TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Orthodox Church in the USSR
Two factors to bear in mind
- The Orthodox Church was one of the greatest supporters of the Czarist system of autocracy.
- According to Marxist doctrine (incorporated into the official state ideology of the USSR) religion is ‘the opiate of the masses’.
The Situation 1917-1940
1918: Decree concerning ‘the separation of Church and State and the separation of the Schools from the Church’ with the aim of:
- To bring to an end close identification btw Church and State that had existed w/ the czars.
- Exclude the Church from any role in education.
This was done by:
- Forbidding all Church participation in the life of state - Church could not control hospitals, etc. and was cut off from its ‘charity’ role.
- Taking away control of schools.
- Churches could only remain open upon Gov. approval.
- Freedom of conscience was declared, but in practice people who attended church services were persecuted.
Result:
- Many anti-orthodox outbursts.
- Church property confiscated.
- Number of priests fell.
- Number of churches, monasteries, etc. fell
- Church schools and institutions closed.
- Patriarch imprisoned.
Note: the existence of compulsory lessons in atheism in all schools and factories.
Reaction of the Church:
- Ordered faithful to obey the orders of the new Gov. as long as not opposed to the faith.
- Took no active part in politics / avoided siding with the ‘whites’ in Civil war.
- Patriarchs professed loyalty to new state (even tough emprisonned at times)
The partial recovery of the Church 1941-1959
- W/ the threat of Nazi Germany Stalin saw the value of a national church in uniting the people behind the authorities in the coming struggle.
- The attention of the Soviet leaders was directed away from the Church after the war: expansion of power in E.E., post-war reconstruction, death of Stalin à power struggle…
Results:
- Increase in number of priests
- Reopening of churches.
- Seminaries allowed to open.
- Church organization based on the dioceses w/ bishops allowed.
- To control this, the Gov. created the ‘Narkomopium’ Minister of Opium (nickname for department to control religious affairs)
The Situation since 1959:
- Began to deteriorate again.
- The constitution and criminal codes of the USSR have reduced the religious rights of citizens in practice whilst seeming to guarantee them.
Areas of State control
- All places of worship must be registered.
- Authorities have the right to refuse or withdraw authorization w/out explanation.
- Authorities must approve all appointments of Church governors.
- Pressure on internal Church appointments.
- Authorities decide which activities are acceptable and not.
Note: apart from the holding of religious services in churches, all other forms of religious activity is banned by the ‘Law on Religious Association’.
The Position 1985
- Seems to have survived (about 40 million members)
- Still a lot of tight government control.
- Association w/ the Orthodox Church would result in ‘difficulties’ (i.e.: low priority for housing, lack of promotion)
- Church leaders are subservient to the government (no criticism)
- For soviet leaders the ideal is a ‘phantom church’ which maintains the outward form of the church (useful in projecting images to the rest of the world) but to have real membership inside the USSR decline rapidly.
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