2408-9338Research result. Sociology and Management2408-933810.18413/2408-9338-2021-7-2-0-32444SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND SPIRITUAL LIFE<strong>Russian Orthodox Church facing the challenges of digitalization</strong><strong>Russian Orthodox Church facing the challenges of digitalization</strong>SharonovaSvetlana A.SharonovaSvetlana A.sharonova-sa@rudn.ruPeoples' Friendship University of Russia 6, Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia20217200

The article analyzes Internet sources on the problem of the relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Internet. The current situation of the active transition of society to the digital space requires certain decisions from the Church. In the course of the research, it was found that, unlike the Catholic Church document &ldquo;The Church and Internet&rdquo; (2002), where it quite accurately defined its attitude to the Internet and the possibility of using it for its needs, the Russian Orthodox Church does not have such a document, which would form a clear attitude to this issue. The policy initiated by Patriarch Alexy II was not developed in the documents and projects of the Russian Orthodox Church during the reign of Patriarch Kirill. Decentralized governance in the use of the Internet has led to the fact that responsibility fell personally on the priests who actively promote Orthodox websites. To create a methodological basis for the study, the author used a comparison of the document of the Catholic Church &quot;The Church and Internet&quot; and the documents of the Russian Orthodox Church, which mention the possibility of using the Internet. There are no fundamental differences in the positions of both Churches. However, the absence of a single conceptual document in the ROC significantly complicates the implementation of interaction with the Internet by Orthodox priests in practice. This is especially evident in the need for spiritual nourishment, assistance to the creators of Orthodox websites. An analysis of the information posted on the Internet on the problem of interaction between the ROC and the Internet showed that despite the negative statements from Patriarch Kirill and other higher clergymen, the Russian Orthodox Church is actively developing its Internet resources. Through trial and error, priests practice the Internet space to communicate with parishioners.

The article analyzes Internet sources on the problem of the relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Internet. The current situation of the active transition of society to the digital space requires certain decisions from the Church. In the course of the research, it was found that, unlike the Catholic Church document &ldquo;The Church and Internet&rdquo; (2002), where it quite accurately defined its attitude to the Internet and the possibility of using it for its needs, the Russian Orthodox Church does not have such a document, which would form a clear attitude to this issue. The policy initiated by Patriarch Alexy II was not developed in the documents and projects of the Russian Orthodox Church during the reign of Patriarch Kirill. Decentralized governance in the use of the Internet has led to the fact that responsibility fell personally on the priests who actively promote Orthodox websites. To create a methodological basis for the study, the author used a comparison of the document of the Catholic Church &quot;The Church and Internet&quot; and the documents of the Russian Orthodox Church, which mention the possibility of using the Internet. There are no fundamental differences in the positions of both Churches. However, the absence of a single conceptual document in the ROC significantly complicates the implementation of interaction with the Internet by Orthodox priests in practice. This is especially evident in the need for spiritual nourishment, assistance to the creators of Orthodox websites. An analysis of the information posted on the Internet on the problem of interaction between the ROC and the Internet showed that despite the negative statements from Patriarch Kirill and other higher clergymen, the Russian Orthodox Church is actively developing its Internet resources. Through trial and error, priests practice the Internet space to communicate with parishioners.

Russian Orthodox ChurchInternetpriest bloggerInternet projectsRussian Orthodox ChurchInternetpriest bloggerInternet projectsСписок литературыGryaznova, E. V., Glazova, I. N., Chapter, V. M. and Ryazanova, M. V. (2019), &ldquo;Information and Religious Culture: a Place in the System of Preschool Education&rdquo;, Baltic Humanitarian Journal, 8 (3), 40-42. (in Russian)Egorov, G.&nbsp;V., Guaita, J., Melanina, T.&nbsp;V., Platonova, Yu.&nbsp;A., Popov, A.&nbsp;A., Pushkarev,&nbsp;S.&nbsp;A., Smolyanov, V.&nbsp;N., Ulitchev, I.&nbsp;I. (2019), &ldquo;Organization, interpersonal interaction in distance theological education&rdquo;, Vestnik PSTGU. Seriya IV: Pedagogika. Psihologiya, (54), 24-41. (in Russian)Hier. Tikhon (Vasiliev) (2017), &ldquo;Specifics of Orthodox Mission in the Media&rdquo;, Bulletin of the Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy, 18(4), 241-249. (in Russian)Semenova, D.M. (2013), &ldquo;The Activity of Russian Orthodox Church in the Electronic Space (for example, the Internet)&rdquo;, Modern Research of Social Problems, 5 (25). (in Russian)Sinelina, Yu. Y. (2006), &ldquo;Dynamics of the level of churchliness of the population&rdquo;, in Russia: New goals and priorities, ISPI RAN, Moscow, 89-97. (in Russian)Chesnokova, V. F. (2009), The Close Way. The process of churching the population of Russia at the end of the 20th century, Academic project, Moscow, Russia. (in Russian)Helland, Ch. (2005), &ldquo;Online Religion As Lived Religion: Methodological Issues In The Study Of Religious Participation On The Internet&rdquo;, in Online-Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet, 1(1), available at: http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/volltexte/2005/5823/ (Accessed 02 March 2021).O&#39;Leary, S. D. (1994), &ldquo;Cyberspace as Sacred Space: Communicating Religion on Computer Networks&rdquo;, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, LXIV (4): 781-808.Solatan, A.&nbsp;M.&nbsp;D. (2013), &ldquo;The Catholic Church and Internet use: an evolving perspective from Pope John Paul II to Pope Benedict XVI&rdquo;, Thesis for the degree of master, Georgetown University, Washington, USA.&ldquo;The Church and Internet&rdquo; (2002), Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle, available at: https://The%20Church%20and%20Internet.html (Accessed 02 March 2021).