© Università degli Studi di Padova - Credits: HCE Web agency
The Teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church on Human Dignity, Liberty and Rights
Kristina Stoeckl
In 2008, the Bishop's Council of the Russian Orthodox Church has published a document that is unique in the history of the Orthodox Church: The Teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church on Human Dignity, Liberty and Rights. This article explains the institutional and ideological context of the document. It offers a semantic analysis of the debate that led to its publication, showing how changes in the keyconcepts of the debate mirror ideological changes. It also analyses the impact of the document on the ecclesiastical and political context of the Russian Orthodox Church. The main thesis of this article is that the document on human dignity, liberty and rights serves first and foremost foreign policy purposes of the Russian Orthodox Church.
09/01/2014