Soviet Renovationism: A Church Phenomenon or an Instrument of Secret Services?

Abstract

The article deals with the so-called Renovationist schism in the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1920-1940S. The nature of Renovationism is not obvious, which led to the emergence of different historiographical concepts. This phenomenon is explored here on the basis of a wide range of sources, both open (as the press of the 1920s) and previously classified documents (primarily from secret services and the highest Soviet authorities). The real nature of the interaction between the “Living Church" and the GPU in the 1920s and in subsequent years is analyzed. It is shown the Soviet Renovationists fought against the so-called “Church counterrevolution" (in fact, informing the secret services). Church reforms announced by the leaders of the Renovationists were finally reduced to the non-canonical admission of the married episcopate and the remarriage of clergy. The desire to accommodate to the Soviet regime was clearly prevailing over any religious content. Overall, the Renovationist schism was a negative result of the process of secularization that affected the Church environment, aggravated by the realities of cruel political repressions and social transformations.