The Russian Orthodox Church and the Impact of Bolshevism

The Moscow Times via EurasiaNet's Red Legacy Project ^ | November 3, 2017 | Christopher Stroop

[GoldenState_Rose]

"It is common knowledge that the advent of Bolshevism in 1917 was devastating for devout believers in the former tsarist empire."

"Less well known is the fact that the October Revolution interrupted a reform movement that could have taken the Russian Orthodox Church in a new direction, and that it subsequently caused splintering from which the Church still has not recovered."

"Under the tsars, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) served as an important pillar of the autocratic system. Just how subservient the church was to the state remains a matter of debate. Some historians, such as Gregory Freeze and Scott Kenworthy, have pushed back against the perception of the ROC being a “handmaiden of the state."

"Asked to comment for this article, Mr. Chapnin had this to say: “Today’s Russian Church has proven unprepared to honestly and responsibly evaluate the two Russian revolutions and the Soviet era. The primary obstacle is the once again triumphant self-consciousness of the Russian Church as a church of empire.”