Religious Tolerance as a Factor of National Security: Theoretical and Instrumental Foundations

Abstract

The question of religious tolerance is one of the most urgent for national security of the state, since the lack of peaceful coexistence between representatives of different religions leads to increasing of social tension and has the negative affecton the functioning of society. The issue of religious tolerance is particularly acute in the mid-confessional states, particularly in Ukraine.

The purpose of the article is an analysis of the concept of «religious tolerance» and its theoretical and instrumental foundations. Special attention is given to the analysis of mechanisms of combating against religious intolerance and the study of religious tolerance as a factor of national security and the mechanism of ensuring the stable functioning of social relations.

It has been established that the religious organizations as structures of formation of values and the social consolidation contribute to ensuring national security in Ukraine. The national security is a complex conceptual phenomenon, and the religious and church life (which combines the church-state, the inter-church and the internal church relations) is its component.

Religion has a powerful potential, which can become a factor of the consolidation of society as well as a destructive factor that leads to destabilization of social relations, in the case of internal and external contradictions. The consolidation of mechanisms of overcoming conflicts and contradictions existing in the religious sphere is of a great importance, particularly in the confessional space of Ukrainian society. One of such mechanisms or instruments is the affirmation of the principles of religious tolerance, which will not only promote the stable functioning of social relations, but also become a factor of the establishment of a safe and peaceful environment of coexistence of different religious groups.

It has been revealed that the overcoming of religious intolerance is directly connected with the democratic system of society, because of the freedom of religious self-determination and religious faith which guaranteed by the Constitution. And, therefore, the question of religious tolerance is extremely important for creating the favorable conditions for the strengthening of democracy and the consolidation of any nation, since ensuring the principles of tolerance is one of the dominant factors of the creation of a consolidated society.