These days many interested observers, in both this and other countries, are asking why for so many years the Russian Orthodox Church has been persistently raising the same questions in the field of education and, very likely, will continue to do so. Some attribute it to a desire to gain power over society and limit the freedom of citizens. A few have even begun to discuss the clericalization of Russian society. But these assessments of the Church's interest in education are mistaken and only mislead the state and society. Today Russia, and the world as a whole, is in a crisis of civilization. Instability and conflict dominate many spheres of public and social life, and there is no clarity in the goals of the strategic development of human civilization. The deep-seated cause of this crisis is the absence of a unified understanding of human nature. This does not refer to differences of opinion with respect to characterizations of people as these have been formed under the influence of national and cultural traditions. In this regard, there will always be diversity. It refers to the reflection and correlation in civic and public life of basic characteristics such as the biological and spiritual dimension, freedom of choice and freedom from sin, material consumption and spiritual perfection. In Russian society, unfortunately, there has been no unified position with respect to these basic concepts. This is why the uncertainty of their future persists. In this situation, the Russian Orthodox Church, which has a vision of human beings that has been verified in experience over the centuries, is able to make its own important contribution to the creation of public and civic life by way of dialogue with the various forces of society. In this article, the author discusses the role of the church in Russian society and politics, and argues against giving other religions a place in the school curriculum. [This article was translated by Kim Braithwaite.]