The Russian World: A Version of Aggressive Ethnophyletism

The current paper deals with religious nationalism as a challenge in the Orthodox Church, especially following the 19th and early 20th-century formation of Balkan nation-states. This issue ties the Church closely with national identity, strengthening ethnocultural bonds and state relations, leading to national Churches that prioritize national revival over salvation in Christ. This phenomenon, called phyletism, has created heretical divisions within the Church. An aggressive version of Ethnophyletism the so-called "Russian World", which initially was focused on cultural influence after the collapse of USSR. Under Vladimir Putin, it evolved to justify protecting Russian compatriots abroad, supported by figures like Alexander Dugin and Patriarch Kirill, aligning with Putin's policy emphasizing Russia's unique civilizational identity. Kirill's endorsement marks a significant shift, with the Church supporting war and imperialist ambitions, paralleling 21st-century ethnophyletism akin to Nazism and fascism. Orthodox theologians globally condemned this ideology as heretical in a declaration on March 13, 2022, emphasizing Christ's authority and Gospel centrality, rejecting ecclesiastical language to justify violence. The paper urges formal condemnation by the Church's synodal level, calling global Christianity, particularly Orthodox Churches, to denounce Moscow's doctrine as a moral and canonical duty.