This book examines the key 2008 publication of the Russian Orthodox Church on human dignity, freedom, and rights. It considers how the document was formed, charting the development over time of the Russian Orthodox Church's views on human rights. It analyzes the detail of the document, and assesses the practical and political impact inside the Church, at the national level and in the international arena. Overall, it shows how the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church has shifted from outright hostility towards individual human rights to the advocacy of "traditional values."

Kristina Stoeckl is a Research Associate in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Vienna, Austria.

Introduction 1. Four Areas of Encounters and Friction with Human Rights for the Russian Orthodox Church 2. The Human Rights Debate inside the Russian Orthodox Church (2000-2008) 3. The Russian Orthodox Church's Basic Teaching on Human Dignity, Liberty and Rights: Analysis and Interpretation 4. The Domestic and International Human Rights Agenda of the Russian Orthodox Church 5. Religion and Human Rights in Postsecular Society