Moral Discourse as Resource of Publicity: Religious and Secular Alternatives

Abstract

In recent years, the defense of traditional values became one of the soundest strategies of religious authorities, as well as political powers in Russia. The author observes main arguments in the debates on traditional values presented by the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and political leaders, and figures out basic principles of the discourse: the “continuity” of the core values of Russian culture through its history; the opposition of Russia and “The West” as a significant reference point, which seems to be a recurrent thing in Russian identity building; the indissoluble link between [traditional] religion and morality. The author concludes that significant shortcoming of the ideology of traditional values is that they exist only on a discursive level, not manifesting themselves in everyday moral practices, although should contribute to the formation of national identity. Hence, the `traditional values' discourse is aimed at the cohering the nation around certain meanings that are assumed as obtaining both historical and ideological integrity.