Abstract: the subject of the study is the social service of the Russian Orthodox Church; the object of the study is the processes of interaction of a religious organization with the spheres of public life at the present stage. The author considers in detail such aspects of the topic as the interaction of religion and the economic sphere; directions of social work of the Russian Orthodox Church; cooperation of political actors with religious organizations; the mutual influence of religion and the spiritual sphere. Particular attention is paid to the study of the practice of implementing the social functions of the state by religious organizations, both jointly with state institutions and independently. The modern state is socially oriented, but due to the regulation of the activities of institutions of power, social groups, families, individuals cannot receive guaranteed assistance and support in a timely manner. Therefore, it is important today to study the experience of social service of religious organizations not only in a single country, but also in the world. As a method of research, the author used an analytical review of domestic publications on the social service of religious organizations in various areas of public life. The work presents data from surveys of leading sociological centers of the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion, the analytical center of Yuri Levada and the European Social Research. The analysis of the social service of religious organizations was carried out through the analysis of the accounting cases of religious organizations presented by the Main Directorate of Justice of the Russian Federation. The scientific novelty of the work is connected with the synthesis of domestic practices of social service, reports of religious organizations on priority areas and activities of religious organizations registered in the Russian Federation. The main conclusions of the study are that the interaction of religious organizations, society and political actors will increase. The social service of the Russian Orthodox Church is reaching a new level. Which is distinguished by professionalism, a lot of focus, integration, the involvement of social groups in social service and joint practices with political actors, the development of grant activities.
Keywords: religious, social, orthodox, ministry, activity, spheres, social service