The Russian Orthodox Church Flashcards
An alternative ideology to Marxism is
A threat to the imposition of socialist iegology
What element of Christianity conflicted with the collective mentality of socialism?
Emphasis on the rights of the individual
The Bolsheviks were ATHIESTS. To them religion was just
Superstitious nonsense
Lenin’s personal hatred for _________ informed the PACE and TONE of Bolshevik policy
Priests
How was the Royal Orthodox Church tied closely to the old order?
Tsar was it’s old head (appointments within made only with his approval —> support purposes of state)
Majority of the population took the world of their spiritual leader seriously.
It was a big task to destroy the influence of the church and indeed of religion, but there was to be no ___________ other than communism
Also, the concern that the power and influence of the Royal Orthodox Church as an instrument of social control posed a threat to ___________ and _____________
Opium of the masses
Government control
Socialist values
Why was the Royal Orthodox Church not a supporter of the new regime?
Owned land- same interest as landed classes
Conservative
The church had a hold over the _______ population that was useful.
Rural
When was the phrase “Opium of the masses” first used? By who(m)?
1843
Marx
Explain the phrase “Opium of the masses”, according to Marx.
Religion was used by the ruling classes to COTROL the population
It gave people an artificial sense of happiness by DISTRACTING them from their sufferings
REAL HAPPINESS can only be achieved if religion is abolished
(The government had to use propaganda, however, to get people to discover this)
When was Decree on Freedom of Conscience?
2/2/1918
What did the Decree on the Freedom of Conscience do?
- SEPARATED Orthodox Church from state & it lost its privileged status
- DEPRIVED roc of LAND without compensation
- PUBLICATIONS OUTLAWED, all RE outside home banned
By the end of 1918, which church figure was under house arrest?
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church—
Patriarch Tikhon
What happened to a large number of churches under Lenin?
They were destroyed, or converted to other purposes
What did Lenin do to monasteries?
Closed them all