This paper examines the epistemological tension between theological argumentation and rational medical discourse in Russian religious media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on documentary analysis of 115 religious media articles and 91 official religious documents from Russia and Belarus between 2020-2023, the study identifies a structural paradox: official religious communications exhibit systematic dominance of theological language, yet address societies with low theological literacy, producing a significant communicative gap. Religious media outlets, Orthodox platforms “Pravmir”, “Foma” and “Pravoslavie.ru” in particularly, functioned as interpretive intermediaries, selectively incorporating scientific discourse while maintaining theological primacy. The paper argues that the fides – ratio relationship in this context was characterized not by genuine epistemological dialogue but by instrumental appropriation: science was invoked to confirm decisions already taken on theological and political grounds. This dynamic reveals how religious institutions in post-Soviet contexts navigate competing epistemic authorities under conditions where science retains high symbolic capital yet operates within politically constrained public spheres.
