The Russian Orthodox Church and the West: On a Quest to Bring Down the Liberal Project

After the fall of the USSR, the Moscow Patriarchate has become one of the most influential non-state actors in the Russian public sphere. It participates in a mutually beneficial system of close cooperation with the state apparatus. With the conservative turn, the position of the Church has become stronger. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) plays a double role in Russia’s relations with the West. Firstly, it formulates and disseminates an anti-Western discourse among Russian citizens and abroad, especially in the Global South. Secondly, it advances internationally a conservative agenda with the aim to resist and prospectively reshape the Western liberal normative project. In both roles, the ROC pursues its own goals, too, while also legitimizing actions of the Kremlin.