Abstract

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of how and to what extent the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) contributed to engendering a new constitutional culture revolving around the idea of traditional values in the Russian Federation. Since the entry into force of the 1993 Constitution, the Church has developed a moral doctrine serving both the domestic purpose of advocating a proactive anti-secular action and the external purpose of striking transnational political alliances aimed at influencing the interpretation of human rights law on issues concerning the relationship between State and Church. Ultimately, the ROC managed to advance its supremacy among the different religious creeds in Russia, while at the same time becoming an essential normative pillar for a moral renewal of the constitutional foundations of the State.