Secular Nature Research Articles

Singing songs for a secular society? The elusive politics of cultural activism in contemporary Bangladesh

Abstract In Bangladesh, many secularists pursue their political goals through cultural activism. While committed to achieving a secular, progressive, and non-communal society, they often refrain from explicitly articulating their politics due to the sensitivity of their goals. Instead, cultural performances allow them to instantiate and embody a secular ethos with transformative potential, expressed through distinct cultural genres that become recognized as secular aesthetics. While activists consider culture to be a morally superior and ‘purer’ way to promote their political aims than party politics, which they perceive as ‘dirty’ and corrupt, cultural traditions are hardly neutral ground from which to enact secular aspirations. This article explores the ethical struggles that emerge from this position to illuminate what it means to act politically while trying to avoid politics, and why people might choose comparatively elusive forms of political engagement despite their strong commitment to a cause. Attending to less tangible forms of politics encourages us to rethink the role of political messages and visibility in social movements by highlighting the significant role, as well as contradictory implications, of aesthetics, embodiment, and gestures in political action. Conversely, the elusive politics of cultural activism underlines the need to go beyond analysing national discourses to understand the contested nature of secularism in Bangladesh.

Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie – Uniwersytetowi Jagiellońskiemu w 600. rocznicę założenia uczelni

On the occasion of the 660th foundation anniversary of the Academy of Krakow, which fell in 2023, the article takes a closer look at a theme that has not been explored in the academic literature, namely the contribution of the staff of Poland’s oldest national museum in Krakow to the celebrations marking the 600th anniversary of the academy in 1964 with an exhibition entitled Art in Krakow, 1350–1550. It was a monumental exhibition, which is worth recalling so as not to erase the traces of this initiative. The curator of the exhibition for the 600th foundation anniversary of the Jagiellonian University was Maria Kopff. In organising it, she worked with great dedication and devotion, and it was thanks to this exhibition that she gained great professional and moral authority in the museum community, and on many occasions her opinions influenced the most important museum issues in Poland. It was the exhibition that synchronised monuments of sacred art with monuments of a secular nature in a manner unprecedented in the Polish People’s Republic, all in an attempt to show the luxuriant development of Polish art from the 14th to the 16th century. Although the content of the exhibition was close to the so-called ‘historical policy’, exposing, among other things, the secular character of Cracovian art, it undoubtedly presented the enormous achievements of Polish national heritage.

Общественно-политические установки молодого поколения дагестанцев: через призму исламского вероучения (по результатам социологического опроса)

At the initial stage of the religious revival, the activity of confessional institutions was somewhat passive, but now it is being intensified, which is expressed in the expansion of the space of influence of religious figures, the orientation of the population to simultaneously receive religious and secular education, and the introduction of a large layer of the population with religious knowledge. The article puts forward the hypothesis about the increasing role of traditional faiths and religious institutions in the social processes of modern Russian society. Consequently, the study of the religious component, in this context of the Islamic factor, from the standpoint of forecasting and assessing its role in modern Dagestan society, acquires special significance, because it will allow us to outline the trajectory of development of state-confessional relations, develop effective religious policies and provisions that do not violate the secular nature of the state devices of Russia. The perception and assessment of Islamic teachings in the socio-political life of the republic by the younger generation of Dagestanis is analyzed. The analysis shows the dominance in the mass consciousness of Dagestan youth that the position on the state structure is based on Islamic teachings; the author assumes that the younger generation lacks the understanding of the essence and specifics of government based on Muslim postulates. The surveyed Dagestan youth are consistent in their positions and in resolving controversial issues in a variety of social spheres (economic activity, land dispute between owners, family conflict, domestic violence, etc.), according to the Sharia court, which has acquired greater authority in everyday life population of Dagestan. In the mass consciousness of the younger generation of the republic, there is a priority of Muslim teaching and the designation of its special status, which is a destructive phenomenon, because it can create religious intolerance and destabilize Dagestan society. The younger generation of Dagestanis associates the function of religious teaching in public life with the dissemination of the fundamentals of religion and religious morality, spiritual and moral education and charity.

The Rise of India's Second Republic

Abstract: At first glance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s narrow 2024 general election victory—a win only made possible thanks to the cooperation of alliance partners—suggests a return to a previous era of coalition government in India. While the ruling party may be weakened, the nature of the political order has fundamentally shifted in ways that will have a lasting impact on Indian democracy. India is witnessing the dawn of a "Second Republic," an inflection point that is equal in magnitude to the constitutional moment in 1950, when India's "First Republic" was established. Several elements of the Second Republic were visible prior to these elections, and the BJP's narrow victory has not dislodged them. The nature of electoral democracy, liberal constitutionalism, national identity, secularism, and federalism have all undergone significant transformations. Yet, true to India's nature, its new political settlement cannot be readily captured using simple binary distinctions.

Values of the Vth Republic in Recruitment for Teaching Positions in Public Elementary Schools in France.

In times of various types of crises that modern France is struggling with, the attention of those shaping the state's ideological policy focused primarily on the border between education and religion. The secular nature of education, inherent in the concept of the Republic as a space for the implementation of freedom, equality and fraternity, has become an arena for the clash of opposing discourses. The question about the place of the values of the Fifth Republic in the recruitment process of current and future early childhood education teachers in state schools touches on French educational policy, showing its philosophy and the praxeological dimension of its conceptualization.

STATE-CHURCH RELATIONS IN THE FIRST CZECHOSLOVAK REPUBLIC: SPECIFIC FEATURES OF LEGAL REGULATION

It is indicated that the relationship between the Church and the state went through various stages in its formation both in Ukraine and in the world as a whole. In addition, the state’s relations with religious organizations in various countries still have their own specifics. Models of these relationships are usually built depending on the political, religious, cultural and other traditions of each region. Therefore, today in Europe, despite the presence of a number of common trends, there is still no unity of approaches in building a system of state-church relations. It is quite obvious that in order to solve this problem, it is necessary to study the existing historical experience of Czechoslovakia. Regarding this, the confessional policy of the Czechoslovak state in the 20th century has a special value. Back in the interwar twentieth century (1918–1938), an attempt was made here to build such a model of the relationship between the state and religious organizations, which, on the one hand, provided for the secular nature of the state and the maximum limitation of the role of the church in public life, and on the other hand, the preservation of the main elements of the system of state -church relations that developed in Austria-Hungary. We can say that in a slightly modified form this model continued to exist in Czechoslovakia and in the second half of the 20th century. Even during the years of state atheism, the church here was not separated from the state. Thus, in the 20th century, Czechoslovakia accumulated rich experience in adapting traditional elements of the state church to new historical conditions. Based on the study of domestic and foreign sources, the article analyzes the legal regulation of state-church relations in the First Czechoslovak Republic. The study attempted to analyze the country’s relationship with the Vatican, which consisted primarily of the need to conclude a concordat agreement. The legal nature of Modus vivendi is analyzed. It was determined that the model of state-church relations in the first Czechoslovak Republic became an organic development of the model that existed in Austria-Hungary. It can be said that the process of equalizing the rights of all state-recognized denominations came to a certain logical conclusion in the first Czechoslovak Republic. At the same time, one of the fundamental principles of Austrian religious policy was preserved in the Czechoslovak Republic – the desire to limit the ties of local denominations with foreign administrative centers as much as possible.

Interaction of politics and religion as a factor in shaping the religious culture of Kyrgyzstan’s youth

Democracy and frequent changes of government in Kyrgyzstan contribute to the spread of various religious movements in the country. Social processes, political shifts and the spread of radical religious ideas among young people emphasize the relevance of this study. The purpose of this article is to assess the impact of Kyrgyzstan's religious policy on the religious consciousness of contemporary youth. The study used general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, generalization, historical and critical, comparative, dialectical, as well as empirical methods of surveys and questionnaires. The study showed that the religious policy of Kyrgyzstan is characterized by democracy and liberalism, based on the secular nature of the state. Kyrgyzstan is a multi-confessional country, with more than 30 religions. The vast majority of Kyrgyzstan's population are Sunni Muslims, and the second most common religious denomination is Orthodox Christianity. Since 1991, Kyrgyzstan has witnessed a process of Islamization, and non-traditional religious movements, both Islamic and other religious doctrines, have also penetrated and gained popularity in the country. The state's liberal policy in the field of religion facilitates the penetration of non-traditional religious organizations from abroad into Kyrgyzstan. Young people are particularly susceptible to new religious movements. This phenomenon can lead to the spread of radical religious ideas among the youth of Kyrgyzstan. In this regard, the state should pay closer attention to the policy in the field of religion. The practical value of the work is determined by the fact that its results can be useful in further research on this issue.

Peculiarities of state-church relations in the First Czechoslovak Republic

It is indicated that the relationship between the Church and the state went through various stages in its formation both in Ukraine and in the world as a whole. In addition, the state’s relations with religious organizations in various countries still have their own specifics. Models of these relationships are usually built depending on the political, religious, cultural and other traditions of each region. Therefore, today in Europe, despite the presence of a number of common trends, there is still no unity of approaches in building a system of state-church relations. It is quite obvious that in order to solve this problem, it is necessary to study the existing historical experience of Czechoslovakia. Regarding this, the confessional policy of the Czechoslovak state in the 20th century has a special value. Back in the interwar twentieth century (1918–1938), an attempt was made here to build such a model of the relationship between the state and religious organizations, which, on the one hand, provided for the secular nature of the state and the maximum limitation of the role of the church in public life, and on the other hand, the preservation of the main elements of the system of state-church relations that developed in Austria-Hungary. We can say that in a slightly modified form this model continued to exist in Czechoslovakia and in the second half of the 20th century. Even during the years of state atheism, the church here was not separated from the state. Thus, in the 20th century, Czechoslovakia accumulated rich experience in adapting traditional elements of the state church to new historical conditions. Based on the study of domestic and foreign sources, the article analyzes the legal regulation of state-church relations in the First Czechoslovak Republic. The study attempted to analyze the country’s relationship with the Vatican, which consisted primarily of the need to conclude a concordat agreement. The legal nature of Modus vivendi is analyzed. It was determined that the model of state-church relations in the first Czechoslovak Republic became an organic development of the model that existed in Austria-Hungary. It can be said that the process of equalizing the rights of all state-recognized denominations came to a certain logical conclusion in the first Czechoslovak Republic. At the same time, one of the fundamental principles of Austrian religious policy was preserved in the Czechoslovak Republic — the desire to limit the ties of local denominations with foreign administrative centers as much as possible.

Geodynamic setting of Proterozoic massif-type anorthosites in the Eastern Canadian Shield

Massif-type anorthosites occur worldwide and were predominantly formed during the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic Era, with an exceptionally large number emplaced in southeastern Laurentia, both within the Grenville Province and in the foreland of the Southeastern Churchill Province and North Atlantic Craton (Nain Province). Their secular nature infers that physical and chemical conditions necessary for their formation were optimized during that time period. A review of geochronological and ambient tectonic regimes that were operating during their emplacement suggests that they formed during four periods, ca. 1.65 Ga, ca. 1.45–1.30 Ga, ca. 1.16–1.14 Ga, and 1.08–1.01 Ga. The first two pulses overlap with continent–ocean convergence and subduction beneath the SE Laurentian margin. The last two pulses correlate with continent–continent collisional tectonics. We argue that higher mantle temperatures during the Proterozoic, as inferred in published models, were not sufficient, by themselves, to produce the necessary volume of basaltic underplate—a key factor in the generation of massif-type anorthosites—and that mantle re-fertilization through metasomatism and/or lateral accretion of oceanic lithosphere might have played a key role. High geothermal gradients acquired during the 2.0–1.2 Ga accretionary and continental arc phase may have helped sustain abnormally high temperatures during the 1.2–1.0 Ga collisional phase of the Grenville Province.

New secular holidays in modern Kazakh culture. Westernization of everyday life and transfor-mation of family rituals

The growing attention to processes related to the revival of Islam throughout Central Asia leaves in shadow some no less interesting tendencies associated with the westernization of the daily life. These processes have been recorded across the entire Central Asia but presently they manifest themselves to the greatest extent specifically in Kazakhstan, where interweaving of traditional elements of the East and the West created a remarkable distinctive culture of the 21st century. The voluntary or involuntary neglect of these processes undoubtedly leads to serious misrepresentation in our understanding of further routes of development of the traditional rites. Equally important is the fact that problems of Islamization itself undoubtedly appear more prominent when taking into account factors linked with the new ‘westernized daily routine’. In this regard, very interesting are the new secular rituals and festivities which appeared in modern Kazakh culture not long ago: gender reveal party, baby shower, tilashar (Kaz., literally ‘opening of the tongue’), constituting the subject of this research. This study employs methods of his-torico-cultural and ethnographic approaches, and it is based on fieldwork data obtained during the ethnographic studies in Western Kazakhstan in recent years and data from monitoring personal profiles of users of social networks and services. Gen-der reveal parties and baby shower celebrations are widespread in the entire world, and they are of a secular nature. The analysis of evidence from Kazakh culture shows an example of how modern Kazakhs attempt to fit the ‘westernized’ practices into the universal matrix of present-day Kazakh ritual activities based on three constituents: a repast with an indispensable na-tional dish of ‘meat in Kazakh style’, a symbolic exchange of presents between members of socially kindred group, and bata beru i.e. ‘best wishes from senior relatives’. This is also supported by the search for parallels in the rites, conventional synonymity of the new practices and established family rites. Thus, the secular celebrations of gender reveal and baby shower are acquiring a national colour. The culture is adapting the ‘westernized’ practice; copying of the original example and its re-interpretation at a new level is taking place. In contrast to family rites, the gender party and baby shower are not obligatory; following of such practices is rather a fashion of its kind — a response of the modern Kazakh young people to cultural globalization. The author is trying to find an answer to the ques-tion: why indeed the Kazakh culture is so readily accepting and adapting practices of this kind? The answer seems to lie in the specifics of the social organization of the Kazakh society, in the emergence of new channels for storing and broadcasting of information, and in the overall orientation of modern Kazakhstan towards globalization.

Tidal Disruption Events from the Combined Effects of Two-body Relaxation and the Eccentric Kozai–Lidov Mechanism

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) take place when a star ventures too close to a supermassive black hole (SMBH) and becomes ruptured. One of the leading proposed physical mechanisms often invoked in the literature involves weak two-body interactions experienced by the population of stars within the host SMBH’s sphere of influence, commonly referred to as two-body relaxation. This process can alter the angular momentum of stars at large distances and place them into nearly radial orbits, thus driving them to disruption. On the other hand, gravitational perturbations from an SMBH companion via the eccentric Kozai–Lidov (EKL) mechanism have also been proposed as a promising stellar disruption channel. Here we demonstrate that the combination of EKL and two-body relaxation in SMBH binaries is imperative for building a comprehensive picture of the rates of TDEs. Here we explore how the density profile of the surrounding stellar distribution and the binary orbital parameters of an SMBH companion influence the rate of TDEs. We show that this combined channel naturally produces disruptions at a rate that is consistent with observations and also naturally forms repeated TDEs, where a bound star is partially disrupted over multiple orbits. Recent observations show stars being disrupted in short-period orbits, which is challenging to explain when these mechanisms are considered independently. However, the diffusive effect of two-body relaxation, combined with the secular nature of the eccentricity excitations from EKL, is found to drive stars on short eccentric orbits at a much higher rate. Finally, we predict that rTDEs are more likely to take place in the presence of a steep stellar density distribution.

Ecumenism in modern Europe: adaptation to secular society

The ecumenism ideology is based on evangelical foundations and is aimed at achieving universal Christian unity. The historical differentiation of Christianity and the various circumstances of the church organizations development have caused the ecumenical movement internal heterogeneity. Each of the Christianity directions is guided by its own theological interpretation of ecumenism. Doctrinal agreement of these interpretations cannot be achieved. The political situation in the world and the situation of national churches within countries also hinder organizational unification. Therefore, ecumenical organizations, mainly the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches, develop dialogue and cooperation programs aimed at Eucharistic and liturgical communication between different Christian confessions believers, as well as joint social services of representatives of different churches. The ecumenical movement in the twentieth century developed almost synchronously with the deployment of large-scale secularization. The secular nature of modern European societies determines the priority of social activity over theological activity in the ecumenical movement. The dependence of international ecumenical organizations on current politics is also obvious - they currently follow the European Union governing bodies’ ideo-logical rhetoric. The current situation of the ecumenical movement cannot be called a crisis, rather, there is a transformation into a new state - going beyond intra-Christian cooperation and inclusion in an interreligious dialogue, as well as in a dialogue with non-religious institutions of modern society.

Neo-Byzantine traditions in the work of Helena-Maria Schramm – Boichukist artists from the Polish-Ukrainian border

The article is devoted to the work of a rather unknown Polish artist and a student of Mykhailo Boychuk of the Paris period, Helena Schramm. The works of the artist of a religious and secular nature, executed in the manner of Mykhailo Boychuk „neo-Byzantinism” in the technique of tempera and painting on glass, were known in the Polish artistic environment of the 1920s. However, with the death of the artist, her work was forgotten, and her memory was preserved in the family village of Olkhova on the Polish- Ukrainian border of the Carpathian region.

Огляд джерел до історії францисканських місій на Русі в ХІІІ – першій третині XV ст.

The purpose of the article is the historical and archeographic analysis of the main group of written sources for the study of Franciscan missions in Rus` in the 13th – the fi rst third of the 15th century. Th e research methodology involves the application of the principles of scientifi c objectivity and historicism, a civilizational approach and non-legalism, which made it possible to study the problem without ideological or religious bias. During the studies, general scientifi c methods were used: logical, structural, classifi cation, statistics, as well as special meth- ods of historical science: comparative, systematic, chronological. Th e scientifi c novelty consists in the source-scientifi c analysis of a group of written monuments in order to reproduce as fully as possible the missionary activity of the Order of Friars Minor (lat. Ordo Fratrum Minorum, hereinaft er – OFM), refl ected in the political, social, economic and cultural life of Rus` in the 13th – the fi rst third of the 15th centuries . Conclusions. Th e source base of the research consists of a complex of various types, mostly published documents, which will require a comprehensive critical analysis in the future. Th e main body of sources of the proposed topic are archival and published documents, conventionally divided into act and narrative. Most of the act materials were published in archeographic publications of the 18th – 21st centuries. Th ese are mainly documents of a church and secular nature, narratives of minorites and “non-minorites” origin. Among descriptive sources, numerous Franciscan annals, chronicles, geographical, biographical and hagiographical works should be singled out, on the pages of which information about Rus` came through the empirical experience of the authors or people close to them. A signifi cant number of sources from the 16th to the 17th century, which oft en leaned towards the “tradi- tion of the order,” should be critically examined. Despite the considerable number of diverse archeographical publications outlined in this source-based review, it is worth noting that similar studies on the history of Franciscan missionary work in Rus` of the 13th – the fi rst third of the 15th centuries. need constant heuristic attention and critical analysis, taking into account the well-known “traditions” and “legends” of the order.

Zionism and Political Theology

ABSTRACT This paper is an attempt to identify what is unique about the political theology of Zionism. It also explores what the consequences of this uniqueness might be, particularly with regard to future decolonization projects of Israel-Palestine. Dealing with the case of Zionism and Israel is interesting because it allows us – in fact, it forces us – to ask questions about the nature of modernity, liberalism, secularism, colonialism and nationalism writ large. Zionism itself combines many aspects of modern Europe, including nationalism, colonialism, religion, liberalism, and socialism; this raises the question of whether we can offer a critique of Zionism that is not also a critique of the modern Europe that invented all of these categories and practices. All these issues raise the question of how we are to judge Zionism. Can we offer a critique of Zionism that is not at the same time a critique of Europe?

SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS VALUES: EXPERIENCE OF CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES

This scientific article provides an overview and analysis of various models of interaction between religious and secular values in foreign countries. Three main models are analyzed: secularism, religious state, and mixed approach, based on detailed studies of examples from France, the United Kingdom, and Iran. To gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the role of religious and secular values in the society and culture of different countries, research by scholars such as Olivier Roy, Caroline Fourest, Nathan Olsen, Girayalp Karakuş, Linda Woodhead, and Gavin D’Costa is examined. The analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each model allows identifying diverse aspects of their implementation in socio-cultural and political contexts. Based on the comparison of different models and aspects of their implementation, the conclusion is drawn that there is a need to find a unique balance between respecting religious freedoms and ensuring the secular nature of the state for each country in accordance with its specificity and societal needs. An open dialogue, grounded in scientific research, can contribute to effective resolution of conflicts and the creation of optimal conditions for sustainable and harmonious societal development.

Educating for global citizenship in religious education: Islamic perspective

This conceptual article expands our knowledge on the meaning and practice of spiritual global citizenship by focusing on the civic and global purposes of Islamic religious education in western societies. It reviews the literature written (in English) on Islamic religious education and global citizenship education and proposes educational strategies for considering the moral, socio-political, and reflective aspects of Islamic global citizenship education (IGCE). This includes, for instance, the recognizing of the possible contribution of Islamic traditions to peaceful and dialogic living; the significance of contextualizing, historicizing, and rationalizing religious interpretations; the recognizing of diversity within Islam and larger societies; the significance of moral reasoning in democratic and pluralistic societies; and the deconstructing of discourses of Islamophobia and extremism at the global level. Muslim students at middle and high school levels are encouraged to develop their global and self-reflective identities. The current study challenges the writings on the secular nature of global citizenship, and it illuminates the possible implications of spiritual global citizenship from an Islamic perspective.

Błogosławiona Elżbieta Róża Czacka (1876-1961) – niewidoma Matka niewidomych

BLESSED ELŻBIETA RÓŻA CZACKA (1876-1961) – A BLIND MOTHER OF THE BLINDS Elżbieta Róża Czacka (1876-1961) was a member of a family with rich patriotic, social and charity traditions. After she lost her eyesight in her early youth, she devoted her life to work for the blind combined with a religious vocation. Officially, in 1911, thanks to her initiative, the Society for the Care of the Blind (TOnO) was established as the first organization that became the beginning of the so-called Opus of Laski. In 1915, she headed the congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross (Sorores Franciscanes Ancillae Crucis – FSK), which was the first female religious congregation created after Poland regained independence. This article aims to introduce the person of Mother Czacka, who, despite suffering and diseases, devoted her life to the implementation and development of typhlology in Poland. Recognition of her activities combining the religious and charity spheres was achieved by proclaiming her blessed to the Catholic Church in 2021. To show the topicality of the activities it promotes, the activities of TOnO, as one of the institutions established by it, were also presented.The works initiated by Róża Czacka can not be considered in isolation. Despite the secular nature of the TOnO board and the religious nature of the religious community, they were based on Christian care and Catholic principles of helping weaker people.

Релігійний чинник у внутрішній та зовнішній політиці Туреччини на початку XXI ст.: практики впливу та перспективи

The purpose of the article is to study the process of infl uence of the Islamic reli- gious factor on the domestic and foreign policy of modern Turkey. Th e methodological foun- dations of the study are the principles of historicism, objectivity, and systematicity, as well as various methods, among which the main one is the problem-chronological one. Th e methods of content analysis, expert evaluation, etc. were also used. Th e scientifi c novelty lies in an attempt to comprehensively study the Turkish model of Islamism and its impact on Turkey’s domestic and foreign policy in the early twenty-fi rst century. Conclusions. Today, the Turkish leadership is actively using the Islamic religious factor in both domestic and foreign policy. In particular, in domestic politics, Islam of the «Turkish model» is seen as a means of consolidation that will be able to unite representatives of diff erent confessional trends in the country. Th is is also facilitated by the secular nature of the Turkish state as defi ned by the country’s Constitution, which allows it to be a national mediator and not be drawn into interfaith disputes. All of this has allowed for the formation of a special type of «Turkish Islam», which is distinguished by its religious impar- tiality, moderation, and religious tolerance. In its foreign policy, Turkey’s leadership uses the Islamic religious factor to achieve its own geopolitical goals in the Middle East, aimed at turning Turkey into a regional leader. However, as the political practice has shown, Arab countries are not yet ready to recognize Turkey’s leader- ship as the only center of infl uence, due to the powerful religious positioning of Saudi Arabia and Iran. In addition, Turkey’s attempts to resolve the Sunni-Shiite confl ict on the basis of the neo-Ottomanism doctrine have not yet been successful.

Правовая охрана традиционных семейных ценностей российским законодательством: поиск основополагающей парадигмы

Introduction. The paper examines the issue of forming the legal definition of “traditional family values” and notes the unacceptable, in the author’s opinion, excessive clericalization of this process. The author believes that the traditional value recognized as the basis of the institution of the family protected by law is formulated not only in the theological sources, but, first of all, developed by law and philosophical views prevailing in society. Purpose. To prove the groundlessness of handing over the formation of conceptual approaches to the principles of family law to exclusively the spiritual institutions of society. Their role should be considered as important, but not the only one, but rather optional. Methods. The prevailing research methods used in the paper are the historical and logical methods that ensure the reproduction in the mental sphere of the complex process of formation and development of the principles of family law. Results. The author has investigated the problem of becoming and forming the concept of “traditional family values”, a new concept for Russian family law; at the same time the author argues the point of view about the secular nature of this concept. Conclusions. As a result of the study, a point of view is developed on the need for a multidimensional approach to the content analysis of the ethical and legal concept of “traditional family values”, while respecting the equal importance of all sources of humanitarian knowledge: spiritual dogmas, cultural traditions, and philosophical ideas and views.