The article examines a number of legal documents, the meaning and content of which allow us to introduce corrections in the concept of the exclusively repressive policy of the Soviet government towards the church. Using a comparative historical and legal analysis, the author draws attention to the not entirely correct, from a scientific point of view, definition of the attitude of the Soviet government and the Communist Party towards the church known as “persecution”. The analysis of the materials used shows that the relations between the state and believers in Soviet Russia were conditioned not only by the atheistic nature of the new state, but also by specific historical problems solved by the parties in the conditions of the Civil war. One should not forget that some church ministers provided support to armed formations fighting against the Soviet government, which was clearly regarded by the latter as a criminal offense. On the other hand, the possibility of exemption from conscription for military service on the basis of religious beliefs, the admission of clergy to work in government agencies, the declaration by the Communist Party Program of 1919 of the need to avoid any offense to the feelings of believers – these legal aspects do not allow us to judge the attitude towards religion and faith in an exclusively negative context. The author suggests a more balanced approach to assessing the relationship between the state and the church during the Soviet period. To this effect it is necessary abstain from extreme irreconcilable positions and expand the source base of the study.
Key words: Church, soviet power, repression, historical objectivity
3_Сомов-33-39Citation link: Somov V.A. A balanced approach to assessment of the relationship between the state and the church in the initial soviet period // Humanities researches of the Central Russia. – 2025. – №1. – P. 32-38.
DOI: 10.24412/2541-9056-2025-134-32-38