Russian Influence

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Furthermore, in the sphere of government and politics, the church tried to increase the political, spiritual, and moral authority in the eyes of leaders and subjects alike. Before Christianity was brought to Russia, the hierarchy of government did not include the Russian prince. At the time, he was just a military leader or conqueror who forced his subjects into submission and to exact tributes from them that was exploitative and outright robbery. (63, Kollman)
Their attitude toward religion was different than comparative Christian religions. “They were much less philosophical than the Byzantine and less institutional than the Latin.” (58, Dmytryshyn) Their worship contained a side of church life which was neglected by other traditions. For …show more content…
These roles remained part of the political practice and consciousness of Rus for a long time, although the church did introduce and actively propagate other, more exalted views about the origin and essential character of the prince. (117, Ware) The influence of Christianity in Russian (Rus) politics was reinforced when the clergy instilled in the Russian princes the idea that he should exhibit the dignity and the authority of the Byzantine emperors. The clergy introduced the prince to the Byzantine idea that the sovereign was a man appointed by God not only to protect his country from outside enemies, but to establish and maintain order within the country. (53, Bremer) The prince was supposed to administer justice, defend the weak and oppressed, and punish criminals. His authority was inspired by the divine rights the clergy bestowed upon him. “You have been sent from God to punish the wicked and show mercy to the good,” the clergy told Prince Vladimir. (53, Bremer) Metropolitan Ilarion praised Prince Vladimir because he “frequently consulted very humbly with the bishops, whom he considered spiritual fathers, about establishing the law among people who had recently come to know the Lord.” (54, …show more content…
As one could see from the aforementioned description of the Russian prince, Christianity had a direct effect on the role he played in society. To evolve from a pagan society to a society where Christianity changes a rulers’ role reveals how interwoven Christianity is within the political realm of the makeup of Russian authority. Given their close ties to one another and the foundation of morality Christianity shaped in Russian society, it is almost as if early Rus was a borderline theocracy. This is another example of how Christianity has contributed to the metaphorical DNA of Russian society – past and
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