The Human-Rights Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church and its Patriarch Kirill I: A Critical Appraisal

Abstract

The debate on universality of human rights has acquired an inner-European dimension. On 6 April 2006, Tenth World Russian People's Council adopted Declaration of Human Rights. Declaration on Human Rights and Dignity. Formally, World Russian People's Council is an international non-governmental organization which has consultative status at UN (ECOSOC). Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow explains that the annual meetings bring together representatives of Russia's traditional religions, government and society but also representatives of Russian diaspora from all over world. One might ask, however, what exactly interest of representatives of Russia's other traditional religions would be to co-adopt Orthodox Declaration of Human Rights? It seems that, substantively, World Russian People's Council has been under influence of Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Keywords: human rights; Moscow; Orthodox Christianity; Patriarch Kirill I; Russia's traditional religions; Russian Orthodox Church (ROC)