Symphonia (Greek:συμφωνία 'accord') is a normative theory or concept inEastern Orthodox Christiantheological andpolitical thought, especially within theEastern Roman andRussian Empires, which posits thatchurch andstate are to complement each other, exhibiting mutual respect with neither institution presuming to dominate the other.[1]
The theory can be traced back to the policy ofRoman EmperorConstantine I (r. 324–337). EmperorJustinian I (r. 527–565) expressed this position when he said: "A distinction is drawn between the imperial authority and thepriesthood, the former being concerned with human affairs and the latter with things divine; the two are regarded as closely interdependent, but, at least in theory, neither is subordinated to the other."[2] Such a position is scripturally based as evidenced in severalOld Testament texts; the most notable references being that ofMelchizedek the priest-king and the brotherly relationship betweenAaron, the high priest, andMoses, the leader ofIsrael fromEgypt.
The theory is believed to have been embodied in the Byzantine Empire from the time of Justinian's reign, whenecclesiastical andcivil law were indivisible, that is, canon law came to be enforced by theemperor. It was reasserted in theStoglav, a church code promulgated in theTsardom of Russia in 1551. In Stanley Harakas' view,[3] "there are almost no existing presuppositions for its implementation as a system of Church–state relations in our times", and "at most, it presents 'an impossible ideal' in the contemporary world, which may illumine some attitudes for Orthodox Christians regarding their views of the well-ordered state as well as the relationship of the Church toward the state."
Symphonia became the subject of political discussion inRussia[4] when it was brought up and dwelt upon[5][6] byPatriarch Kirill of Moscow in the presence of PresidentDmitry Medvedev the day following Kirill's accession to theRussian Orthodox patriarchal throne on February 1, 2009.
