Ivanov Sergei, priest

“Top secret. Keep in secret”. Minutes of the previously unknown commission of l. D. Trotsky for the schism of the Russian Orthodox Church (may — october 1922)

Abstract

This publication introduces into scientific circulation a new archival source on the history of the renovationist schism in the Russian Orthodox Church — the protocols of the meetings of the commission of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) "On values" under the leadership of a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) and the Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of the Republic L.D. Trotsky. The documents were identified among the protocols of other commissions in the affairs of the Revolutionary Military Council, stored in the Russian State Military Archive. The decisions of the "On Values" Commission make it possible to reasonably judge the leading role of L.D. Trotsky in the preparation and conduct of a large church schism, including the consolidation of clergy loyal to Soviet power, sending him to provocative negotiations with Patriarch Tikhon, the issue of an opposition magazine, the organization of trials against Christians, the convening of an renovationist "local council", agitation support for schismatics, etc. The activities of the commission were conspiratorial in nature and still remained unknown to historical science. Meanwhile, it was this camouflaged structure that preceded the succession of it in October 1922 and the well-studied Commission of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) on the separation of the church from the state. The texts offered to readers confirm and detail the fact of the well-managed control of secret work on the decomposition of the Russian Church by the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP (b), that is, its criminal attitude to Soviet law in the policy of planting atheism among the people of Russia.

Keywords

Trotsky Commission, Patriarch Tikhon, The Russian Orthodox Church, confiscation of church property, Renovation schism, repression, 1922

References

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Information about the author

Ivanov Sergei, priest

Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philosophy;
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Theology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities, 6/1 Likhov pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation; Researcher of the Department of the Modern History of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Post: Research Associate;
ORCID: 0000-0001-8654-1542;
Email: d.o.c.s@yandex.ru.

*According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.