Moscow, February 3, Interfax (via Pravmir) – Renowned Russian political scientist Vitaly Tretyakov believes Russia is not able to survive without the Church.
“The Russian Orthodox Church is one of the main state-forming institutes of Russia as a country, Russians as a nation and Russia as a state. Besides, the Russian Orthodox Church is wider (and sometimes, for instance, today) is much wider than state,” Tretyakov writes in his article published by the Kultura paper.
The political scientist confesses that he is not a believer, but at the same time he considers himself “a conscious citizen not only of Russia, but of the Russian Orthodox civilization, which certainly exists and certainly is a foundation of the Russian statehood.”
“In this sense, today I believe Vladimir Putin as the head of the Russian state and Patriarch Kirill as the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church are of the same importance. I try to back them up in their rational work for the welfare of Russia and I criticize them for I believe to be their faults and mistakes,” the author writes.
According to him, today when the Russian culture decays, when “the Russian language is violently damaged” the Church preserves this language as well as it maintains “fruitful for our dying country institute of family, tradition of reward for justice.”
“From those, whom the history, destiny, God’s will, or even an intrigue, lifted up to the top of secular and political power, we can put only two or three people alongside with him (with Patriarch Kirill – IF). Even in such simple affair as ability clearly and beautifully, without confusing words and notions, loudly and publicly – addressing people, not at the couloirs and secret cabinet dinners, speak about the most important, about the things that matter for Russia and Russian people,” Tretyakov writes.
He urges not to disturb the Russian Church pointing out that Patriarch Kirill “perhaps, almost alone will have to save Christian Europe from falling from the top of the world civilization.”