On the need for obtaining special knowledge in the field of economic activities by clergymen and church specialists of the Russian Orthodox Church

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between the normative-canonical framework and organisational models of economic activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in comparison with modern international approaches. The research methodology was based on quantitative and qualitative content analysis of regulatory acts of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation using MAXQDA and AntConc software, as well as comparison with the results of international studies. The results showed that the categories of “legal regulation” (128 mentions, 41.9%), “educational activity” (95-102 mentions, 31.7%) and “organisational issues” (69-73 mentions, 26.4%) prevail in the normative acts of the Russian Orthodox Church. Additionally, the blocks of “ethics and social responsibility” (38-41 mentions) and “international cooperation” (25-27 mentions) were recorded. The practical activities of church institutions coincide with statutory norms only partially: 64% in property transactions and 42% in educational projects. International studies have shown that financial transparency increases the sustainability of religious communities (increasing the number of active participants by 37% and donations by 24%), and the introduction of educational programs and courses on financial literacy helps reduce staff turnover. Digitalisation of document management and online learning has reduced administrative costs by 12-20% and increased the number of students from 4.3 thousand to 11.7 thousand over six years. It has been established that the main discrepancies concern property management and educational training of specialists. The obtained data can be used in developing programs for improving the qualifications of the clergy and improving the system of church management