26.05.2025
On the role of Orthodoxy, language, and enlightenment in strengthening cultural identity and the initiatives of the Russian State University for the Humanities in shaping spiritual guidelines for youth.
“In Uvarov’s triad, Orthodoxy stands first as the cornerstone, the tuning fork in the symphony of the Church and state dedication,” noted RSUH Rector Andrei Loginov on May 26 during the international conference “Day of Slavic Literacy and Culture: Spiritual, Historical, Political, and Civilizational Aspects”.
He emphasized that it was precisely Orthodoxy that set the tone for the entire system of values underpinning educational and state policy.
“We have gathered here not only as custodians of historical knowledge but also as people sincerely interested in transmitting these traditions to future generations. Especially now, in an era of turbulent geopolitical transformations, it is important to speak of unity and spiritual continuity,” shared First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee Vladimir Sipyagin.
Key topics of the Conference included: the role of the Russian language as a tool of international humanitarian cooperation and a carrier of cultural identity; the goals of spiritual enlightenment and religious education; and the challenges of the digital age. Particular attention was paid to teaching religion in schools and universities as a means of strengthening the spiritual compass of youth.
“At RSUH, at the Institute of History and Archives on Nikolskaya Street, we plan to implement a project that could become a new experience, embodied in scientific and educational practice, of the symphony between state, church education, and enlightenment. The essence is that the Institute has inherited the best traditions of fundamental humanitarian education, centered on the study of the historical past beginning from the times of Ancient Rus, and on historical sources as the foundation of reliable and verifiable historical knowledge,” said Rector Loginov.
The conference also addressed the development of artificial intelligence with consideration of the cultural and value-based benchmarks of the Slavic world.
Enlightenment was considered not merely as the transfer of knowledge, but as a joint endeavor of the Church, the state, and the university, based on a profound historical tradition. Participants agreed that today, in the context of an intensified struggle for cultural identity, there is a need to consolidate the efforts of the humanities community, educational institutions, and the clergy.
“The Slavic and Balkan worlds are united by their belonging to a common Orthodox civilization. This spiritual seed must be preserved and cultivated between our states,” emphasized Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society Sergey Stepashin.
The event was organized by the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, the Gagauz Heritage Foundation, and the “Center for Legal Research and International Communications”, with the support of the Russian State University for the Humanities and other leading academic and public organizations.
