On the basis of the latest research and data of sociological sources, the article examines the revival of religious institutions in Russia in the late 20th – early 21th century. The relevance of scientific research is due to the important role of religious institutions in the process of development of civilization, culture, ideological education and social consciousness. Religion has been and remains the basis of an ideological instrument in any state since its inception. The evolvement and development of a rule-of-law state largely depends on the level of civil society development and on the ideological orientation of the population, which, in turn, is an objective social basis of a democratic state. In the last few decades, the issues of religion have been very actively covered in the media, religious programs have been appearing on TV, clerics are invited to talk shows, and the internet is filled with religious sites. The relationship between the existence of religious associations and changes in the socio-political situation in the country in individual confessions, including by changing the dynamics of their number is shown. Like any social institution, religion has its own special cultural symbols, which in an extremely concentrated form create a religious picture of the world in public consciousness. The level of civil society development is largely determined by the existence of autonomous public associations that unite the society and ensure its effective interaction with the state. The conclusion about the development of a certain system of institutional norms in the change of ideological standards in the modern Russian Federation is formed. Special attention is paid to the regional aspect of the problem on the materials of the Mari El Republic.
