Tertius Romane: An Examination Of Muscovite Mystical Political Theology

The relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian state has received less than required academic attention. In the post-Soviet space, the Russian Church has again begun to interact with the Russian state. Through research of Russian primary sources including chronicles, vitae of princes, and various correspondence, this paper traces the origins of the relationship between Church and State and examines both the mystical and political theological actualities of such. This thesis demonstrates similarities, historical themes, and aspects of Church and State interactions through a comparison to Ernst Kantorowicz’s The King’s Two Bodies: A Study in Mediaeval Political Theology that can be applied to examine modern day Russian Church and State political theology.