The Russian Orthodox Church, 1917-1948

This book tells the remarkable story of the decline and revival of the Russian Orthodox Church in the first half of the twentieth century and the astonishing U-turn in the attitude of the Soviet Union’s leaders toward the church. In the years after 1917 the Bolsheviks’ antireligious policies, the loss of the former western territories of the Russian Empire, and the Soviet Union’s isolation fTom the rest of the world and the consequent separation of Russian emigres fTom the church were disastrous for the church, which declined significantly in the 1920s and 1930s. However, when Poland was partitioned in 1939 between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Stalin allowed the Patriarch of Moscow, Sergei, jurisdiction over Orthodox congregations in the conquered territories and went on, later, to encourage the church to promote patriotic activities as part of the resistance to the Nazi invasion. He agreed to a concordat with the church in 1943 and continued to encourage the church, especially its claims to jurisdiction over emigre Russian Orthodox churches, in the immediate postwar period. Based on extensive original research, the book puts forward a great deal of new information and overturns established thinking on many key points.

Daniela Kalkandjieva is a researcher at the University of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Routledge religion, society, and government in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet States

Series Editor

Lucian Leustean is a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at Aston University and Associate Dean for Postgraduate Programmes in the School of Languages and Social Sciences, United Kingdom.

This series seeks to publish high-quality monographs and edited volumes on religion, society, and government in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet states by focusing primarily on three main themes: the history of churches and religions (including, but not exclusively, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism) in relation to governing structures, social groupings, and political power; the impact of intellectual ideas on religious structures and values; and the role of religions and faith-based communities in fostering national identities from the nineteenth century until today.

The series aims to advance the latest research on these themes by exploring the multifaceted nature of religious mobilization at local, national, and supranational levels. It particularly welcomes studies that offer an interdisciplinary approach by drawing on the fields of history, politics, international relations, religious studies, theology, law, sociology, and anthropology.

The Russian Orthodox Church and Human Rights

Kristina Stoeckl

The Russian Orthodox Church, 1917-1948

From decline to resurrection

Daniela Kalkandjieva