The Problem of Resolving Contradictions Between the Secular and the Religious in the Political Sphere: A Regional Aspect

This article is devoted to the study of the problem of resolving the contradiction between the secular and the religious in politics. The study is based on a postsecular view of modern society and the processes taking place in it. Supporters of postsecularism believe that it is a new formation and a phase in the development of social consciousness, which replaces the phase of secularization. In their opinion, one of the most important characteristics of the postsecular world is the active return of religion to the public space, including the political sphere. The new reality demonstrates a departure from the traditional forms of interaction between religion and politics and requires its own understanding. Thus, modernity has actualized a number of questions that society has to answer. And one of the key questions is this: if liberal constitutions are designed to protect the interests of all citizens, what should be done with believers who are full citizens of the state, but the state policy should be freed from any religious "pollution"? The authors attempted to answer this question by studying the sphere of interaction between religion and politics in the Republic of Tatarstan, a subject that positions itself as a territory of interfaith harmony. The empirical basis of the research was legal documents of the republican level concerning the subject matter, materials of the site of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan and the site of the Tatarstan Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church. As a result, it was concluded that the problem of resolving the contradictions between the secular and the religious in politics is solved by enhancing interaction between government departments and religious organizations, especially Muslim ones. The republic's Muslims actively establish both formal and informal contacts with the authorities, thereby influencing the formation of the political agenda. This fact itself indicates the presence of trends showing that the territory has embarked on the path of postsecular development. However, the movement towards a postsecular society in the republic seems today to be "half-hearted". As mentioned above, one of the hallmarks of such a society is the neutral position of the state in relation to all worldviews represented on its territory. This provision does not characterize the current state of affairs in the Republic of Tatarstan, since the Islamic-oriented position of the state is obvious. Postsecular trends in the republic are only beginning to emerge, the political influence of Muslim organizations is fragmented, but it tends to increase.

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