In the implementation of socially significant programs, the Church counts on the assistance of the state

The Church can count on the assistance of the state in the implementation of its social, charitable, educational and other socially significant programs, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia is convinced.

He stated this today at the opening of the International Conference “State, Church, Society: Historical Experience and Contemporary Problems,” RIA Novosti reports.

“It is impossible to understand the principle of secularism of the state as a radical displacement of religions from all spheres of people’s lives, exclusion of religious associations from participation in solving socially significant problems, depriving them of the right to evaluate the actions of the authorities,” Alexy II said in his message to the forum participants.

According to him, “The Church must point out to the state the inadmissibility of spreading beliefs or actions leading to the establishment of complete control over the life of an individual, his beliefs and relationships with other people.” In addition, it is necessary to prevent everything that leads to “the destruction of personal, family or public morality, insult to religious feelings, damage to the cultural and spiritual identity of the people or a threat to the sacred gift of life.”

The Patriarch noted that the Church “also has the right to expect that the state, when building its relations with religious associations, will take into account the number of their followers, their place in the formation of the historical cultural and spiritual image of the people, their civic position.”

As the main areas of cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church, the state and society, Alexy II identified peacekeeping, support for the institution of family, motherhood and childhood, spiritual, moral and patriotic education, charity, environmental conservation, restoration of historical and cultural heritage, development of science and healthcare, countering the activities of dangerous pseudo-religious structures.

“The traditional area of ​​public works of the Orthodox Church is sorrow before the state authorities about the needs of the people, about the morals and concerns of individual citizens,” the Patriarch added. According to him, the Russian Orthodox Church carries out such care for believers through oral or written appeals to the authorities.