Traditionalist Orthodox Christian media: discourse structure and peculiarities of the functioning

Abstract

The article considers how the traditionalist Orthodox groups use print and online media for retranslation of their version of Orthodoxy or their model of religious identity. The Orthodox traditionalists focus on the promotion of the Orthodox social mission, stronger cooperation between the Church and the state and anti-Western bias. The analysis is based on two cases: the Yekaterinburg Archdiocese’s periodical «Orthodox Newspaper» and pravoslavie. ru web portal.The study reveals that the traditionalist media have a number of features. Hybridization of genres is observed: sermons turn to interviews, and spiritual essays are presented as news stories. The media construct a specific Orthodox chronotope. The secular concept of relevance as constant change of agenda is substituted for the cyclicity of the church life: the most important events are related to religious feasts.The structure of religious institution is projected on media discourse: the «Orthodox Newspaper» and Pravoslovie.ru range the topics and the authors according to hierarchy principle, inherent in the off-line Orthodoxy. Thus, the traditionalist Orthodox media adapt print and online periodicals for the intergroup communications and needs constructing their own media content.