Interpretation of the Church-State Relations in the russian thought of the mid-19th century on the example of the works of Bishop John (Sokolov)
The issue of church-state relations is still in priority in public speeches by official Church speakers even considering the positive experience of interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and secular authorities in the Russian Federation at present. An optimal understanding of the problem of church-state relations requires recourse to the discussions of the past. The rich history of scientific and journalistic discussions on the question of the relationship of church and secular authority needs study, systematization, analysis. The authors among the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church made a significant contribution to the public discussion of the problem of church-state relations. The article focuses on the study of the ecclesiastical-social reflection of the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in the middle of the 19th century on the example of the works of St. John (Sokolov). Bishop John expressed a mostly conservative point of view in these discussions using abstract argumentation on a theological and canonical basis. The church author proposed certain solutions contributing to the normalization of church-state relations. In his reflections on the topic of church-state relations Bishop John relied on the classical concept of «symphony» and saw the solution of the problem in the strict separation of powers of secular and ecclesiastical authorities. In his church and public articles, Bishop John laid down the general direction and ideological foundations of conservative journalism by Orthodox hierarchs and theologians of 19th-20th centuries.