Topic: The Geopolitics of the Russian Orthodox Church throughout its history
In this draft, I will present some of my general ideas regarding the final paper, which will moreover evolve into a more specific thesis. My main argument and topic will be regarding the Russian Orthodox Church and its history with a more explicit focus on its influence on the politics of contemporary Russia. I will try to investigate the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the politics, which according to my opinion is quite important and influential in political decisions, policies and strategies. The outline of the paper will trace back the origins of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Russia from the Kievan period, Mongol rule, to the Schism and Russian Revolution to postwar and modern days.
The relation of the Russian Church with the State is a dangerous but yet not broadly explored topic, especially in the Russian academia. Such controversy needs more attention as it explores the relation between religion and state in a world where the nation-state and not empire or faith are the principal foundations. The ongoing good relation between the Russian Church and the State is being used especially by President Vladimir Putin to help unify Russia and to project an unified and strong influential axis over other Orthodox Christian countries. This relationship has however not always been so generous and kind as during the Bolsheviks and contestation of religion from Lenin and the communists. I will attempt to look back at different periods of time in history thus to explore the different trend of relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian State.
It is a truism that president Putin has used his alliance with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow to extend Russian influence beyond Mother Russia. Politics therefore has become entangled itself with religion to affect different geopolitical stabilities. It is for these reasons that I decided to look deeper into this topic to assert certain trends and dangerous relations.
