1. Media play in modern world an increasing role. The church with respect refers to the work of journalists designed to supply broad layers of society by timely information about what is happening in the world, orienting people in the current complex reality. It is important to remember that informing the viewer, the listener and reader should be based not only on solid commitment to the truth, but also on the care of the moral state of the person and society, which includes the disclosure of positive ideals, as well as the fight against the spread of evil, sin and vice . Invalid are propaganda violence, hostility and hatred, national, social and religious retail, as well as the sinful exploitation of human instincts, including for commercial purposes. The media with a huge influence on the audience bear the greatest responsibility for the upbringing of people, especially the younger generation. Journalists and the leaders of the media are obliged to remember this responsibility.

2. Educational, teacher and social and peacekeeping mission of the church encourages it to cooperate with secular media, capable of carrying her message to the most different strata of society. The Holy Apostle Peter calls on Christians: "Be always ready for anything that you require a report in your hope, give an answer with meekness and reverence" (1 Pet. 3. 15). Any clergyman or layman is called upon with due attention to contacts with secular media in order to implement pastoral and educational business, as well as to awaken the interest of secular society to various sides of church life and Christian culture. At the same time, it is necessary to show wisdom, responsibility and prudency, meaning the position of a specific media in relation to the faith and church, the moral orientation of the media, the state of the relationship between church priests with one or another body of information. Orthodox laity can directly work in secular media, and in their activities they are designed to be preachers and exercises of Christian moral ideals. Journalists who publish materials leading to the crust of human souls must be subjected to canonical ads in case of their belonging to the Orthodox Church.

As part of each of the types of media (printed, radio-electronic, computer), which have their own specifics, the church - both through official institutions and through private initiatives of clergy and laity - has its own information remedies that have a blessing of priestly. At the same time, the church through its institutions and authorized persons interacts with secular media. Such interaction is carried out as by creating special forms of church presence in secular media (special applications to newspapers and journals, special strips, a series of television and radio programs, rubrics) and beyond those (individual articles, radio and television services, interviews, participation in various forms of public dialogues and discussions, advisory assistance to journalists, distribution among them by specially prepared information, providing materials of a reference nature and opportunities for obtaining audio and video materials [Shot, recording, reproduction]).

The interaction of the church and secular media involves mutual responsibility. The information provided by the journalist and the audience transmitted to them must be reliable. The opinions of clergymen or other representatives of the Church distributed through the media must comply with its teaching and position on public issues. In the case of an expression of a purely private opinion, it must be stated unequivocally - both by the person who speaks in the media and the persons responsible for the reporting of such an opinion to the audience. The interaction of clergy and church institutions with secular media should occur under the guidance of church priests - with the coverage of general terrain activities - and the diocesan authorities - when interacting with the media at the regional level, which is primarily due to the coverage of the life of the diocese.

3. In the course of the relationship between the Church and secular media, complications and even serious conflicts may occur. Problems, in particular, are generated by inaccurate or distorted information about church life, placing it in an improper context, mixing the personal position of the author or a cited person with a general terrorist position. The relationship between the church and secular media is sometimes darned by the fault of the clergymen themselves and laity, for example, in cases of unjustified refusal to journalists in access to information, a painful reaction to the right and correct criticism. Such questions should be resolved in the spirit of a peaceful dialogue in order to eliminate bewilders and continuing cooperation.

At the same time, the deeper, fundamental conflicts between the church and secular media arise. This is happening in the case of the injury of the name of God, other manifestations of blasphemy, systematic conscious distortion of information about church life, deliberate slander to the church and its servants. In the event of such conflicts, the highest church power (in relation to the central media) or the diocesan pre-secrecy (with respect to the regional and local media) can, according to the relevant alert, and after at least one attempt to enter into negotiations, take the following actions: to terminate the relationship with the corresponding Media or journalist; call on believers to boycott this media; appeal to state authorities to resolve the conflict; To betray the canonical proscribes of those perpetrators in sinful acts if they are Orthodox Christians. The above actions should be documented, they should be notified and society as a whole.

Blastness - Parks. But in order to win it, it is important to bring this struggle from the paradigm "ROC against free artists" - it is advantageous only by the blasphemes themselves, - Publicist Andrei Desnitsky says

Recently, the entire Orthodox society was shocked by a blasphemous action in the Church of Christ the Savior. We asked the abbot of the temple of the three saint on the rods, the author of the book "Essays of Christian Ethics" of the doctor of theology of Archpriest Vladislav Sveshnikova, what blasphemy from his point of view

The Moscow Parliament plans to develop an urban law on the prohibition of propaganda of sexual relations among juvenile. Who and how will it determine what is propaganda, what do you need to protect children and what methods?

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate told the viewer of the Rain TV channel about the elections, stolen votes, corruption, mass protests and punishment for punk hooligan.

When you should inform the bishop about the violation of the priest, and when you do not rush to complain, and first fill the gaps in your own education, what danger to the young Hieromonach is a destination for the parish in Moscow, why the Greek rural father has the best car in the village, and the bishops are sometimes driving on the used "Work horses," Metropolitan Saratov and Volsk Longin tells about all this.

The story of "Pussy Riot", which made so much noise approaching its logical final. The charges are presented, ahead of the court. The church reacted correctly, we asked the historian and priest Georgia Oheřanov

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said that even in the most difficult conflict situations, the Church testimony will be Christian and calling people to reconciliation

"I showed the world of thieves and prostitutes ... who sought to get to the church. But the church pushed them. Because the flock did not want to take in the temples of the fallen, "said the pastor to the Pastor Agent Claus in the" 17 mismages of spring ". Claus was a provocateur, but the reproach is correct: there are topics in the church, barely heard about which Orthodox hide their heads in the sand. One of them is homosexuality: this sin is spreading increasingly, but neither priests or laity usually do not know how to help His victims can be helped. And often prefer to close the door of the temples in front of them

How to react to hooliganism in the temple? Moskovskaya priests were shared by his opinion - Fathers of Sergiy Pravdnolubov, Maxim Promozvsky and Alexander Borisov

The State Duma introduced a bill, which introduces prison deadlines to five years of imprisonment and several orders of magnifying fines for insulting religious feelings of believers and desecration of shrines. The project prepared by representatives of all State Duma factions caused great resonance in society. The lawyer of the Russian Federation, Honored Lawyer of the Russian Federation, expresses his opinion on the legislative initiative.

"If you play with this world in his games and according to his rules, we can only lose," about tolerance, freedom and rock opera "Jesus Christ - Superstar" reflects Andrei Desnaitsky

Show an apple from Apple's computer because it reminds of original sin? On the search for malicious intent in the symbolism of brands argues the arrangement of the Lion of Semenov, the cultureologist, the dean of the Faculty of Additional Education PSTU

Much has changed in the consciousness of people in twenty years after the collapse of the USSR, why the institutions of civil society do not work and there is hope for young people, Candidate of Historical Sciences Archpriest Lion Semenov

About whether today's shortcomings can be written off on the Soviet heritage and that today the Soviet remained in us, says Protodiakon Andrei Kuraev

Your Eminence, all-way fathers, dear colleagues!

I sincerely glad to welcome the participants of the first international festival of the Orthodox media "faith and the word". Today, employees of print publications, radio, television and online publications from the Dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, journalists of secular central media, church journalists from fraternal are gathered in this hall. Local churches. For the first time, employees of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad are also participating in the work of such a representative forum - this is a joyful testimony of our unity to which we walked for many years.

Let me remind you that at the 2004 bishops in the speech in the speech of Patriarch Alexy, the intention of creating a working group on the formation of a unified information policy of the Church was expressed. I think that fruitful discussions that will be held at the sectional sessions of our festival will be aware for the activities of this working group, which will soon be formed.

The Russian Orthodox Church gained freedom at that historical moment when the process of creating a market economy and the "large jump" of Russia in the direction of the modern information society began in Russia. Although the church is an organism with its own business entry and with its specific system of communications, which are rooted in the canonical law, tradition and, ultimately, in the Holy Scriptures, nevertheless, the market economy and the enormous influence of communications are two new global The reality that put in front of the church is in its social being - numerous problems. They require theological understanding, on the basis of which the practical activity of the church in the media is possible.

Patriarch Alexy has repeatedly expressed in detail the problem of "Church and Media". The topic of the media is affected in the "basics of social teaching" adopted at the 2000 Bishops Cathedral. Let me remind you that

The 1st point of chapter 15 encourages journalists to moral responsibility. Clause 2nd describes the conditions of cooperation between the Mijan and Clearying of the Russian Orthodox Church with secular media (can the laity work in secular media and can be subjected to canonical proscribes in this regard who are authorized to express the point of view of the Church, etc.). Paragraph 3 is dedicated to possible conflicts between the church and the media for specific publications and describes the actions that the hierarchyan of the Synodal and Diocese level can take: Boycott, the appeal to the civil authorities, canonical ads in the relationship of Christian journalists, etc.). Of course, this chapter "The foundations of the social teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church" contains only the first approximation to the topic "Church and Media" and requires creative development.

I do not take the courage to offer your attention an exhaustive analysis of this problem - such work is only a team that unites church scientists of many specialties. I will follow several important items.

On the early stage For two or three centuries ago, the media informed the reading public about the most important events, the authorities' decisions, and also served as a platform for discussions, thanks to how historians write, the public was largely formed. In those days, the press certainly served as a free exchange of views. The concept of "freedom of speech" had a well-defined meaning: newspapers and magazines allowed society without regard to the state censorship to express citizens on topical issues. But by the end of the twentieth century there was a much more complex picture: the initial social functions of the media became significantly changed under the pressure of commercialization. The media turned into a major business. And business dictates its own rules. The media owners look at the reader and the viewer as a consumer. At the same time, the spiritual needs of a person are moving away to the background, and momentary desires, entertainment are nominated and encouraged. The media, as many theorists say today, do not just offer a person certain things and looks for life, they today form a person as a consumer of these things, impose a certain style of life and the way to understand the world. Modern media are less and less place for "limit issues", the questions, the answer to which only faith gives. This inevitable process, more and more commercialization of the media puts several issues at once.

Responsibility of publishers. Do business representatives feel - media owners - social and moral responsibility for the influence that they have on society and man? I think that the church must remind these wealthy people, that not everything is exhausted by profit, which ultimately will have to keep the answer in front of the Lord.

The possibilities of the educational mission of the church in modern media are significantly limited to the dictatorship of the market. Religious programs and publications do not represent interests for advertisers, in contrast to criminal reports, entertainment programs, talk shows, etc. The church has no money to buy airtime on the same conditions as the manufacturers of toothpaste or gasoline. For no first year, we are talking about the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church should have its own federal television channel and its radio station with a large broadcast range. However, it requires enormous means. Obviously, this issue cannot be resolved without cooperation between the church, states and representatives of large business. And this is one of the priorities of our information policy.

Position of a journalist

The church cannot set itself a goal to change social processes, she appeals to each soul, prays about its salvation and indicates the path. We do not have political recipes, and we understand well that not everything is solved in the field of legislation, although many legislative restrictions are welcomed - this also applies to violence on television, and non-restrained alcohol advertising.

And yet, most importantly, our hope is due to the fact that in the life position of all the head of the media, a journalist, the editor will occur. Ultimately, the global trend of the commercialization of the media opposes only the awakening voice of the conscience, only the active consciousness of responsibility - "Mount the Tom, through whom the temptation will come to the world."

Improving the quality of church periodicals

In conditions, when the market dictates their conditions to mass editions, we have the opportunity to contact readers from the pages of church media.

A targeted improvement in the quality of our publications is one of the priorities of the information policy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

What kind of measures will help to significantly improve the state of Orthodox periodics?

We need to create a faculty of church journalism, preparation tutorials On the history of church journalism and in modern practice, including taking into account the experience of local churches.

Journalistic Forum, which we open today, a very important undertaking. We think that it should be further complemented by the annual summer school of church journalism and other forms of trainings and seminars, which should be in the system of advanced training of editors and authors of church publications.

Essential is the issue of financing church periodicals. There is a proven way to support the best publications - a system of grants and subsidies. It successfully operates for secular media. Such a system should be in the field of church periodicals. The best publications around which the active, energetic team should receive support. Today, the issue of creating a support fund orthodox media. Representatives of the Synodal Departments, the Moscow Spiritual Academy, as well as representatives of large and medium-sized businesses should be included in the leadership of this fund. Special question: Can the state can subscribe church media? In my opinion, maybe. First of all, this concerns publications that are socially significant and turned not only to church audience. We have many such editions. This is the historical and church magazine "Alpha and Omega", and theological works, and "Church and Time", as well as publications on church art, for social work, youth newspapers and magazines. They may argue: the church is separated from the state, and therefore subsidies are impossible. But for many years, secular media, often even occupying a hostile position towards the authorities, received subsidies from the Ministry of Press. The system of grants of the Ministry of Printing has been preserved after the recent administrative reform.

Informational policy priorities

Orthodox editions - both diocesal, and published by individual parishes and groups of the Mijan - as much as the enlightenment serves. But when we are talking about "information policy," we mean the special direction of journalistic work. First of all, we are talking about clarification of decisions taken by the priestly.

In October 2004, a bishop cathedral took place at which the acute questions rose. Definitions that concern each arrival, each diocese, were taken. Today, the Church requires "information vertical", and church journalists - especially the editors of publications - should be creative to clarify the solutions of the cathedral. It is not enough just to reprint the protocols.

Let me remind you that at the Bishop Cathedral, the most important decisions on the restoration of the Institute of Church Court were adopted, instructions to develop the position of the Church on globalization were given, a detailed assessment of the activities of supporters of canonization of Ivan the Terrible and Gregory Rasputin was given. In the speech of His Holiness Patriarch with great alarm, the state of Sunday schools and the crisis of Orthodox gymnasiums was said. These and other topics should be the subject of permanent publications, clarification. Each church journalist and the publisher - and the priest, and the layman - are called on to the general worker work in these areas.

I want to emphasize: if the mysters learn from the pages of church press is argued, in an accessible language to explain our position on topical issues, we will not be able to count on the fact that we will be correctly understood by government agencies, society.

The experience of the past convinces us that the voice of the church can be heard in the conditions of "freedom of speech", in a democratic society. I remind you of only one example from the pre-revolutionary past: the journalism of the priest Archpriest of the Philosopher of the Ornatsky - the publicism of great social significance, had a great resonance in pre-revolutionary Russia after the constitutional reform of 1905, when social democrats and monarchists, and left, and right . His word was intelligible, it sounded convincing not only for the Petersburg intelligentsia, but also for hundreds of thousands of ordinary people. Journalism of the father of the philosopher of the Ornahsky and many other wonderful shepherds and the laity remains an inspiring example for us.

? " - Representatives of church and secular media, religious scientists who gathered on April 12 in the Synodal Information Department at the Synodal Information Department attended this question.

The topic of the conversation was asked by the message of Ivara Maxutova, Chairman of the Moscow Religious Science Society at the Philosophical Faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, chief editor of the portal Religo.ru. In his opinion, religion is represented in today's media space in several images:

« Religion - How Curiouslike an unusual fun story like a priest on a bike ,. The following direction - theme of fear - religious extremisma, forms of terrorist activity, any radical forms. On the other hand, exists attitude to religion as a dying phenomenonAs a remnant, which will soon disappear from the space of culture. And the ways of her dying is interesting to modern media space. "

One of the reasons for the current situation, according to Maxutov, "the absence of religious discourse in modern media, the lack of religious science as brand and religious scientists as experts." However, despite the call for the development of religious discourse, Ivar Maxutov could not answer the question of which he himself belongs to, promising to tell about it in private.

"I would also notice that Orthodoxy folklorization occurs. It is served as a lubok, - began its emotional speech, head of the Association of Orthodox Experts, and. Modern reality is the folklorization of the consciousness of the Orthodox community itself, where there are people who do not want to conquer the media. "

Frolov believes that today they need religious scientists, but highly professional journalists.

The lack of activity of the Orthodox Community also mentioned the chief editor of the Katehon.ru portal. He also reproached in the incompetence of journalists affecting the media issues of religion. "Their claims to the Russian Orthodox Church are at the level:" Here, burned in the Middle Ages Galilee! " And this is the problem of their professional education.

"As for the problem of religious studies," said Arkady Maler, "from my point of view in his history there was one subjective problem. Religious studies as a science that arose in the XIX century was originally created to study the archaic peoples of the colonial countries and the archaic cultures of Europe itself. Therefore, religious language and approaches as a basis are taken pagan traditions, pagan archaic cultures and project presentations, which are characteristic of these cultures, in Christianity. The oncoming movement occurs when many people understand Orthodoxy - their faith is absolutely talked. And when they give out folklore variants of Christian verbation, it provokes journalists to write about the church as an archaic cult. "

From an unexpected angle looked at the modern life of the Church in the media, a leading researcher at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Institute of Religion and Rights: "There was an unexpected picture: on the one hand, the church and Orthodoxy became hostages of their state-owned image, that is, official meetings, official agreements are Glossy, official image of Orthodoxy. And this image, quite hard and monolithic, opposed the image including other religious movements, for example, sect.

At the same time, in the articles that were previously dedicated to sects, the sectarians were condemned not for deception and more, for which they should be accused, but for being a sign of religious activities: for children's teaching, for emotional prayer. It is precisely because neither journalists nor the society had ideas what religious activities are. And it is quite natural that against the background of the confrontation of these two images there was a folklorization of Orthodoxy. The current situation is changing radically. Claims, curiosities, fears - it will always be. But for the first time on the federal canal, parodies appeared on clergy. Sometimes it looks incorrect and offensive, but it is the revival of the image of the church, the manifestation of what she begins to live in society and in the media. "

Still, the church is interesting to modern media, believes Ilya Vevürko, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies of Moscow State University. "I don't want a brand to be my faith and my science, he also stated, half amemizing with Ivar Maxutov, - brands are created in order to sell anything. "BRANDIZATION" of the church seems to me aboutnext problem than the unclaiming of it in the media. The church itself in the brand is impossible to turn, but its parts can be. And it is capable of disrupting people from the church. "

The responsible editor of the "magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate", the responsible editor of the "magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate": "If we make a BRAND from religion, something bad will happen to him (religious)." But in the discussion, Chapin does not see any problem. "In modern media formats, the Orthodox itself can be talked about current events. Everyone who has the opportunity to say is to do it. The main thing is that religion and faith are interesting when they are alive. And if you are talking about something alive, "it makes others listen."

"It seems to me that the idea that people know less about religion than about politics is not entirely correct. - said the chairman of the Synodal Information Department.

Maybe a policy as a phenomenon is easier, and we have an illusion that the mass reader, the viewer in politics understands better than in religion. But I can not say that I do not see the problems in this. German sociologists, for example, offered a concept stupctionswhich they use to characterize the modern media. And not see this - naive. "

Why is it dangerous to give comments for the media, told, writer, publicist, TV presenter: "This is a trap, confirmation of commented nonsense, even if the commentator expresses the opposite position." And then expressed a fairly sad forecast that in the future there will be several audiences of the media: the first - the Messengers, with which you will not talk about deep, they need references like that whether there is a carrot in the post. The second - educated believers and the third - an anti-church formed part of people, which is becoming more and more. And you need to think well, how to talk to them.

The main thing is to speak with the media without imposing any ideologues - considers Andrei Zolotov, Editor-in-chief of the magazine "RUSSIA PROFILE". "It doesn't seem to me that the task of the media includes the construction of some ideology for russian society, "He says. - At least need to be competently describing what is happening, and adequately represent it. In my opinion, the state of affairs with religion in the media is incomparably better than it was ten years ago: and formats, as it sounds terrible, they added different, and people gained, and interest in this topic is definitely there. Today the church is objectively an important part of public life. "

"The journalist can be Orthodox. But if his Orthodoxy affects how he does his job, in my opinion - this is a problem. Just as there should be no "Orthodox religious scientists". In this sense, I hope that you do not understand what religious tradition I treat, "said in his final Ivar Maksutov, intriguing those present.

All participants in the round table in one way or another agreed that religion is present in the space of modern media. But the question is what place she should take there, remained open. Is it possible to say, talk about faith from television screens? The correspondent of our portal asked participants:

To this question portal Alexander Arkhangelsky replied: "I myself, as a presenter, I have no right to carry from the screen any of my point of view. But I can bring to the studio of guests who will be bright and sincerely talk about faith in my program, not repulsive, but on the contrary, attracting the viewer to his ideas. "

"How to talk about faith on television? Television is different. There are channels on which I would not touch this topic at all, - said Felix Razumovsky, historian, writer, author and leading cycle of programs "Who are we?" on the TV channel "Culture". - The television space is decorated with us with the same channels in their tasks. They compete among themselves who wonder e.e. In general, the question I would translate wider: sometimes the very appearance orthodox man On the television screen, his conversation on any disagreeing theme (if he speaks as a Christian) is already a certificate of Christ. And he can talk about the economy, history ... But we have very few Orthodox people on TV. "

Perhaps other opinions about how to talk about faith on modern media spaces, will be made on the round table next time.

"I have a fundamentally significant presence of such intellectual sites, where the problems of church, church and public life will be discussed. - said. - It seems very important to me that different people gathered there, so that they are not afraid to talk to each other, exchange opinions ... "

1. Introduction

For the blessing of His Holiness, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II for the first time in the history of our church in this anniversary year we are holding the Congress of the Orthodox Press.

The founders of the Congress are the Publishing Council of the Moscow Patriarchate, other synodal departments, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Union of Journalists of the Russian Federation, Moscow State University, the Radonezh Orthodox society and a number of other organizations. According to today, about 450 people from ten countries and 71 dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, most of Russia (about 380 people from 52 dioceses) arrived at Congress, then from Ukraine (from 12 different dioceses), Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Latvia, Estonia and from the Berlin Diocese. Among the participants are representatives of diocesan media, secular media writing to church topics, Orthodox journalists of local Orthodox churches.

The goals and objectives of the Congress are:
- Consolidation of efforts of Orthodox journalists in the case of Orthodox education and familiarization of the general public with the position of the Church on the main issues of social and political life;
- work to improve the qualifications of Orthodox journalists;
- Strengthening the cooperation of the Church with secular journalists, writing to church topics;
- the creation of the "Union of Orthodox Journalists of Russia" and the formation of its regional offices.

We assume to consider on Congress such aspects of journalism as freedom of speech and information in the modern world, the independence and responsibility of the press, issues of journalistic ethics from an Orthodox point of view.

Our congress takes place in the anniversary year, on the threshold of the third millennium from the Nativity of Christ, so it suffers not only to talk about current problems, but at the same time keep in mind a wider perspective, summarize a wider length of time. The last 10 years in the life of the Church were very important for the revival of all sides of church life, including Orthodox journalism.

There should be a few words to explain the main topic of the Congress. Two thousand years ago, the greatest event occurred in the history of mankind: a phenomenon in the flesh of our Lord and the Savior Jesus Christ. The event was drastically changed the world: as it is Christianized, people have realized that a person, being a way and similarity to God, is free: he is inherent in the right to life, the right to freedom of conviction, finally, freedom of speech in defending their beliefs.

Whatever they spoke about the reforms of the last decade in our country, one does not deny anyone: the freedom of speech is acquired by society. The whole question is only as we use this freedom.

The outgoing century was tragic for our long-suffering Fatherland. The world witnessed confrontation, intolerance, bite in society, which led to the civil war, bloodshed, the death of millions of people.

But today, do not we feel that the spirit of separation begins to master our souls? After finding freedom to confess and preach any beliefs immediately occurred the period of their frantic clashes. And again people "their" oppose "someone else's", again "their" power, "their" ideas - are considered more valuable than "other people's", and not only ideas, but also life! So, 1917 is not a random page in the history of Russia!

The strength of the media is enormous, but, like any power, it can be both a detrimental for the people and benefactor.

Recently, many archpastors, clergymen and believers of the Russian Orthodox Church are increasingly expressing concern that the state remains indifferent to promotion of violence, the interethnic, interfaith, social and other hostility, moral promiscuity, debauchery, as well as other phenomena contrary to both Christian, so and natural, universal morality, through printed and audiovisual products, radio and television. As a rule, the press perceives such judgments as an attempt to freedom of printing. But after all, the activities of modern media can be considered as an attempt on human freedom to live morally, since the imposition of the cult of immorality also limits the freedom of human choice, as well as cruel censorship.

Therefore, conscious of themselves by citizens great country, heirs of the Great Orthodox Culture, we can and must withstand vulgarity, cynicism, confusion modern lifeWhoever we would be, whatever do, wherever they work: in the newspaper, in the magazine, on the radio, on television. Do not give the soul of human to melted in everyday worries, remind her of her original calling to achieve divine heights - an important part of the journalistic ministry to society.

And first of all, the Orthodox press should be moral and responsible, free and independent.

2. The state of Orthodox periodics before the revolution

The question arises: is not a naked declaration, are free and independent Orthodox media possible in reality? I must say that on the eve of this Congress in the secular media, a series of publications, who have the goal of questioning such an opportunity. Especially here was the newspaper "NG Religion", dedicated to the upcoming Congress a whole selection of materials; In addition to interviews with a member of the Congress Organizing Committee, Vladimir Vigiliansky, apparently, "for objectivity", everything else is withstanding in a sharply critical tone, as they say the names of the articles: "strangled word", "closed nature", "divided with all" , "Is the church journalism possible?" Of course, it is impossible, if you understand the freedom of journalism, as it is convenient for the majority of secular journalists. But today we have already heard the answer to such questions in the word of His Holiness Patriarch, who reminded us of the Orthodox understanding of freedom. Another answer to the same question gives the church life itself - both the current (the existence of many Orthodox periodic publications) and the past, our church story, to which we constantly have to referring our actions with the church legend. Therefore, I suppose relevant to give a short historical certificate about the state of Orthodox periodicals before the revolution.

Its beginning refers to the first quarter of the XIX century, when the reforms of spiritual and educational institutions gave a new impetus to the development of our spiritual academies. In 1821, St. Petersburg The Spiritual Academy of the first began to publish the magazine "Christian reading". But it was a scientific, theological magazine, and the first popular, publicly available publication was the "Sunday reading" weekly, which began to go from 1837. It was placed in it an article of an outdated character, he was produced by the Kiev Great Academy. The first seminary periodic publishing was the Riga magazine "School of Poieness" (1857). Thus, we see that the beginning of the Orthodox periodicals is closely related to our spiritual school. It should be noted that before the revolution, our four academies published 19 periodicals, the spiritual seminaries also published about a dozen magazines, of which the Kharkiv theological and philosophical magazine "Vera and Mesum", founded in 1884 by Archbishop Ambrose (keychairev).

In the second half of the XIX century, in addition to academic, many other spiritual magazines appeared, which may be called theological and journalistic. In them, along with theological articles, sermons were published, reviewing current events in the Orthodox churches and the nonsense world, criticism and bibliography of current book and journaling publications, essays about wonderful church figures, the lives of devotees of piety, stories from the church life and verses of spiritual content. From the most famous magazines of this kind, we note the Petersburg "Wanderer" Archpriest Vasily Garchlevich (in the appendix to it, in 1900-1911 "Orthodox Bogoslovskaya Encyclopedia"), Kiev's acutely pharmaceutical "home conversation for the national reading" Askochensky, Moscow "showienest reading" and a lot others. For all these theological and publicistic publications of the 1860-1870s, a bold discussion of church and church issues was characterized.

Speaking of official publications, it should be noted that before the revolution, each diocese had its own printed organ - diocesan statements. The initiative of their foundation belongs to the famous hierarch of the XIX century, an outstanding preacher Archbishop Kherson Innokentia (Borisov), who developed their concept in 1853. Its main element was the division of the magazine into two parts: official and unofficial. The official part was intended for decrees and orders of the Holy Synod, the news of the highest state power, especially on this diocese, for the disposal of the diocesan authorities, for reports of movements and jobs, for extracting from annual reports of various diocesan institutions. In the unofficial part, passages from the creations of the Holy Fathers, sermons, articles of an edging, local historical, biographical, local lore and bibliographic materials were printed.

However, only six years later, this concept was submitted for approval by the Holy Syno by the successor of the Lord Innokence in the Department of Archbishop Dimitri (Muretov). Synod not only approved it in 1859, but also sent the proposed publication program to all diocesan bikes. Next year, the Diocesitious statements in Yaroslavl and Kherson began to leave this program, and after another 10 years they have already been published in most dioceses. It is interesting to note that remote dioceses acquired with their magazines before metropolitan.

Later, the central, i.e., the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, began to be published in 1875, and in the 1888th church statements.

Closer to the beginning of the 20th century, the number of publications increased, in which publicly available religious and moral articles for assessed reading, such as "Russian pilgrim", "Sunday Day", "Kormchy", "Holiday of Christian" occupied. Of the popular editing pre-revolutionary magazines 30 published by Orthodox monasteries. In particular, the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra "Trinity Loveks" was very popular. There were also special church magazines dedicated to apologetics, folk education, combating split and sects, naval clergy, bibliography of theological and church-historical literature. As for the parish periodic publications, they were a bit of the revolution, just a dozen.

3. Church journalism in Soviet times

However, all these Orthodox periodic publications (about four hundred names) ceased to exist for the first five years of Soviet power - just like editions, mainly updated, which arose after 1917. Also, really, the emigrant Orthodox editions, for example, "Bulletin of RSHD", Orthodox Thought and others, but in former USSR They were practically unavailable to the average reader, being the ease of special.

For many decades, the only periodical publication of the Russian Orthodox Church was the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate". We had some more periodicals, which went abroad and were designed for a Western audience, for example, "Western European Exarchate Herald" in France (in Russian and French), "Voice of Orthodoxy" in German.

As for the oldest of our magazine, JMM, since the foundation of which next year will be 70 years old (he began to go out in 1931, it was closed in 1935 and was renewed again during the Great Patriotic War, in September 1943), Despite the well-known limitations of the era of totalitarianism, the magazine still played a very big role in the life of the Church. Of course, in its level, he was not allowed with pre-revolutionary publications - neither in relation to the volume (it suffices to recall that in the 1930s he had 8-10 pages, in the 40s - 40-60 and only since 1954 - the current 80 ) nor in relation to the circulation (an ordinary believer it was almost impossible to get it) nor in relation to content. Nevertheless, it was that little light, who could not rejuvenate hostile winds of the era. It was drawn to him, all few of the theological, literary church forces were going around around him. In the magazine B. different time Worked, with him cooperated with outstanding domestic theologians, liturgies, church historians, scholars-Slavists. This tradition continues now. His editors carefully preserves and promotes church traditions, maintaining a high culture of Orthodox journalism.

During all these years, the "magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate" was the voice of the Russian Orthodox Church, which bears the word of the evangelical evidence of the believers of Russia, an invaluable source of information on the events of church life. He made a significant contribution to the preparation of future Orthodox shepherds, in the matter of Christian education and enlightenment of church people, in the case of preserving the purity of our faith.

Throughout the time of its existence, the "magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate", in fact, was the chronicles of the Labor and Days of the Russian Orthodox Church. The patriarchs, greetings, statements and decrees, the definitions of the sacred Synod, the acts of cathedrals and bishops, official reports on the important events of church life were regularly published on his pages. Materials on the adecutions and charifones of new-resistant bishops were published - on these publications, the path of serving the Holy Church of each hierarch can be traced. Since the basis of the spiritual life of the Church - worship, the magazine has always placed reports on the ministry of the Primate of Our Church. Much attention was paid to the magazine of parish life, monasteries and spiritual schools, constantly told readers about the life of other local Orthodox churches, paid great attention to the development of fraternal inter-position relations.

For the past decades in the "magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate" many hundreds of sermons were published dedicated to orthodox holidays, challenge and moral topics; Hundreds of articles devoted to the expressions of the Holy Scriptures, Orthodox dogmatics, moral and pastoral theology, liturgical, canonik, church history, patristics, agiology, church art. Services, Akathists, Holy Prayers were published; Some liturgical texts were printed for the first time with handwritten monuments.

Recently, the volume and proportion of articles devoted to the understanding of the historical past of our church began to increase, the Renaissance of the Orthodox Fatherland, other church problems from the Orthodox positions. The magazine began to regularly print materials about martyrs, confessors and devotees piety of the XX century, to acquaint readers with religious views of Russian culture figures, with the theological heritage of Russian emigration. The journal reflects all the spheres of modern church life, including the problems of spiritual education, pastoral care, social ministry Churches, its interaction with the armed forces, missionary work. On the pages of the journal you can read both the primitive trips of the Holy Patriarch and the works and concerns of a small church community. It publishes articles on all sections of theology, sermons, church-historical work, bibliographic reviews. Materials from the richest heritage of representatives of the Russian Theological and Religious Philosophical Thought of the 20th century are dedicated to the rubric of the magazine "Our Publications".

In the new conditions, when Russia reviving not only with an ever-increasing interest, but also with hope he draws his eyes towards the Church, when church life causes a greater interest in society, the desire is growing in it, to understand her features to bring it to it It is especially necessary a periodic body, promptly and fully informing about everything that happens in an extensive church organism. Such an organ and is the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate".

It should not be noted that in the current conditions of the unusual absence of censorship and, as a result, the excessive "liberation" of other authors, when there was a lot of various religious publications, the role of a periodic publication publishing the official documents of the Church, illuminating the activities of its Primer - Holy Patriarch Alexy, An introducing reader with the official point of view of the Russian Orthodox Church, more than ever, is great.

With the beginning of perestroika in 1989, one of the first church newspapers appeared in the publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate - "Moscow Church Bulletin". The history of her formation is replete with a lot of turns: it was published on the coated paper very small edition, he received in the amount of 2-3 copies on the diocese, so that some bishops highlighted it in the temple as a wallpaper. She went out for some time and applied to the "evening Moscow" circulation over 300 thousand copies. It is currently being produced twice a month, the application "Review of Orthodox Editions" is published quarterly in the newspaper, which places relices and annotations for emerging church literature.

4. The current state of Orthodox periodics

Describing the situation as a whole, it can be noted that over the past decade, the church not only restored its periodic seal in its traditional forms (magazic and newspaper), but also actively develops new forms of such activities. Their appearance is due to modern technical progress, whose achievements are not always bad in itself - it is only important to use them in good use. Thus, the Publishing Department of the Moscow Diocese not only revived the Moscow Diocesan Vedomosti, but he also produces a video reach to them (so far two releases came out).

Nowadays, almost all dioceses have their own church media. Of course, they are very different from the volume, periodicity and, of course, the quality, which, unfortunately, is often unreasonable. There are many reasons for that, including economic: lack of funds in order to attract bright and highly qualified journalists.

Only in one Moscow comes around 30 different Orthodox periodic publications. Some newspapers, such as "Radonezh", are well known not only in Moscow, but also far beyond. This newspaper is inherent high professionalism, competent construction of materials, the level of many articles in it is high, the newspaper is easy to read. From Moscow newspapers, the well-known parish newspaper "Orthodox Moscow" should also be noted, the publishing team of which is successfully working on the Niva of Orthodox journalism, the Say is reasonable, good, eternal. It can be said that such newspapers like "Moscow Church Bulletin", "Orthodox Moscow" or "Radonezh" have its own face, in something they could advance further than others, someone more professional, someone more churches.

The activity of Orthodox youth causes youth Orthodox publications to life - first of all, it is necessary to indicate the student newspaper of Moscow University "Tatianin Day", the magazine of students of the Moscow Spiritual Academy "Meet", a magazine for doubting "Thomas". Unfortunately, the number of Orthodox children's journals is still small, in which there is a very big need; First of all, it is necessary to note the magazines "Bee", "Font", "God's World", "Sunday School".

A special acquisition of periodicals is the Orthodox Church Calendar, which comes out once a year. As you know, now many organizations, both church and private, strive to make calendars, because they are invariably in demand among the population. And it is impossible not to welcome. But one thing when it comes to popular publications contributing to, so to speak, to gradually "churching" of an ordinary secular calendar, and quite another - the publication of the patriarchal church calendar. The latter has its own special tasks: intended mainly for the clearing of the Russian Orthodox Church, it serves to streamline worship, to achieve the liturgical unity of the Church. It's one thing - a secular calendar (the directions in it still does not make it church yet), and quite another - the calendar with liturgical instructions and readings: the problems that arise in the preparation of the latter, such that in some cases, even a highly solemn employees of the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate have to contact For clarification in the liturgical commission in the Sacred Synod, and sometimes personally to the Holy Patriarch. It is unacceptable that these problems are solved in the calendars of various dioceses (as sometimes happened in pre-revolutionary Russia). Especially unacceptable interference with the solution of calendar problems of individuals.

The most common type of publishing activity in the dioceses is the edition of the diocesan newspaper. It can be crowded or constitute just a piece of paper, but in one way or another it carries information about the life of the diocese. Moreover, in some cases, no one is published in the diocese, but at the same time several newspapers (at the same time I do not mean the Moscow and St. Petersburg dioceses, where the situation with the publishing and journalistic activity is special).

Much less than the number of dioceses in which Orthodox magazines are published. This is understandable: the publication, say, the monthly magazine is a much more laborious thing than a monthly newspaper (which, by the way, is often produced as an application to any secular newspaper and uses relevant resources). Deserves all sorts of support for the practice of revival in the new conditions of Orthodox publications, which came to the revolution (for example, the oldest was revived in the St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy orthodox magazine "Christian reading", etc.).

It is important to note that in a number of dioceses comes out church periods not only in Russian, but also in the language of people living there (for example, in the Komi language in the Syktyvkar diocese, in the Altai language - in Barnaul et al.).

As an example of a diocesan newspaper, you can bring the weekly "Word of Life", which goes in the Tashkent Diocese for many years. This publication adequately performs an important task of spiritual ockering of the Orthodox Central Asian flock, and one of the reasons for its success is to be much attention, which pays to the publishing cases Archbishop Tashkent and Central Asian Vladimir. With all his employment, he did not limit himself with the Archpastrics of the new periodic publication, but, in fact, became the most active author: almost every issue of the newspaper is his word, sermon, message. An important place in the newspaper is given to Christian pedagogy, the thoughts of the holy fathers are printed about the upbringing of children, passages from the works of Ushinsky and Aksakov, essays about the Tashkent spiritual school, about Sunday schools in various parishes. From the very first issue in the newspaper illuminates the topic of the history of the diocese; Thus, an essay of the history of the creation of the monthly magazine "Turkestan diocesan statements" was printed - in fact, the predecessor of the current newspaper: a number of publications were devoted to the initial preaching of the Apostle Foma in Central Asia, articles were printed on outstanding Central Asian hierarchs, as well as materials related to the name of the student and The follower of the last Optina elder nectaria, the confessor of the Central Asian Diocese in the 50s of the 1950s of the Archimandrite Boris (Cholchiev; † 1971). The specificity of the Central Asian Diocese - in its location among the Muslim world; Therefore, a number of materials of the newspaper pursues the goal of improving mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims, displeasure the atmosphere of the atmosphere and suspicion. The release of this newspaper, which can be considered an exemplary diocesan edition, lasts nine years.

5. New types of media

a) radio, television

Both in the capital and in the regions the church is actively developing broadcasting. In Moscow, it should be noted the long-term activities of the radio channel "Radonezh", the program "Logos" of the department of religious education and catechization, the transfer of "believe" on the radio "Russia" and others. There are certain achievements in the field of movie development (it should be highlighted in great importance annually by the Golden Vityaz Film Festival Cinematographer conducted by the Union of Cinematographers) and television, where the annual workshop of Orthodox television is played by the same role, the founders of which are the Publishing Council of the Moscow Patriarchate, Orthodox Society "Radonezh "and the Institute for the advanced training of television workers and broadcasting. Over the past years, there were many interesting programs on television, such as "Orthodox Months", "Orthodox", "Canon" and of course the author's transfer of Metropolitan Smolensk and Kaliningrad "Word Shepherd". Unfortunately, not all of them lived to of this day. The activities of the information agency of the Russian Orthodox Church, which highlights the most important events of church life, has great importance in the development of the Orthodox presence on television, illuminating the most important events of church life (earlier this was done by the Agency "Pita"), as well as television programs as the "Russian House" and some others.

The main wish to these forms of the media is greater interaction with the priestly. Invalid cases where speakers on radio stations or on television sometimes put their opinions above canonical norms - it causes temptation among believers.

b) Internet

Two words should be said about the beginning of the development of the church organizations of a new type of publications - electronic media. I mean the worldwide computer network of the Internet, which has become in Western countries, the already familiar means of obtaining information and is now widely used in Russia. With this network, each user can receive information from any point of the globe. A number of church structures both in the center and the dioceses are now taking efforts to install computer equipment to provide Internet access. This will allow the church to use another channel of influence on the minds of our contemporaries, with the help of which the most enlightened part of the youth audience will be able to gain access to the treasury of Orthodoxy, as well as the Russian-speaking population abroad, where, due to the high cost of shipment, our periodic printing practically does not reach.

Currently there are already dozens of Orthodox servers in Russian. Synodal institutions, and individual dioceses, temples and monasteries, educational institutions come to the Internet. One of the largest is the Server "Orthodoxy in Russia", created with the assistance of the Russian Cultural Initiative Foundation; On his pages are placed, in particular, newspapers such as Radonezh and Orthodox Moscow. Created by such a server and the publishing house of the Moscow Patriarchate, it contains all the official publications produced by us, including the "Magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate", the newspaper "Moscow Church Bulletin", the Orthodox church calendar, the chronicle of the Patriarchal ministry and much more.

6. Orthodox topics in secular media

In connection with the increase in social importance of the Russian Orthodox Church in our country in last years And in secular media intensively develops the direction of journalism associated with the coverage of church life. At first, such information was held in the media through the division of culture departments, now in many secular magazines and newspapers there are special browsers writing to church topics, and in some media there are special headings, departments, bands, tabs and applications, entirely devoted to church life.

As examples, you can call the heading "Lampade" in the Labor newspaper, the heading "Blagovest" in the journal "WORKER", and many others.

But there are also publications that have long exposed themselves as obvious enemies of Orthodoxy. The goal is clear: to apply the maximum damage to the church, turn the Orthodox people from it. Even the World Celebration - the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ - some of these publications were used for the premises on their villages of blasphemous articles.

What are the reasons for the mildly non-excellent relationship of many secular media to the church? There are, of course, the conscious enemies, which are still imitating Yemelyan Yaroslavl, look at the church, as a seafood page of alien ideas. Such people are extremely disturbing the big and ever-increasing authority of the church in society. However, most often, I think this is a reaction to the ideological dictation of the recent past, a kind of complex. In the church, they see not the possibility of updating life, but the threat to the dissemination of a new ideology associated with certain self-restraints, whereas they would like to live without any ideology, absolutely "free." But there is no wonder: the sacred place is not empty, and, rejecting the good Igo Christ, they encourage themselves much more worse slavery. Multi-solid idols. For freedom without restraining principles of Christianity is a matterful and arbitrariness. And the fruits of such freedom are disastrous for a person, they encourage our civilization to disappear.

7. So-called independent Orthodox media

Recently, such "Orthodox" allegedly appeared, which proudly call themselves "independent". I ask yourself: from whom independent? When such titles or subtitles appear in secular media, then this should be understood, of course, not as an indication of genuine independence, since we know that periodic printing is very dependent on its economic owners, from sponsors, etc., but as an indication In the absence of censorship from the authorities, as opposition to all sorts of official printing bodies published on budget funds. When the publication named by Orthodox, simultaneously calls himself "independent", then it or uncritically uses a stamp, suitable only for secular media, or indeed wants to be independent of power - from the church authority, from the priestly. But is it possible?

The church was built on a hierarchical principle and there is no and there can be no structures independent of the priests and associations. In our church history, there was already such a period when after the overthrow of the monarchy in 1917, in many dioceses held meetings, shifted by non-saying bishops and eating new ones. We all remember, what wave of renewal, betrayal, the rupture with the Orthodox tradition ended this period. "Without bishop there is no church" - This cornerstone, for the first time, clearly formulated by the Sacred Martyr Irinem Lyon, is fair in all its strength and today. Therefore, in my opinion, the newspaper cannot be considered Orthodox if the blessing of the Holy Patriarch or the ruling bishine was not given to her edition.

In this matter, the current situation is similar to some extent reminds of the fact that there was a place in relation to Orthodox fractors, which were created with dozens at the beginning of the restructuring. Some of them engaged in political and other activities not only for the benefit of the Church, but also directly harmful to it. The 1994 bishop Cathedral had to even take a special decision on reissuing the charters of Orthodox fractors, adding them to the point that they were created only with the consent of the rector of the parish and on the blessing of the diocesan bishop, so that they were under the responsible guardianship of the rebels.

It is obvious that more than once will have to return to the same topic, since such "independent" media lead an open struggle with the mother of the Church. Reals for this are chosen very different. Allegedly worrying about church problems that do not find permits, in fact, such newspapers only make new tricks in the church organism, work to weaken the church. For those published in them, it is impossible not to see far-reaching plans aimed at splitting the church and, above all, to derogate her role in the national-state revival of Russia. This similar "Jealous of Orthodoxy" is closed with the largest enemies of the church.

In their publications, they watered mud outstanding church figures of the past and current hierarchs. Meanwhile, in such newspapers, they continue to take part - indirectly (subscription, reading) or directly (articles, providing interviews, etc.) are not only ordinary believers, but also priests and even bishops. Asks: Is it allowed canonically? Of course, this is a rhetorical question - for a truly Orthodox consciousness should be clear: such editions destroy church unity.

Speaking of Orthodox media, it should be noted that in the full sense, only those publications, which are established by the official structures of the Russian Orthodox Church - directly by the patriarchate, synodal institutions, monasteries, arrival. Of course, there are many publications that are not in the strict sense of church, but contacting the priesthood for the blessing of their activities. In most such media, squeezed laity work, and we support them. At the same time, it is impossible not to take into account that legally they are private enterprises that are not responsible to the church for the content of their publications. This is a number of dangers in themselves, since under certain circumstances, alien churches, factors and forces may affect the editorial policy. Therefore, it seems particularly important that the founders of the religious media include the official structures of the church, which would have the opportunity not only to be formally blessing, but also to really direct the line in the church channel.

I note that from the point of view of non-church consciousness, what I am talking about, looks just like a struggle of churches with independent church media and secular journalists covering church issues. We don't suffer such an inspection, as the church is not a parliament, where the pluralism of opinions and a fractional struggle reigns. But when such judgments are accompanied by fictional messages like the fact that recently appeared on the pages of "Russian thought", that allegedly published the publishing council in all diocesan departments "black list" of the media, from meeting with journalists of which clergymen are recommended to refrain, we must directly declare that it is slander.

In essence, it is not surprised at this: you know well that the world from the moment of the emergence of Christianity is in a state of war; And in the war, as in war, do not sway with any means. But this general consideration is currently in relation to Orthodoxy in Russia, it has a purely political component: Orthodoxy is the last scrap of Russia, and therefore for many in the West it is the main target. At the same time, attacks on the Church of Christ are carried out both from outside and from the inside. And the enemy inside the church, which puts on the mask of the Cleanliness of Orthodoxy, is more dangerous than the enemy of the external, for it is more difficult to recognize. His favorite reception - slander on the priesthood of the Russian Orthodox Church, the use of unclean techniques of lies, distortion of facts, their biased interpretation. In the name of what these people are learned? The answer is simple: the authors and leaders of such newspapers or themselves wish the split church, or simply perform someone else's order.

8. Common problems of Orthodox journalism

a) addressee, language, subject

The first question that arises against Orthodox periodic publications is their addressee. Are they internal church publications designed for already incerent readers, or the main tasks that they set in front of them must be missionary, that is, it is necessary to contact first of all to those who are only on the verge of the temple? The choice of language, and the choice of themes, and the volume of the necessary commentary commentary, depends on the solution of this major question.

In my opinion, it is also necessary: \u200b\u200bthere must be a publication designed for a prepared reader who is familiar with church life, theology, history; And there must be editions for the newcomers. But considering that the ministry of the Church is now in conditions of substantial departing of society, far away from its spiritual foundations and, so to speak, without remembering his kinship, I believe that the missionary bias in the Orthodox media should be predominant. In accordance with this, the language of newspapers and magazines must be understandable to most people. But there is some danger to which I would like to indicate. Whatever missionary goals have set themselves journalists, still not every language is suitable for articles and notes in which it is about high, about the holy. A commendable desire to expand the reader's audience, to contact this or that social group to keep in it the Christian sermon should also have its borders. Unthinkable, for example, bearing the good news in the uzakh, to state it, "applying" to the mentality of criminals, in their own language; It is clear that such a journalist will lose themselves, and readers will not gain. The same can be said about the use - in the desire to master the young hearts - Zhargon youth parties.

Now about the subject. There is such a type of publication as the newsletter. The intensity of church life is now very high, and fill the newspaper bandwides with news (if there is an Internet, it is very easy to do) - the simplest thing to do the editor. But for most newspapers and magazines information about the events of church life is too little so that the publication is truly interesting to readers. Not enough and simple reprint of passages from the patristic creations. The benefit of the news of the Lord Jesus Christ is addressed to every person, but every generation of people perceives it in his own way, since it is in a new historical situation. And most importantly, that may be interested in the reader, this is how the eternal truths of Christianity refracted in the consciousness of his contemporary. Therefore, I believe that the main place in the Orthodox media should hold presentations of modern clergymen, believers of scientists and cultural figures, Orthodox publicists.

Today, many preachers speak the language, drawn from the books of the last century, do not seek to revive their knowledge, bring them to a modern person. Such a sermon is not effective, talking about the deepest truths of the Gospel and about church life should be a clear modern language.

I would like to mention another moment related to the press language. For modern ideologized consciousness, it is very characteristic that an understanding of one or another publication in the old sense, i.e. Following the arguments of the author and the like work of thoughts are often replaced by the identification of "their" or "alien" for a few conditional signs that can be found in the material with the most fluent viewing. At the same time, the reading of texts and the hearing of the speeches turn into a search for a few keywords like "Patriot", "Democrat", "Nationalist", "Ecumenist". I urge the Orthodox journalists less use with such stamps, inevitably vulgarize the thought and not conducive to unity in society.

Another example represents people, many talking about the need to translate worship for Russian for his best understanding (I note in brackets - things are extremely thin, requiring many years of work), and in fact limitating the fact that instead of "Pak and Paki" say "again and Again, instead of "won" - "boring" and instead of "belly" - "Life", which absolutely does not add anything to understanding the liturgical text. Here these modified words, an example of a chain, also have a functional meaning of the password, identifying sign to demonstrate the progressiveness to all surrounding conservatives.

The most important topic for the Orthodox media is the fight against information that displays our society in secular media. The church press should be involved in the development of the mechanisms of fence from the decomposing influence on the media of freedom, which is not contained by Christian morality or a sense of responsibility.

I would also like to wish to the Orthodox journalists, so that in the church press the opinions of the older generation of clergy, who made a heavy cross stand in faith in the years of the goggle regime. There are not so many such people now, and you need to hurry to talk with them, to interview them, adopt their spiritual experience. Comparison of their views and thoughts on key church problems with the opinion of younger people, Orthodox journalists would, I think it is extremely helpful.

b) controversy in Orthodox media

Another question is whether it is necessary to light in the Orthodox media that take place in the church medium of non-conflicts and conflicts, or, in a professional language, how should the ratio between the positive and negative? You know that not all well in our church life. The church is a living organism, and it would be strange if some of his members did not hurt from time to time, especially in conditions of such rapid changes that we have been experiencing in recent years. Yes, we now live in an open society, and the Church has no secrets both from their members and from the society as a whole. But when these conflicts are highlighted, it is necessary to exercise a wise balance. For Orthodox publicists there are no prohibited topics. It is only important to remember the words of the Apostle Paul: "Everything is permissible to me, but not everything is useful ... not everything is quitted" (1 Cor. 10, 23). The task of church journalists is the creation, and not destruction. Therefore, criticism in the church press should be acute, but not mirder, but friendly.

It is important not to succumb to emotions, to show spiritual sobriety. It is not always helpful to criticize publicly seen deficiencies, knowing that it will cause in secular printing first of all the shouts of newspaper cauldres. Sometimes it is useful to contact himself directly to the priesthood asking for measures. The point is not so much to imitate one or another sin, lack; It is important to fix it, and in such situations the church press should, not give up to provocations, to promote not inflating, but with the removal of such conflicts, their final disappearance of our church life.

We live in difficult time, we still have no strength and money on a lot, and it should be borne in mind and try to understand the actions of the Sacred Capacity, instead of improving it in those or other pregnursions.

To get involved in criticism and spiritually unsafe. The matter is not only dangerous to break the Merry commandment "Do not judge." A polemical attitude gives rise to a special lightness in publicist, the habit is sometimes difficult to solve, dogmatically difficult problems - from the shoulder, with extraordinary speed. The consequence of all this is the loss of a feeling of reverence to the Holy, loss of piety, that is, the traditional Orthodox mindset.

The desire of some publicists writing to church topics, to appeal in its controversy, looks particularly unsightly, appeal to secular public opinion. Of course, there are no direct establishments in the holy canons, prohibiting such an appeal, but I think it can be viewed in the same way as an appeal to civil authorities in church affairs, which is directly prohibited by canons. I also note that in the same canons it is said that before considering the complaint from cleric or Miryanin against bishop or cleric, the question of the right of the complaint is: what is the public opinion about him and whether his impulse is pure.

Many problems are caused by the insufficient contact of Orthodox journalists with priests. It is clear that due to the technical reasons, this contact is not always easy to implement, but everyone needs to remember that we make a common cause and therefore should strive to understand each other.

c) ethics of the Orthodox journalist

The Orthodox journalist should very seriously approach the issues of journalistic ethics. It is important that the Orthodox press does not admire the unscrupulous techniques of some of the secular editions so that it does not shy away from the sharp problems, at the same time did not deal with the discrepancy, did not sow a retail between believers and shepherds, between faith and culture, between the church and the state. Should be remembered that to journalism, as no other sphere human activity, the words of the Lord are attached: "For any idle word, what people will say, they will give an answer on the day of the Court: for from the words of their own words, and they are condemned from the words" (MF. 12, 36-37).

The Orthodox journalist must constantly remember the commandment of love for neighbor, about responsibility for any word said, to show respect for the author or companion. If he makes any changes in the words, or written by him (be it literary processing or abbreviation), then it is necessary to introduce them to the author, before publishing them or put on ether. Before publishing, you must definitely show the text to whom you did a conversation.

Unfortunately, there are often cases when the editors of Orthodox newspapers reprint materials of other Orthodox publications not only without appropriate permission, but without any references. The point here, of course, not in copyright, and many authors relate to such a practice quite calm, believing that if their publications benefit people, then than God; But we are talking about a certain culture of relations, an example of which the Orthodox journalists should act.

d) problem censorship

We live in a society that is still experiencing the Euphoria of Freedom. And this dominant mindset in a certain way affects us, and therefore we are as if uncomfortable to talk about the need to restore church censorship. Meanwhile, there is a need for it. The lack of many authors writing to church topics, even the initial theological training leads to significant distortions of Orthodox creed in their work.

As a result, the "spiritual" literature appears, on the pages of which you can meet the blatant heresy, reasoning about the damage and the evil eye, the mass of unverified rumors is placed. But there are quite a few really wonderful events in the past century, but they literally drown in this sea legends and myths. Therefore, I believe that the problem of church censorship today has not been removed from the agenda.

Currently, a certain replacement of the Institute of Spiritual Censor is a premises on the relevant editions of the Grifs: "Printed on the blessing" - the Holy Patriarch, the ruling bishop - or "is printed by decision of the Publishing Council." In my opinion, all the literature of spiritual content sold in the temples should have a mark on the passage of the relevant examination and the name of the censor should be indicated.

It should notice that the efforts of the modern media the idea of \u200b\u200bunacceptability of censorship as such is introduced into church consciousness. But censorship for us is not an attempted freedom, but a way to preserve our church wealth accumulated by millennia. Restrictions in the methods of self-expression of authors can sink different types of pluralists; But in matters of salvation, that is, life and death, the church has other priorities.

As for the periodicals, then, in my opinion, only the actual church media (diocesan, parish) may have in the first sheet of the vulture "printed on the blessing." When we see such a vulture in the secular Orthodox edition, it raises questions: does any of the authorized persons who are authorized by the Sacred Persons look? After all, otherwise, the publisher is issued a clean form with a signature, a kind of card blanche, and sooner or later problems may arise.

The fact that in this case can be reached up to complete absurdity, the practice of the premises of the "blessing" of the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga John on the title page with one Orthodox "independent" newspaper is evidenced. Meanwhile, all new authors appear in it, who did not even know the deceased Lord, and the tonality of the newspaper in recent years has changed significantly.

The emergence of the Internet essentially provided the opportunity to have his own media to each person. At the same time, from the point of view of the user, purely externally, personal sites are not distinguishable from those that are created by the well-known print bodies. Moreover, for the publication of traditional media, it is required to obtain a license of the Ministry of Printing of the Russian Federation, and no permission is required to create an electronic newspaper. It is clear that in these conditions the problem of the church blessing of such editions will rise particularly sharp, and we will face this in the near future.

e) the need for state support of Orthodox media

Following its holy debt - to promote the spiritual and moral rehabilitation of society, the Russian Orthodox Church makes significant efforts to publish spiritual literature and Orthodox periodics, in which many of our compatriots are extremely needed, which have lost spiritual landmarks. This task is very difficult under conditions when considerable resources are allocated to various anti-carcaming campaigns. But even for those secular media, which do not directly oppose the church, the desire for "spiritual exotic" - theosophy, magic, occultism, oriental religions and the like doubtful materials from the point of view of the Church.

Unfortunately, the activities of the Orthodox media in this background are not enough noticeable. The main reason here is an economic, resulting from the general difficulties of our state. All fixed assets of the Moscow Patriarchate invests in the restoration of the temples charged by the state - this is not only its holy debt, but also the debt of the whole society; For large-scale journalistic projects, there are practically no funds.

The churches are particularly lacking at the present time of its central newspaper, in which it could, in no way intervene in politics directly, give estimates with one or another phenomena in society from spiritual and moral positions, so to speak, "from the point of view of eternity." This line is strictly maintained in the newspapers contribute to the rapprochement of various opposing forces, mitigating the fierce of political struggle, the unity of society as a whole. It seems to us that such a position and expressing its overallity newspaper deserve state support, despite the fact that the church in our country is separated from the state. Spirituality and morality is something, without which the nation cannot be healthy.

It seems that the creation of a general terrorist Orthodox newspaper is a truly state and therefore we have the right to count on state support, which turns out to be many secular "independent" media. The detailed plan of such a publication exists and will be transferred to us to the Committee on the Press and Information of the Russian Federation.

9. Management of Orthodox Periodics

Given the importance of the media in the modern world, I would like to draw the attention of the hosted archpastors to the need to pay the most serious attention to the Orthodox media, which are issued in the dioceses managed by them. Moreover, it is not only about the need to provide them with all-friendly support, including material, but also on the ocker of relevant publications, about the spiritual guidelines them. Then there will be no case of occurring conflicts between the press and church structures.

To carry out the overall management of Orthodox publishing activities, including church media, is intended by the Publishing Council of the Moscow Patriarchate. The priesthood of our church gives its activity great importance, as evidenced by the fact that last fall, the status of a synodyl department was given to the definition of the sacred synod. But while the main activity of the Council is not connected with periodic printing, but with book publishing - he performs the review of manuscripts voluntarily sent by the publishers with a request to bless their publication. In most cases, the manuscripts sent are subject to benevolent criticism and amendments and comments are recommended for release, but they still meet, and relative to which the Council cannot give the requested blessing due to serious defects, and even the non-reluctory nature of the work.

The Publishing Council is ready to disseminate the already accumulated experience of such review and on periodic printing, but there is still no necessary conditions for this. Regret should noted that we still get not all newspapers and magazines that are produced in dioceses. It is possible to organize an all-sector competition of the Orthodox media, within which it will be possible to compare various periodicals among themselves and give them an Orthodox assessment.

10. The need to elaborates the general staff newspaper and the creation of a press center with the Holy Patriarch

The activity of the Orthodox media, the activity of the Orthodox media, cannot get rid of the feeling that there is a spray. Many different periodicals are published, while it is clearly lacking one truly large, solid, influential edition. In addition, most of our periodicals, in fact, are intracerer, their subjects and language are not always understandable to a wide audience, therefore, they cannot perform a missionary function. In other words, it is clearly called the need to create a mass all-Russian weekly Orthodox newspaper, which would write not only about intracerer life, but also about the world from the point of view of the Church and Orthodox worldview.

When discussing the concept of the Russian Orthodox socio-political cultural and educational newspaper, first of all, we must define several important positions: its addressee, the principles of information selection, sources of information, material base, and the like.

As for the addressee, in our opinion, such a newspaper needs the widest range of readers, to all those people in Russia, who profess themselves Orthodox and sympathize with churches, but are not churches (according to some estimates there are 60% of the country's total). Considering that people are tired of newspapers and slander, political engagement of Russian publications, promoting debauchery, witchcraft and violence, worships before material values \u200b\u200band base "mass culture", then the presence of an Orthodox public newspaper illuminating all topics in terms of Christian values will attract a huge number of readers.

The main task of such a newspaper is the consideration of current issues of modern life from the point of view of the Church in order to influence public opinion and political institutions. Of course, in addition to utilitarian purposes - to be a source of information - the Orthodox newspaper should be a witness of truth: to bear this truth, to assert and protect it.

Of course, the reader does not have the right to wait for such a newspaper, the selection of information is already some bias. But if there are quite earthly ideas about the truth for non-Christian consciousness to the criterion of objectivity, then for Christians such a criterion can only be the one who himself is "path and truth and life." An important approach to the Christian idea of \u200b\u200bthe "objectivity" was given by St. John Chrysostom: "We pray or post," he wrote, "you blame or forgive, silent or talk or do something else: we will do everything in God's glory."

Very seriously the question of the material database of the publication. Now the control of information is power, so I am confident that many political forces will want to support her finances. However, financing in a modern understanding is always "ideological" control, therefore direct control from the church is extremely important here. It is possible that such a newspaper could be the authority of the Union of Orthodox Journalists, which we assume to create on this congress. In any case, the activities of the sponsors of the newspaper should not contradict Christian commandments.

As for sources of information, the church today has practically no information service, except for the information agency of the Russian Orthodox Church, oriented mainly on television. Such a service must be created, and the faster, the better. Its foundation can be the "press service" under the Holy Patriarch. Of course, to some extent, church information passes through ITAR-TASS and other agencies, but to use existing secular agencies with a loan - many of them are associated with political parties and certain ideological structures. The task of creating a general terrorist Orthodox news agency is now quite real, for finding believers in diocesan departments and major urban temples throughout Russia and abroad is not so difficult.

The newspaper, which is coming about, should not be done just Orthodox, but necessarily church journalists. In Moscow, such journalists are. The Orthodox newspaper must become a center that unites the church intelligentsia.

Of course, it would be perfect if a similar newspaper was daily, but at the moment it is hardly achievable. However, the first two or three years to publish a weekly newspaper is quite forces. It simplifies the work in terms of response to events and facts, but also obliges to analytics, eliminates the "eligibility right" and any inaccessibility.

As for the spread of such a newspaper, the church has a unique communicative system: diocesan administrations, adolescent districts, temples - on the one hand; And shops, kiosks, trays selling church utensils and church literature - on the other. Only they, in addition to the subscription, can ensure the distribution of at least one hundred thousand copies of the newspaper.

The newspaper not only should not avoid "difficult", but, on the contrary, look for them, talking about them with the reader, representing the Christian understanding of these problems. Of course, a clergy life will be a priority theme for her: the newspaper should inform about the events and problems of the Russian Orthodox Church and give them due assessment, as well as to withstand anti-carcasters and anti-Christian publications in secular printing. The priority topics also include social problems: disadvantaged people (refugees, disabled people, orphans, pensioners, patients, etc.), people who captured passions and rejected God (alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals, players, etc.) The problems are not at all the "human rights", but the rights of concrete people. The newspaper should stand on the positions of fundamental non-partisanity, the protection of national and state interests, openness to everyone who contributes (regardless of party and religious affiliation) stability, who are looking for ways of understanding, association and peace in society.

11. Questions of training journalistic personnel

In connection with the intensive development of Orthodox journalism in recent years, the question of the preparation of journalistic personnel has become very relevant. The publishing house of Moscow Patriarchate pays great attention to this problem. Five years ago, it was created by the Institute of Church Journalism, two years ago he was transformed into the Faculty of the Russian Orthodox University named after John the Bogoslov, which this year will already have the 3rd set. Now the future church journalists receive more thorough preparations for theological disciplines, study ancient and new languages. Many students today are full-time employees of various church publishers. As an educational practice, they publish their student newspaper "University Bulletin", where everything - from writing articles and to a computer layout - do themselves. Currently prepared the second number of this newspaper.

There are many requests from the diocese about the opening of the correspondence department at the faculty, this issue is currently being studied.

12. Creation of the "Union of Orthodox Journalists of Russia"

The facts given in the report indicate that in the field of media the church and society in recent years do all new steps towards each other. Meanwhile, the activities of the Union of Journalists of Russia proceeds as if this new phenomenon in the life of the country simply does not exist. The church journalists do not propose to enter into members of the Union, we do not send invitations to various events conducted by the Union - "Round Tables", professional contests, etc. Among the many negative consequences of such a situation can be indicated on the extremely low level of publications on church issues in secular periodic editions.

It seems that the conditions have matured and the time has come to correct this position. A year ago, the participants of the "Round Table": "Publishing Activities of the Russian Orthodox Church", held in the framework of the VII of Christmas educational readings, discussed the state of church periodic press in our country, expressed the opinion that one of the significant drawbacks in this area is the disunity of church funds Mass media. As a measure that contributes to improving coordination and interaction between church journalists, a proposal to create an union (or fraternity) of Orthodox journalists were made. This proposal found unanimous support among the gathered and was decided to refer to the priestly with a request to bless the creation of such an association. Having received such a blessing, we assume to discuss on our Congress the question of the foundation of such a union.

In our opinion, the "Union of Orthodox Journalists of Russia" should be a creative public association established in order to promote the Russian Orthodox Church in the Enlightenment of the Company, the propaganda of Orthodox spiritual and cultural values, the improvement of professionalism, skill and the interrelations of its members. In the exercise of its activities, the Union will comply with the canonical rules, the challenges, theological and other traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. Its members will be Orthodox professional creative employees of diocesan publishing houses, newspaper and magazines, radio, television and Internet channels, news agencies, as well as individual journalists and entire public associations that share the goals and objectives of the Union and the promotional activities.

In the environment of secular journalists, there is a certain concern that the creation of the "Union of Orthodox Journalists of Russia" will lead to the division of people with the general profession of a journalist, according to religious sign. But we consider our future organization not in opposition to the existing All-Russian Union of Journalists, but as its division.

On the other hand, it is important not to repeat the errors that were committed when registering the Union of Orthodox Brotherhoods, whose charter did not meet the church law and government law. This discrepancy was that the Union declared himself a public organization, but determined the directions of its activities on the general-worker, diocesan and parish levels, without providing interaction with the canonical church structures and responsibility to the hierarchy.

Completing his speech, I want to wish participants of the Congress of Success in upcoming work and fruitful discussions on issues briefly indicated by me in the submitted report.

Archbishop Bronnitsky Tikhon,
chief editor of the publishing house of the Moscow Patriarchate