Russia’s Modernization: The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church

On October 21, 2011, Professor Nicolai N. Petro gave a speech on “Russia’s Modernization: The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church” in the framework of the international roundtable “The New Presidential Elections in Russia and the Challenges of Modernization”. The conference was held in Forlì, in Garzanti Hall, its traditional venue at the Hotel della Città.
Prof. Petro’s speech focused on the modernization program of two actors, the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church, with special emphasis on the social side of modernization. On this issue, according to the speaker, the agendas of the government and the Church currently coincide. Conventional definitions of modernization include secularization as a distinctive feature. Considering the pivotal role that the Russian Orthodox Church plays today, the case of Russia might actually differ from these interpretations.

The following articles (in Russian) also deal with the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia's modernization process.