The “Foundations of Orthodox Culture” - A New Subject in Russian State Schools

Abstract

Since September 2012 “Foundations of Orthodox culture” is taught in all Russian state schools for children in 4th and partially 5th grade. The new subject is one of the six modules being offered under the general title “Foundations of religious cultures and secular ethics” among which pupils and/or parents have to choose. The article shows the main tendencies of the public debates connected with the Russian Orthodox Church’s attempt of “culture building” through its influence on the state school system. The first part of the article presents the main phases of the controversial debates on religious education; the second part analyses some textbooks of the new subject “Foundations of Orthodox culture”; and the third part discusses the relation of the Church’s understanding of Orthodox culture and culturology.

Keywords

• Russian Orthodox Church
• State-Church relations in Russia
• Religious education
• Civil society
• Culturology
• Orthodox culture
• textbooks of culturology and Orthodox culture