Religious Determinates of State Power in Globalization Era
At the turn of the 21st century, despite the irreversible integration of the global cultural space, which is an integral part of the globalization process, the process of national cultures’ glocalization is becoming obvious. The clash of civilizations [14] manifests itself in the aspiration to update traditional, archetypal foundations inherent to a culture, which is represented in all areas of life, including the state power. The paper attempts to begin scientific research on this subject. The author analyzes officials’ addresses and declarations, regulatory and legal framework of the faith system, materials of public campaigns by the Church and the authorities, studying the existing discourse. He uses the comparative method to study the occurring phenomena in the context of Russia’s historical experience. The paper argues that the process of enhancing religious imperatives in authorities’ manifestations grows stronger during increased animosity with Europe and the USA after 2014, which marked the border of actualizing the “enemy” imperative based on Russia’s characteristic “challenge and response” imperative [10]. The authorities are actively using religious images for their legitimation and public support. Within the context of cultural studies approach, the author makes a conclusion that images are generated in Russia’s cultural field that are rooted in archetypal notions of the “Holy Rus” based on traditions of hesychasm, Russia’s special mission, that existed specifically in the conceptualized idea of “Moscow as the Third Rome”. These imperatives are becoming relevant in new shapes and the Church plays the role of a certain contemporary Kulturtrager, enhancing new / old images and thus developing the paradigm of a “symphony” between religious and secular authorities, which evidences the enhancement of traditional foundations of the Russian culture and sacralization of power at the turn of the 21st century.