Evangelical Christians and Baptists of Russia in the Revolutionary Process of 1917-1922: Transformation of Identity (Based on Materials of the Confessional Press)

Abstract

The article deals with the process of political self-determination of the leaders and believers of Russian evangelical denominations - evangelical Christians and Baptists, during the years of the Revolution and the Civil War in Russia (1917-1922), as reflected in the confessional periodicals. The author studies this question through changes in the views of denominational leaders. Two transformations of the political identity of denominations are revealed: the first covers the period from the February Revolution to the fall of 1917, the second, from the fall of 1917 to the fall of 1922. From pre-revolutionary demonstrative political apathy and loyalty to autocratic regime, in the spring of 1917, the leadership of Evangelical Christians and Baptists switched to a very active political position, supporting the Provisional Government and its democratic, liberal reforms. However, with the increasing social chaos and the apparent inability of the Provisional Government to cope with the situation in the country, by the fall of 1917 the denominations have returned to the old principles of loyalty and political neutrality, now in a completely different socio-political and legal situation. The end of the Civil War throughout Soviet Russia coincides with the beginning of the “anti-sectarian”policy of the Soviet power. The leadership of the evangelical Christians stayed with their apolitical loyal position towards the Soviet authorities, up to the rejection of the principle of anti-militarism, and, on the other hand, with their sympathy for liberal Western values that now became totally impossible.