Russian Orthodox Church Quotes

Servants of the Church by virtue of their rank should be above and outside any political interests. They should remember the canonical rules of the Holy Church whereby she prohibits her servants from interfering in the political life of the country, joining any political parties and, what is more, from making the liturgical rites a tool of political demonstrations

The Establishment Clause prohibits government from making adherence to a religion relevant in any way to a person's standing in the political community.

It is not for the pastors of the Church to intervene directly in the political construction and organization of social life.

It does not befit a bishop or a presbyter to go into the affairs of the people's government, but to be always engaged in the affairs of the Church

What is crucial is that a government practice not have the effect of communicating a message of governmental endorsement or disapproval of religion.

No power of government ought to be employed in the endeavor to establish any system or article of belief on the subject of religion.

The fact that religion plays such a part in how people vote troubles me, troubles me as a minister's daughter. Because I always felt that the separation of church and state was what our forefathers and foremothers really fought for.

We aim in the domain of politics at republicanism; in the domain of economics at socialism; in the domain of what is today called religion, at atheism.

God’s Politics: Why the Right gets it wrong and the Left doesn’t get it.

I don’t see a bit of danger from us having an established religion.

We early freed ourselves from the incubus of a State Church.

One religious denomination cannot be officially preferred over another.

The Government of the United States possesses no power whatever over the question of religion.

The church, by reason of her role and competence, is not identified with any political community nor is it tied to any political system

Too many pulpits have become political rostrums, openly taking sides with party or government as if Jesus Christ Himself, were He living today, would be either a Democrat of a Republican.

Christianity has sufficient inner strength to survive and flourish on its own. It does not need state subsidies, nor state privileges, nor state prestige. The more it obtains state support, the greater it curtails human freedom.

if any sect suffered itself to be used for political objects I would meet it by political opposition. In my view church and state should be separate, not only in form, but fact. Religion and politics should not be mingled.

The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions.

I’m very worried about the religious right. I don’t believe in mixing religion and politics. They do a disservice to religion and to politics.

God doesn't belong in politics.

Our Executive never interferes in the discipline, doctrine, or regulations of any religious society. They were not consulted nor took part in the appointment of our Bishops, or the Church of England, or Methodists.

Father Coughlin has the right to express his views on current events, but he is not authorized to speak for the Catholic Church, nor does he represent the doctrine or sentiment of the Church.

Is it the duty of a deist to support that which he believes to be a cheat and imposition? Is it the duty of the Jew to support the religion of Jesus Christ, when he really believes that he was an imposter? Must the papist be forced to pay men for preaching down the supremacy of the pope, whom they are sure is the head of the church? Government has no more to do with the religious opinions of men than it has with the principles of mathematics

The Russian Orthodox Church, being part of the one Universal Church of Christ, shall have the pre-eminent public and legal status among other confessions in the Russian State, which befits her as the greatest shrine for the overwhelming majority of the population and a great historical force that built the Russian State… As soon as they are made public, decrees and statutes issued the Orthodox Church for herself in the order established by herself, as well as deeds of the church government and court shall be recognised by the State as legally valid and important unless they violate state laws… State laws concerning the Orthodox Church shall be issued only with the consent of the church authorities

No creed of religion can sustain unsullied purity, or support its high destination, which is mingled with the corruptions of human government. Christianity is in its essence, its doctrine, and its forms, republican. It teaches our descent from a common parent; in inculcates the natural equality in mankind; and it points to our origin and our end, to our nativity and our graves, to our immortal destinies, as illustrations of this impressive truth. But at an early period it was pressed into the service of the potentates of the earth; the unnatural union of church and state was consummated; and the scepter of Constantine was supported by the cross of Jesus. The light of knowledge was shut out from the general mass, and confined to the select organs of tyranny; and man was for ages enveloped in the thickest gloom of intellectual and moral darkness