Tradition and the ideological "exaptation" of Christianity in modern Russia

The article analyzes the transformations of the social system that occur as a result of the use of its resources by other social actors. Using the example of the use of the heritage and the potential of the religious tradition for the construction of social stereotypes, ideologies, mythology in contemporary Russian society, the author concludes that, with the preservation of the name and stereotyped image of them, we are dealing with something fundamentally different from their original state. The ideological reception of religion in the post-Soviet period, when it fulfilled the role of the most important resource of creating a civic identity, is estimated as an exaptation of religion. This term, borrowed from Slavoj Zizek, is an instrument in the analysis of the transformations of the religious system. Thus, the author points to the ambiguity of the traditional manifestation in the religious sphere, where tradition neutralizes the protest, the intensity of faith transforms into world-accepting and world-affirming social practices. As a result, rituals, customs, forms of socialization, cultural artifacts as external manifestations of religiosity begin to prevail over internal religious experiences, spiritual search. The next important thesis about the connection between traditional thinking and negative identity is illustrated by an analysis of discourses on the themes of ideology, traditions, places and role of the church in society. Negative construction of identity uses various forms of exclusivism, primarily ethnic and religious. This process is accompanied by active social myth-making, which allows legitimizing one's own position. Tradition, in fact, is designed by intellectuals who have political, ideological intents. The attitude to the heritage is selective: only resources that allow one to substantiate their version of the tradition are used; historical events receive a free interpretation, cultural artifacts are used to articulate modern senses. Tradition is meaningful for everyone, and it formalizes religious experience. From the point of view of self-preservation, faith as a tradition is preferable for a social system. The social community, striving for self-preservation, transfers charism from personality to the formed tradition. The collective interest becomes sacred. Thus, Christianity for a structured social system is a dangerous deviation that threatens its existence; it is not traditional.

Keywords

Authors

References