Politics of Religion in Russia and the New States of Eurasia (New York and London: M.E. Sharpe, 1995), p. 34.

23. Pospielovsky, “The Russian Orthodox Church in the Postcommunist CIS,” p. 72, n. 47.

24. For further discussion of liberal clergy and laity in the Orthodox Church see Zoe Knox, Russian Society and the Orthodox Church: Religion in Russia after Communism (London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2005), pp. 91–99.

25. Maksim Shevchenko, “Kochetkova budut obsuzhdat' po-tserkovnomu (14 March 2001),” Nezavisimaia gazeta Online, <http://www.religion.ng.ru/printed/pravoslav/2001-03-14/4_kochetkov.html>(accessed 15 March 2001). There was also controversy surrounding the attempts of conservative Orthodox media to influence the Commission, particularly on Orthodox internet sites such as <strana.ru>, <vesti.ru>and <pravoslavie.ru>.

26. For the Commission's full report see Komissii, “Reziume zakliucheniia komissii po Bogoslovskim izyskaniiam sviashchennika Georgiia Kochetkova (15 November 2000),” Nezavisimaia gazeta online, <http://religion.ng.ru/pravoslav/2001-03-28/4_kochetkov.html>(accessed 4 April 2001).

27. Dmitry V. Pospielovsky, The Orthodox Church in the History of Russia (Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1998), p. 390.

28. Dasha Demourova, “Father Alexander Men: An Unorthodox Priest,” Russian Life, Vol. 48, No. 1, 2005, p. 16. Extreme nationalists also rail against Men' because of his Jewish origins.

29. Cited in Aleksandr Soldatov, “Nesydimyi za predatel'stvo (pamiati o. Dimitriia Dudko),” Moskovskie novosti, No. 24, 2004, <http://www.mn.ru/issue.php?2004-24-30>(accessed 25 March 2005).

30. For analysis of the law's provisions and its implications for religious pluralism see Knox, Russian Society and the Orthodox Church, pp. 2–4; 167–172. For the full text see Rossiiskaia Federatsiia Federal'nyi zakon, “O svobode sovesti i o religioznykh ob'edineniiakh,” Rossiiskaia gazeta, 1 October 1997, pp. 2–3.

31. Brian Murphy, “Russian Patriarch: Vatican Must Renounce Eastern Expansion to Clear Way for Pope,” Associated Press, 11 January 2005, <http://www.stetson.edu/∼psteeves/relnews/0501b.html #08>(accessed 31 January 2005). This opposition is driven by concerns over the growth of Eastern Rite Catholic churches in Ukraine and Catholic proselytism in traditionally Orthodox areas.

32. DECR Communications Service, “The Russian Orthodox Church Today,” <http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru/today_eng.htm>(accessed 8 February 2001).

33. Alexander Verkhovsky, “Who Is the Enemy Now? Islamophobia and Antisemitism among Russian Orthodox Nationalists before and after September 11,” Patterns of Prejudice, Vol. 38, No. 2, 2004, pp. 128–129.

34. See Pospielovsky, “The Russian Orthodox Church in the Postcommunist CIS,” p. 74, n. 63.

35. Sluzhba kommunikatsii OVTsS MP, “Sviateishii Patriarkh Aleksii vstretilcia s gruppoi radiozhurnalistov dlia traditsionnoi zapisi Rozhdestvenskogo poslaniia i otvetil na ikh voprosy,” <http://www.mospat.ru/text/news/id/8359.html>(accessed 1 January 2005).

36. The Ukrainian branch of the Union of Orthodox Brotherhoods opposed Viktor Yushchenko's candidacy in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential elections, warning that his election would be a victory for anti-Orthodox forces and result in Catholic expansionism in Ukraine.

37. This point is make in Billington, Russia in Search of Itself, p. 52

38. Ziuganov also referred to the KPRF's “respect” for Orthodoxy, the need to protect the Church from foreign interlopers, and Orthodoxy and the Russian Idea. O. Nikolsky. “The Path of Goodness and Righteousness (Pravda Rossii, 5 October 1995, p.2),” Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press, Vol. 97, No. 41, 1995, pp. 4–5. The interview was first printed in Pravoslavnaia Moskva (OrthodoxMoscow).

39. Reuters, “Putin Lauds Church Role as Patriarch Marks 10 Years,” Johnson's Russia List (#4359). [Email bulletin], 9 June 2000.

40. Cited in Beth M. Admiraal, “Failing Freedom: Parties, Elites and the Uncertainty of Religious Life in Russia,” in Christopher Marsh, ed., Burden or Blessing: Russian Orthodoxy and the Construction of Civil Society and Democracy (Boston: Institute of Religion, Culture and World Affairs, Boston University, 2004), p. 18.

41. Pospielovsky, The Orthodox Church in the History of Russia, pp. 376–377.

42. Verkhovsky, “The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church,” p. 333.