Government interference in religious life is unacceptable and destructive – Vladimir Legoyda

Speaking with Alpha News on the sidelines of the 8th International Youth Forum “Future”, Vladimir Legoyda, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Synod Department for Church-Society and Media Relations, commented on the arrests of clergy in Armenia.

“I would place what’s happening in the world today—including developments related to religious organizations—within a broader context. This context, this trend, which began at least in the late 20th century, demonstrates that religion is returning from the periphery of socio-political life, where it was relegated by the Enlightenment model, back to the center. And this return is not easy, it comes with challenges. It’s great that religion and religious organizations have found a voice and can act as a moral compass, including for what’s happening in the socio-political arena,” Legoyda noted.

According to the expert, political interference in religious life will not yield positive results and will ultimately be self-destructive.

“But when political authorities begin to crudely interfere in religious life, begin to use the religious ‘card,’ or attempt to use force against representatives of religious organizations, priests, bishops, or hierarchs—that, of course, in my view, is unacceptable and destructive, first and foremost for the authorities themselves. The examples we see today in several post-Soviet countries are quite tragic. I believe this requires reflection—and not so much academic reflection as political reflection by those in power. Because I see no positive way out of the situation they’re driving themselves into with such actions,” Legoyda said.