The article deals with religious situation in the Amur region in the second half of the 1940s – first half of the 1960s. The analysis of the problem is conducted in the context of political and social development of the USSR during the post-war period. The author notes noticeable revival of activity of the Russian Orthodox Church and sects during the studied period. The increasing of activity of sects which had no numerous communities in the region earlier became the feature of religious situation in the Amur region from the second half of the 1940s to the first half of the 1960s. Conclusions made by the author found on historical material and archival sources. The author thinks that religious situation in the Amur region from the second half of the 1940s to the first half of the 1960s can not be unambiguously estimated. Some positive changes are noted: the attitude towards believers has changed for the better in comparison with that in the period of the 1920s–1930s. However, in practice the authorities often resorted to old violent and administrative methods of religious uprooting. At the same time, more the Soviet state became more tolerant to the Orthodox Church, than to sects acted illegally fro the most part. That situation annoyed representatives of public authorities, as the totalitarian Soviet power did not wanted to afford the existence of secret units and structures that it could not control.
Key words: church-state relations, struggle against religion, Russian Orthodox Church, illegal sects, Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Spiritual Christians Molokans, Dukhobors, Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals), Seventh-Day Adventists
DOI: 1022250/2072-8662.2017.1.23-30
About the author
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Evgeniy V. Buyanov – DSc (History), Full Professor at the Department of Religious Studies and History, Amur State University; of. 412, build. 7, 21 Ignatievskoe Shosse, Blagoveshchensk, Amur Oblast, Russia, 675027; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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