Orthodoxy and Liberalism: Russian Experience of Compatibility and Dissonance

Abstract

Liberalism as ideology is incompatible with Christian Orthodoxy. But the founders of liberalism appealed to their reinterpreted Christian tradition, and in Christianity there were heterodox trends (Pelagianism, the concept of «dual truth»), which were not only compatible with liberalism, but also influenced the development of Christianity. In Russia, church liberalism appeared in the 19th century and then actively developed in the scientific and spiritual environment. The Renovationist movement associated with the Soviet regime discredited church liberalism in the eyes of the believers. The dominance of the conservative church tendency at the end of the 20th century was also facilitated by the long-term isolation of Russian Orthodoxy from theological discussions in the modern world. In addition, the “Soviet man” needed authority – the place of communism was taken by religion in its conservative version. The gradual departure of the «Soviet man» and the development of globalization diminish the role of Orthodoxy and may give a new impetus to church liberalism in Russia.