Guarding the Motherland’s Frontiers: The Russian Orthodox Church in the North Caucasus

I argue that the imperial legacy is one of the underpinnings for the ROC’s approach to the state’s security today. The imperial past also shows in the nature of the relationship between the Church and the state, which, contrary to the popular belief, is not just about the state instrumentalizing the Church or vice versa. I would argue that it is the shared views of the two parties which provide the fertile ground for their cooperation. As my case study I have chosen the North Caucasus. I trace the “imperial mark” in the ROC’s views and actions.