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Currently, the active development of digital technologies is leading to a change in the missionary activities of religious organizations and associations. The Internet space opens up new opportunities, thanks to which news accompaniments become attractive even in cases where their source poses a potential or open danger to groups of people. This category of religious associations includes Slavic neo-paganism, which has gained a certain share of popularity in the Russian Federation. The substitution of traditional religious values and habitual cultural attitudes, historical falsifications, acts of aggression based on religion or nationality, and, as a result, political bias are just the most visible and socially destructive areas of activity of Slavic neo-paganism. These examples pose a public danger, but they are often not understood by the younger generation, which is the most important object of missionary influence. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to study and analyze the methods that are used in the modern world by ideologists and popularizers of Slavic neo-paganism in the media space and the real world.

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This article presents a comprehensive study of the biblical institution of the Jubilee Year, its origins, legal foundations, historical context, theological, social, and economic significance, as well as its prophetic and messianic reinterpretation in the New Testament. The concept of the "Jubilee Year" originates from Leviticus 25:8–55. According to the Old Testament commandment, the Jubilee Year occurred every 50 years after a cycle of seven Sabbath years. During this time, all debts were forgiven, and sold land was returned to the original owner. This practice was intended to prevent the accumulation of wealth and land in a single hand, promote social justice, and restore balance in society. It is emphasized that land was understood not as private property, but as a gift from God, transferred to the family for use (Lev. 25:23). Observing the Jubilee was an act of faith in God’s provision for His people and an acknowledgment of His sovereignty over time and nature. References to the Jubilee can be found in Isaiah 61:1–2 and Luke 4:16–22, where it is understood as a messianic and eschatological time.

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This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the ethical and practical principles of trade and economic activity set forth in the didactic books of the Old Testament. The focus is on the canonical books (the Book of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) and the non-canonical book of Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach. Unlike dry legal norms, the didactic books form a holistic moral, ethical, and theological system of economic management, where economic activity is inextricably linked with spiritual and moral principles. The main principles of Old Testament economic ethics are: "The fear of the Lord" as the basis of success, work as a virtue, absolute honesty in transactions, financial prudence, the ambivalence of wealth, and social responsibility. The article demonstrates that Old Testament wisdom views the economy not as an autonomous sphere, but as an integral part of social life, subordinated to the highest principles of justice, mercy, and fidelity to God. The principles formulated in ancient times — subordinating the market to morality, profit to justice, and wealth to responsibility — remain, according to the author, relevant in the modern world.

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This article is devoted to an exegetical analysis and theological understanding of the parenetic instructions of the Apostle Peter addressed to Christian slaves. When studying the text of the First Conciliar Epistle of the Apostle Peter, the authors of the article turn to the patristic exegetical heritage, the interpretations of Russian Biblical scholars and the comments of representatives of the Protestant West. Special attention is paid to the peculiarities of the original text of the Epistle and the theological terminology used by the author of the Epistle, St. Peter the Apostle. A fragmentary comparison of various versions of the translation of the text of 1 Pet. from Greek is carried out. The instructions on the duties of Christian slaves given by the apostle are considered in inseparable connection with the main theme of the studied Epistle — the theme of sorrows and undeserved sufferings.

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This article presents a systematic, in-depth analysis of the Qur’anic polemic against key Christian dogmas: the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Trinity. Drawing on the text of the Qur’an and Islamic theological tradition, it examines the main arguments underlying the denial of the divinity of Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice, and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in Islam. A central focus is on how Islamic criticism stems from a fundamentally different understanding of revelation, salvation, and the nature of God, based on strict monotheism (tawhid). The work demonstrates that the recognition of Jesus as a prophet in Islam is accompanied by a categorical rejection of His eternal sonship and the Chalcedonian dogma of God-manhood. An analysis of the Trinitarian dogma reveals its perception in Islam as a form of polytheism, complicated by the widespread identification of the Trinity with the Father, Son, and Virgin Mary. The paper concludes by citing the system-forming and irreconcilable nature of the differences between the two religions in Christology, triadology, and soteriology, which must be taken into account for honest and profound interreligious dialogue.

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The article examines the philosophical and theological understanding of personhood and interpersonal communication in the context of contemporary anthropological challenges arising from digital cultural transformation. The aim of the study is to reveal the essence of the human person as a spiritual subject rooted in the image of God and capable of free communion. The object of the research is the human being as a person, and the subject is the theological interpretation of the divine image and the communicative nature of humanity. The methodological basis includes comparative analysis, patristic hermeneutics, and philosophical anthropology. The study demonstrates that, in Orthodox thought, personhood is understood as hypostatic being, irreducible to natural or cognitive functions, while communication is viewed as a form of God-likeness and participation in divine life. The scientific novelty lies in the systematization of theological and philosophical interpretations of personhood in relation to digital challenges and in substantiating the fundamental impossibility of artificial simulation of personal communication. The theoretical significance concerns the development of theological anthropology; the practical relevance relates to the potential application of the findings in Christian education and pastoral psychology.

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The well-known ancient aphorism "truth is born in argument" is interpreted by the Apostle Paul within the context of Christian teaching somewhat differently. In his letter to the Corinthians he states that "there must be factions among you so that those who are genuine may become evident" (1 Cor. 11:19). However, when a dispute — or rather dialogue — takes place between the religious and secular worlds, their object of inquiry — the Truth — is already known to the former but unknown to the latter, since under disagreement the Apostle Paul understands only different interpretations of what has been given in Revelation as precise and immutable knowledge. Therefore, in clarifying whether truth itself exists — not just one interpretation thereof — a question arises regarding how to understand and interpret both the language and methods of religious cognition so that the sought meanings would be comprehensible and assimilated by secular consciousness, because for a mind separated from Christian life it is not at all obvious that the truth which its research intellect seeks is none other than Jesus Christ Himself.

This article examines the possibility of scientific interpreting religious knowledge through topoi (common properties of an object) used in scholarly works for comparing heterogeneous systems. To this end, a grid of topological values functioning as meaning-forming constructs was integrated into the study process. As a result of analyzing the formation of meanings generated by these concepts, an attempt was made to determine the degree of veracity of religious topoi and justify their priority relative to their secular significance.

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This article analyzes the system of public administration in the Southern (Judah) Kingdom (c. 930–586 BCE), which ensured significant political stability compared to the short-lived and unstable Northern (Israelite) Kingdom. Public administration in Judea represented a unique symbiosis of traditional Middle Eastern monarchy and theocracy. Its stability was ensured not by secular institutions, but by the sacred legitimacy of the Davidic dynasty, the central role of the Temple, and the supremacy of the Written Law, which constrained the power of the king. It was this system that shaped the political and religious ideal that determined the further development of Jewish history after the Babylonian captivity. This system was not static. Periods of prosperity (under Kings Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah) were associated with religious and administrative reforms, centralization, and the codification of the Law. Periods of decline (under Kings Manasseh and Jehoiakim) were characterized by weakening authority, corruption, social stratification, and apostasy from the Covenant, which ultimately led to God’s judgment and the Babylonian captivity.

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This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the status of children in ancient Israelite society during the Old Testament period. It demonstrates the dualistic nature of children’s status, which manifests itself in two key aspects: religious and social. Children were viewed as the highest blessing and a gift from God, and having many children was a sign of God’s favor. A child, especially a son, guaranteed the continuation of the family line and the preservation of the father’s name, which was expressed in institutions such as levirate marriage. The laws defining the place of children in ancient Hebrew society are examined. The differences between sons and daughters, the specifics of their upbringing and education, and the dark sides a child could face are described. The article demonstrates that the status of children in the Old Testament era was complex and contradictory. On the one hand, a child was an object of parental authority and a vulnerable member of society, whose life depended on the righteousness of adults. On the other hand, he was a subject of the Covenant, a sacred gift from God, and a bearer of the promise, whose life had the highest religious value and was protected by law.

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The article focuses on a key figure in church-state relations during the Peter the Great era — Archbishop Feofan (Prokopovich), the chief ideologist of ecclesiastical reforms. It examines how he, a graduate of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy who assimilated Western scholasticism and Protestant ideas, developed the theoretical foundation for the complete subordination of the Church to the state. Through an analysis of his major works — "The Truth of the Monarch’s Will" ("Pravda voli monarshei") and "Investigation of the Pontifex" ("Rozysk o pontifekse") — the article reveals the formation of a doctrine of absolute monarchical power, which included the right to appoint a successor and manage church affairs. Particular attention is paid to the acute conflict between Archbishop Feofan and the traditionalists led by Metropolitan Stefan (Yavorsky), which defined the dramatic nature of the ecclesiastical transformations. The article addresses the question of how the ideas of one hierarch determined the synodal system of the Russian Church for the next two centuries.

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The present study is devoted to the study and analysis of the activities of Metropolitan Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) in the field of his opposition to the influence of socialism on the working class during his episcopal ministry in Moscow (1898–1912). Vladyka was not only the most significant and consistent church critic of socialism, but also one of the few first hierarchs who proposed and carried out an attempt to realize missionary service among the proletariat. The spiritual and moral ideals proposed by Metropolitan Vladimir differed significantly from similar categories proposed by the secular authorities in the person of S.V. Zubatov and representatives of the Special Department of the Police Department headed by him. Metropolitan Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) sought to adapt measures aimed at improving the living and working conditions of the working class to the Russian context and called upon the state to implement them as soon as possible.

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The article examines the famine in the Volga region from 1921 to 1922, which was not only a consequence of a severe drought but also a profound socio-political crisis. The author traces its origins to the devastation following the Civil War, a backward agrarian system, and the punitive policy of prodrazvyorstka (grain requisitioning). Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the campaign to confiscate church valuables, which serves as a clear example of how the state used a humanitarian disaster as a lever to solve its own tasks. Drawing on materials from the Saratov, Orenburg, and Astrakhan provinces, the article demonstrates how, under the slogan of aiding the starving, a large-scale action against the Church unfolded, accompanied by pressure on the clergy and the suppression of protests. The conclusion is drawn that the famine was a consequence not only of a natural disaster but also of systemic administrative failures, and that the confiscation of church property exacerbated the social crisis.

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This article focuses on religious studies in the field of scientific atheism, which was an important element of the ideological and educational system in the USSR during the 1960s and 1980s. It explores the main methods and approaches used to promote atheistic ideas in Soviet society and their impact on the education of young people. The article also examines the theoretical and practical aspects of scientific research conducted and supported by the government. The article covers an important issue of the role of the state in the formation of an atheistic Soviet society in the 1960s and 1980s. The main focus of the article is on the methods of studying Soviet people’s attitudes towards religion, specifically their level of religiosity. The article emphasizes the analysis of questionnaires and surveys, as well as the methods of religious research conducted by the Institute of Scientific Atheism. To achieve this, the article explores various typologies of the level of religiosity among Soviet individuals and the methods of scientific atheism.

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The article examines the genesis, historical evolution and modern reception of the principle of "symphony of powers" — a fundamental category of Orthodox social and political thought. Based on historical-genetic and comparative-analytical methods, the work critically revises established historiographical schemes. Contrary to the tradition of treating the Byzantine model as monolithic, the author substantiates the thesis of the coexistence of two competing versions of the symphony: the "imperial" (Justinian I, 6th century) and the "patriarchal" (Epanagoge / Eisagoge, 9th century). This perspective is applied for the first time consistently to the analysis of Russian history: it is shown that the conflict between Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was a clash of these versions, and the Petrine reforms meant not a deformation but a complete replacement of the symphony with the Protestant model of state church system (Landeskirchentum). Special attention is paid to the reinterpretation of the principle in "The Basis of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church" (2000). It is demonstrated that the modern model is based on the distinction between the natures of the Church and the state, recognition of their autonomy, and co-service (synergy) in socially significant spheres while retaining the right to moral criticism of the authorities. It is concluded that, having traversed the path from sacred unity to dialogue in the conditions of ideological pluralism, the principle of symphony retains its heuristic potential as a tool for describing and normatively regulating church-state relations.

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In the situation of the deepening demographic crisis in Russia, the study of determinants affecting the reproductive strategies of the family is of particular importance. The focus of this article is on religious motivation, which is considered as a fundamental component that stimulates the formation of a model of having many children in the context of the Orthodox worldview. The study reveals the theological and cultural-historical background of a large family in Orthodoxy, analyzes the correlation between religious beliefs and demographic orientations. Applying an interdisciplinary methodology that integrates theological, historical, and sociological tools, the author identifies the antagonism between the traditional religious value of having many children and current secular trends, including individualism, economic uncertainty, and modification of family functions. The work separately examines the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church aimed at encouraging large families through social projects and counseling. Modern socio-economic and political determinants influencing the reproductive decisions of families are also analyzed, and the productivity of recent government support initiatives is assessed. The conclusion is formulated that, despite the significant influence of secular value paradigms, the Orthodox worldview continues to act as an important resource for strengthening the institution of the family and leveling the demographic crisis, however, consolidated support from the state and church communities is needed to fully actualize its capabilities.

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The article is devoted to the problem of theoretical conjugation of the pastoral ministry of the Russian Orthodox Church and social pedagogy as a scientific and practical discipline. The author proceeds from the fact that the secular paradigm of social pedagogy, while recognizing religious organizations as a significant institution of socialization, does not take into account the hierarchical structure of the human personality inherent in Orthodox anthropology. Based on the works of Protopresbyter Vasily Zenkovsky, S.Yu. Divnogortseva, and key representatives of social pedagogy (A.V. Mudrik, M.A. Galaguzova, L.V. Mardakhaev), a comparative analysis of the functionality of a social pedagogue and an Orthodox pastor is carried out. Four functions are identified in which pastoral ministry introduces a qualitatively new dimension, irreducible to socio-pedagogical tools: merciful and protective, intermediary, facilitative, and correctional-rehabilitation. It is substantiated that the activities of a pastor and a social pedagogue represent not competing, but complementary levels of a unified care for the person — "horizontal" (social adaptation) and "vertical" (restoration of the connection with God). The concept of "pastoral facilitation" is introduced, understood as the creation of conditions for a person’s personal encounter with God through prayer, worship, and community work.

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