Elena Kondrashina

Women in the Communal Life of the Protestant Churches in the Soviet Union (1945 - 1991)

Elena Kondrashina - Secretary of Sergey Riakhovsky, Leading Bishop of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians (Pentecostals), Moscow, Russia, elenakondrashina@gmail.com

The article deals with the roles of women in the Protestant communities in the post-war Soviet Union. It contributes to a still understudied field of gender studies related to the Protestant churches of the Soviet period. The study draws upon the archival materials of the Fund of the Office of religious cults and then the Office of religious affairs of Moscow and Moscow region.

Keywords: Protestantism, community, women in church, Soviet religious policy, Adventism, evangelical Christians, Baptists, Pentecostals.

The study of the problems of women's religiosity in modern Russian science is at an early stage and is still overshadowed by other socio-cultural and political aspects of the topic 1. At the same time, state and church archives store a significant number of documents containing valuable information on this and related topics.

1. See, for example, works on the migration and ethno-cultural aspect of Protestantism: Weil3, Lothar (Hg.). Russlanddeutsche Migration und evangelische Kirchen. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2013; Savin A. I. Ethnoconfession in the Soviet State: Mennonites of Siberia in the 1920-1980s; annotated list of archival documents and materials; selected documents. Novosibirsk (et al.): SB RAS, Posokh Publ., 2006. Among the works on women's religiosity, we can mention the following: Belyakova E. V., Belyakova N. A., Yemchenko E. B. Woman in Orthodoxy. Church Law and Russian Practice, Moscow: Kuchkovo pole, 2011; Koval T. B., Kotovskaya M. G. Gender, Culture, Religion (tradition and modernity), Moscow: Severoprint, 2006.

page 151
problems that, however, have been poorly investigated so far2. These materials require extensive and detailed study. This article is only the first approach to problem 3.

In terms of the volume and quality of information contained in the archives, the so-called "information reports" of the Council for Religious Affairs should be considered the most significant. Next in importance are the "analytical notes" compiled by the Council's authorized representative at the request of representatives of state and public structures. The most popular source can be considered all kinds of references, which recorded and described various aspects of everyday community life. Information and statistical summaries provide valuable material for checking qualitative characteristics through quantitative indicators.

The main material for this study is data on several officially registered Protestant communities, including the Moscow Community of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (MOEHB), the Moscow Community of Seventh-day Adventists (MOASD), the Serpukhov Community of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (SEKHB), as well as materials on unregistered communities of Adventists, Baptists, Evangelical Christians and Pentecostals operating in Moscow and the Moscow Region during this historical period. The MOEHB and SEHB, in addition to Baptists and Evangelical Christians, were partly composed of Pentecostals and Mennonites, based on an agreement concluded in August 1945.4 At the same time, in the documents of state services, especially in the first post - war decade, most Protestants were designated only as "EXB", or simply as "Baptists".

2. See Nikolskaya T. K. Russkiy protestantism i gosudarstvennaya vlast v 1905 - 1991 godakh [Russian Protestantism and state Power in 1905-1991]. St. Petersburg, 2009.

3. The author expresses his gratitude to the members of Protestant unions: the Russian United Union of Evangelical Christians (ROSCOE (P.), the Russian Church of Evangelical Christians (RCCE), the Russian Union of Evangelical Baptist Christians (RSEXB), the Union of Evangelical Christian Churches, the Euro-Asian Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church for providing materials, interviews, tips, valuable comments, corrections, and additions that helped me write this article. In addition to these archival sources and authoritative advice received by the author, the article is partly based on the results of "included observation", since the author was able to compare the newly obtained archival data with the direct community practice of the study period.

4. Odintsovo M. I. " You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you...". History of the Pentecostal Church in Russia. SPb.: ROIR, 2012. p. 283.

page 152
Protestant communities were united in large church unions, the most numerous of which during the entire period under review was the All-Union Council of Evangelical Christian Baptists (VSEKHB). The denominational composition of the VSEKHB aroused great interest among his contemporaries, so that various materials reflecting its state at different stages have been preserved to this day. "When it comes to the Union of Russian Baptists, it should be remembered that it consists of several denominations. In 1944, there was a union between Russian Baptists and Evangelical Christians. A year later, some Pentecostals joined this association. It is estimated that this brought 50,000 new members to the Union, while 20,000 Pentecostals chose to remain outside the Union. In 1963, Mennonites also joined, and today this united union has 500,000 members spread throughout the Soviet Union. The Union is divided into 50 different districts, in the administration of which the senior presbyters are responsible for all the work. " 5
The official ideology aimed society at the widespread "eradication of remnants" of the previous era, including religious ones. Considerable attention was paid to the control of religious communities of various confessions. For this purpose, state and public structures were created at the municipal, regional, republican and federal levels. Such activities have been of varying intensity in different periods, although the general anti-religious course has always been maintained; it can be said that the institutional flourishing of this system occurred in the second half of the twentieth century.

The leaders of the CPSU and the USSR have always singled out anti-religious propaganda among their top priorities. Under special control were believers, communities and church unions classified as "sectarian" trends-Adventists, Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Pentecostals. By limiting opportunities for social activity, regulating the communal way of life, and thus driving believers underground, party and state functionaries sought to destroy the existing way of life of minority churches in order to completely "eradicate" any manifestations of religious hatred.-

5. Extracts from the magazine "Baptist" (Denmark) / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d.96. L. 122.

page 153
ste. Yet the Protestants managed to maintain the informal but truly communal structure of the church.6
The communities of the Soviet period were characterized by strong internal and inter-communal ties, which was supported by the generally accepted doctrine that the main principle of church building was conciliation7. Hence - the internal openness and mutual control of each minister and ordinary member of the community, the ability to freely follow church norms.

In Russia, historically, Protestant women have actively participated in all spheres of life of local communities and church unions. According to available archival data, in most congregations, the number of female parishioners was significantly, on average, almost ten times higher than the number of men. So, for example, in the MOASD "as of April 1, 1953, there are 445 members: 42 men and 403 women, and 42 people are preparing for baptism according to the statements of 42 people: 4 men and 38 women"8. The situation was similar in the Moscow Society of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. Among the new believers and converts from other communities, the majority were also Protestant women. "During the period from September 1, 1945 to January 1, 1950, there was a significant growth of the Moscow Society of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. Only 947 people were received through baptism: 88 men and 859 women. But even more members were accepted from other communities, 1,093 people: 176 men and 917 women. " 9
It is noteworthy that there were significantly more women than men in all age categories, which is repeatedly confirmed by statistical materials from various Protestant communities. This was the case, for example, in the Serpukhov EXB Society:

6. The most extensive literature on this topic is published in English and German. See, in particular: Kahle, Wilhelm. Aufsatze zur Entwicklung der evangelischen Gemeinden in Rufiland. Leiden [u. a.]: Brill, 1962; Bourdeaux, Michael. Religious Ferment in Russia. London: Macmillan, 1968.

7. Philosophical and religious notebooks. Tetrad N 1. Materials of the First Evangelical Council, Moscow: Publishing House of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation "In Russia", 2010, P. 30.

8. Information report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st quarter of 1953/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 36. L. 8.

9. Information report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st quarter of 1950/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 21.

page 154
As of July 1, the society has 84 members: 14 men and 80 women. Under 25 years - 1 woman, 25-40 years-1 man and 13 women, 40-60 years-9 men and 41 women and over 60 years-4 men and 15 women 10.

The ratio of men to women in evangelical congregations during the Soviet period did not differ much in the districts of the Moscow Region.

According to the presence of believers, in addition to the named districts and those immediately adjacent to Moscow, the following districts of the Moscow Region should attract the daily attention of the authorized Council:: 1. Bronnitsky - 2 men and 8 women; 2. Zagorsky-1 man, 9 women; 3. Istrinsky - 5 men, 8 women; 4. Klinsky - 3 men, 8 women; 5. Kalininsky (Krasno-Pahorsky) - 4 men, 26 women; 6. Naro-Fominsky - 10 men, 28 women; 7-Orekhovo-Zuyevsky - 4 men, 6 women; 8. Podolsky-18 men, 45 women; 9-Pushkinsky - 2 men, 19 women; 10. Ramenskiy - 10 men, 41 women; Solnechnogorsky settlement - 1 man, 6 women; 12. Shchelkovsky - 1 man, 8 women 11...

The tender disparity is primarily explained by demographics: a significant shortage of men occurred after the Second World War, and the difference could be attributed to it. However, statistics show that the gap has not narrowed even decades after the war. For example, you can get similar data from the commissioner's reports in 2012:

I would like to inform you by way of information that the religious society of Evangelical Christians-Baptists in Moscow currently has 5,162 members, including 686 men and 4,476 women. By age, EXB members are Evangelical Baptist Christians. - E. K.] are distributed as follows: from 22 to 25 years - 69 people, from 25 to 40 years - 727, from 40 to 60 years - 2114 and over 60 years - 2252 people 12.

10. Information report of the Authorized Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 2nd quarter of 1951/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 24. L. 37.

11. Information report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st quarter of 1950/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 30.

12. Information about the religious society of evangelical Christians-baptists in Moscow/ / TSKD TSGAM. f. 3004. Op. 1. d. 97. L. 112.

page 155
Looking at the statistics of the authorized Council on Religious cults, it is not difficult to guess that it was extremely difficult for women to marry a co-religionist. Strict restrictions on external contacts and the numerical predominance of women in communities led to the fact that many of them remained unmarried and childless.13 As a result, some women tried to arrange a private life outside the community, which was not welcomed and severely punished, even to the point of exclusion from the community. Exceptions and punishments, most often for this reason, were designated in the documents by various words, such as "disobedience", "non-Christian lifestyle", "immoral behavior"14, "sin", "unworthy behavior"15.

In an attempt to organize their personal lives, women married "worldly" men, for which they were excluded from the community; after a certain period of time, some returned, made public repentance, received a second rite of baptism, and again became members of the community. For example, in the information report, the Commissioner of the Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR for Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 2nd quarter of 1951 reports::

Those who come from other communities are divided according to their social status as follows: workers - 6 men and 30 women, dependents-1 man and 28 women, disabled people-5 men and 13 women. Of the total number of women admitted in the second quarter, more than half are unmarried, widowed and divorced 16.

An equally important factor was the possibility of self-realization in the church. During the Soviet era, especially in the post-war period, not everyone had the opportunity to fully express their ideas and realize their talents. In the church, however, everyone could find an opportunity to-

13. Nikolskaya T. K. Russkiy protestantism i gosudarstvennaya vlast v 1905 - 1991 godakh [Russian Protestantism and state power in 1905-1991]. p. 168.

14. Data on the movement of the number of members of the SDA religious society for the 3rd quarter of 1950.// Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. D. 18. L. 55; 120; 93.

15. Information report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st and 2nd quarters of 1949/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. D. 14. L. 20.

16. Information report of the Authorized Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 2nd quarter of 1951/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 24. L. 34.

page 156
You can live "to your heart's content" and do what you love, while fulfilling the mission of spreading the gospel. Protestant communities gave a sense of demand, created an atmosphere of brotherhood and mutual assistance. The leadership roles in the community were mostly men, but women's ministry was considered equally valuable and required the same dedication and dedication.

Speaking about the composition of the Protestant community described in the materials of the Foundation of the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, we can distinguish three main groups, depending on the degree of activity in conducting divine services: clergy, parishioners (ordinary members), and those close to them (preparing for baptism). Clergymen are presbyters, deacons, and preachers.

Presbyters were chosen within the community and were subject, according to Soviet legislation, to mandatory registration with the Council for Religious Affairs. It was assumed that no more than one presbyter could be registered per congregation, which is confirmed by statistical reports for the period from 1945 to 1990.

During this time period, there were no officially registered women clergy members in Protestant communities. However, in some communities, the following picture emerged: men, in the face of severe persecution, assigned women a role, although secondary, but important and sometimes even dominant, in order to preserve the communality and internal way of life of the church, to maintain and maintain order in the house of worship.17 They did this in accordance with the requirements of Holy Scripture, which presupposes a respectful and careful attitude towards a woman as "the weakest vessel"18. Among the employees of religious communities, women most often held the positions of accountants, castellanesses, secretaries, organists, cleaners, which generally coincided with the role of women in secular Soviet society.

In some communities, women were assigned to serve as deaconesses. However, their duties included not only economic management.-

17. Report of the presbyterate before the expanded meeting of the twenty for the 2nd half of 1963 / / Central House of Artists TSGAM F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 86. L. 4.

18. The First Epistle of Peter 3: 7 / / The Bible, Moscow: Russian Bible Society, 2009, p. 175.

page 157
They often performed the de facto duties of community leaders, such as preaching, receiving confessions, and so on.This kind of service was carried out due to the lack of male ministers. At the same time, they were independent of control and complaints from state authorities.

The commissioner of the SDRK under the Council of Ministers of the USSR for Moscow and the Moscow region in an Information Report for the 1st quarter of 1950 reports: "On February 17, a member of the twenty-19 Lantsov A. N., born in 1890, a home seamstress by profession, one of the deaconesses, as women who sometimes differ in their activity were called, was preparing to solemnly celebrate her sixtieth birthday..."20 In 1952, the Commissioner confirms: "In the Moscow society, the leaders of the religious society do not remind about the tithe payment from the pulpit. But this, according to the available information, women zealots, who are present in sufficient numbers in every religious society, are diligently trying to remind in whispers, but so that they can be heard.21
There are other references to deaconesses and active Protestant women in the archive materials: "Women are active in religious propaganda and attracting new members. At one time, the Council of the ECB even raised the question of assigning the title of deaconess to some of the women for their special activities... " 22

In a letter to the Head of the Ideological Department of the Moscow Industrial Regional Committee of the CPSU, the commissioner transmits a list of members of the Moscow Society of Seventh-day Adventists living in cities and towns of the Moscow region. Of the people named in this list, Yandex. Explorer's most active users are:-

19. G20 - Council of founders of a religious community. In the USSR, to register a church community, it had to have at least 20 members who managed all the activities of the community and were personally responsible for it.

20. Information report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st quarter of 1950/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 24.

21. Information report of the authorized SDR under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 3rd and 4th quarters of 1952/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 29. L. 96.

22. Information report for the 3rd quarter of 1947/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 9. L. 45.

page 158
Members of the religious ideology are the following: E. I. Aksani - chorus girl; P. I. Gevorkyan and G. P. Gevorkyan (husband and wife) - choristers, the husband makes great efforts to be among the leaders of the community; E. V. Irinin performs the duties of a non-ordained deacon in society; Z. P. Kustova-a wandering preacher, often for missionary purposes goes to neighboring regions; Stepanova A. S. and Syatynya V. D. are eager to become leaders of a religious society 23.

Thus, men were preferred in the management of the ministry, while women were only informal ministers.

On May 14, Llone and his wife spoke again in the afternoon at the Seventh - day Adventist meeting, and some elders from other cities and regions of the area were present... After the service (meeting)... During the break, Llone was asked questions by the audience. Zozuli's wife - Are there any female ordained presbyters in the SDA? - There is a commission under the general conference that deals with this problem, there is no solution yet and there are no ordained female presbyters, but there are 24 preachers...

In the Certificate on the status of religious societies operating on the territory of Moscow on March 1, 1949, you can find information that the most active religious societies are Christians-Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists... Thus, the Evangelical Baptist Christian Society has increased by 1,342 members (181 men and 2,445 women) as of 1.09.1945, which is 51%, and the Seventh-day Adventist society has increased by 207 members (which is 137%) from 151 members as of 1.1.194525.

At the same time, the most active and successful missionaries and evangelists were women. I. P. Fedotov, one of the executive directors of the-

23-Letter to the head of the Ideological Department of the Moscow Industrial Regional Committee of the CPSU, com. Krasnov E. V. 26.02.1964 / / Central House of Artists TSGAM F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 88 L. 74.

24. Spravka o bogosluzhenii ASD 14 May 1977 goda [Reference on the divine service of the Russian Orthodox Church on May 14, 1977]. TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 95.

25. Reference on the state of religious societies operating on the territory of Moscow on March 1, 1949/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 16. L. 2.

page 159
a member of an unregistered Pentecostal fraternity, he often referred to his wife, Valentina Borisovna, as an"evangelist" 26, although no one ever saw her standing in front of people and preaching publicly, which means that her evangelization, like all women in the Protestant community who were not formally authorized, was carried out in other ways, first of all in the first place. turn - through a personal sermon ("from heart to heart").

Analyzing the state of religious societies in Moscow as of May 1, 1950, the Commissioner notes::

The religious community is replenished mainly at the expense of relatives and friends of individual members of the society, at the expense of former Pentecostals and members of other previously existing sectarian groups. However, those who do not have relatives also join the society. By attending the prayer meetings of Evangelical Baptist Christians by invitation, they observe the simplicity of communication between the members (the members call each other only as brother, sister), they can participate in the general singing themselves, and they understand the teachings presented in a form that is accessible to them. The call to lead a sober lifestyle: not to drink alcohol, not to smoke tobacco, not to upset family life, etc. is particularly resonant among women 27.

In the Information Report for the 3rd quarter of 1947, the commissioner of the Council for Religious Affairs reports: "Members of the society are working to involve new members of the society. It usually begins with a simple invitation to attend a prayer meeting, and then determines the methods of influence and processing"28. And, further, another example: "A student of one of the institutes... I invited a student from the same institute to attend a prayer meeting where she could relax. The girl began to walk and was baptized in the summer. " 29
26. In this context, the word "evangelist "was understood as"preacher of the gospel".

27. Reference on the state of religious societies operating on the territory of Moscow on May 1, 1950/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 20. L. 24.

28. Information report for the 3rd quarter of 1947/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 9. L. 44.

29. Ibid.

page 160
Twenty years later, in the Annual information Report of the Authorized Council for the City of Moscow for 1966 (dated 15.02.1967), the same situation, concern and dissatisfaction with what is happening: "Members of the VSEKHB... in their sermons, they openly encourage believers to bring the word of God to people at work, on the way, on vacation, etc. These "older brothers"are very concerned about the small influx of believers." 30 And here's what the Baptists themselves say about this:: "We preach not only from pulpits, but it is typical for Baptists in our country that our members are also individual missionaries... We have... people gather for a spiritual experience that is so powerful that it ignites our members and turns them into evangelists and missionaries in their daily lives. " 31 Thus, it is possible to note the desire of evangelical Christians to go beyond their community, reaching more people through open testimony and preaching in every place, wherever they are. On the other hand, official reports, demonizing the spiritual practice of evangelical Christians as hostile to the interests of the state, are forced to record the high moral values of community life. Thus, both the commissioners themselves and their clients from higher bodies (the CPSU, KGB, etc.) unwittingly draw not an ideological, but a completely plausible picture of "Protestant everyday life".

During the study period, there were only three Protestant communities officially registered, i.e. legally operating in Moscow and the Moscow region. All the others carried out their activities in violation of the laws on religious cults and put their first priority on survival and self-preservation. The state created conditions for their illegal and semi-legal existence, which led to the emergence of a new subculture, the formation of a community that opposed everything Soviet much more deeply than it could have been in conditions of state neutrality. If at the beginning of the XX century Protestants participated in the public life of the country, received education, were interested in culture, art, and played sports, then in the second half of the XX century Protestants participated in the social life of the country.

30. Annual information report of the authorized Council for the city of Moscow for 1966 / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 93. L. 38.

31. Extracts from the magazine "Baptist" (Denmark) / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 96. L. 123.

page 161
In the 20th century, the social concept of Russian Protestants underwent obvious changes.

Discrimination at work and in educational institutions increasingly forced Protestants to avoid contact with non-believers. The communities did not welcome, and sometimes simply prohibited, any expression of interest in culture, media, or television. The pursuit of education and professional growth was also frowned upon and discouraged. Everything external posed a threat to the existence of the community and even to the life of each individual, and therefore Christians devoted more and more attention and effort to building more complex internal connections and relationships.32
Members of the community actively communicated with each other: together they celebrated holidays, memorable dates, anniversaries and birthdays, funerals, etc., organized various creative circles, choirs, orchestras. All these meetings and events were held for communication, building and maintaining friendly relations, providing material and charitable assistance (this is traditionally considered an integral feature of Protestants)33, educating young people, cautiously attracting non-believers. This last, most difficult job was taken on by the women. They were the ones who built close, trusting relationships within the community. It should be noted that they were very creative and open to innovation. It is at this time that new forms are emerging that contain elements of community-all kinds of informal associations: home groups; groups of ecumenical, prayer and other meetings; groups organized for joint work and service.

Protestants, especially the female part of the community engaged in raising children and young people, lived in an information vacuum, lacking literature and bibles. Sven Svensson, a representative of the Swedish Protestant community who visited the USSR in 1971, says:

Thirst for the word of God-the absence of the Word of God in the form of Bibles - is something that is characteristic of visitors to worship services in the Soviet Union. Russian Baptists received permission in 1968

32. Nikolskaya T. K. Russkiy protestantism i gosudarstvennaya vlast v 1905 - 1991 godakh [Russian Protestantism and state power in 1905-1991]. p. 168.

33. Odintsovo M. I. " You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you...", p. 324.

page 162
to print 20,000 bibles, but this was not even enough for all the preachers of the Union! It can be added that the available bibles are translations of a century ago and therefore contain expressions that are completely unknown to modern citizens. The Baptist Union Magazine is published 6 times a year, with a total of 6,000 copies - which means that hardly every church can get one copy.34
Protestants, like many dissidents in the USSR, actively used the opportunities of samizdat, which was strictly prohibited. They were not deterred even by the fact that " employees of underground printing houses are usually tried under Articles 190-1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR "("slander against the Soviet system") and at the same time - for"engaging in prohibited fishing". The standard sentence is three years in a general regime camp 35.

Here is an excerpt from the commissioner's letter:

The Irshava district Prosecutor's Office has completed the investigation of the criminal case against Kotubeyav. M. and Savchukav. M., who illegally produced religious literature. Kotubey and Savchuk were sentenced by the People's Court to imprisonment with confiscation of property. When conducting searches to find and seize illegally produced literature, 10 books of Adventist religious content were seized from the presbyter of the Seventh-day Adventist community in the village of Ilnitsa, Irshavsky district. All books are printed on a typewriter on white stationery and tissue paper, in a cardboard cover. According to reports, Lucio also gave copies of such books to other believers.

The interrogated Luts'o testified that he received these books for free in the Moscow community of the Russian Orthodox Church on the instructions of the community's presbyter Adam Likarenko from a strange woman in the economic department of the house of worship. In this regard, the district prosecutor's office sent a separate order to the prosecutor's office of the mountains. Moscow 36.

34. Extracts from the magazine "Baptist" (Denmark) / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d.96. L. 124.

35. Alekseeva L. M. Istoriya inakomysliya v SSSR: Neodeistvii period [History of dissent in the USSR: The Newest period]. http://www.memo.ru/history/DISS/books/ALEXEEWA [accessed from 15.04.2013].

36. Letter to the Commissioner of the SDR under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, com. Plekhanov A. S. from the prosecutor of the Irshavsky district I. M. Ivashkovich/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 102. L. 29.

page 163
Thanks to the efforts of women, a healthy and sober lifestyle and order reigned in large families, hard work, honesty and generosity were encouraged. Speaking at the USDA prayer meeting, the wife of Alpha Leone, Vice President of the USDA General Conference, conveyed greetings from the sisters. She said that they came here from Washington, where their SDA community has 3 thousand people... I appeal to you, sisters, there are more of you here, because all of you, like me, are mothers and grandmothers. We have two children, a lovely daughter-in-law, a son-in-law and two lovely grandchildren, although we live in the USA and they live in Norway, we never forget about them, because mothers are the best teachers of their children, and it depends on us how we will raise them and whom we will raise, so we must also pray for them. salvation of our children, Christ is coming soon, and we will be saved, we will all meet there 37.

It is interesting that with the official support of large families, the "large number of sectarians" was not welcomed. This was especially evident when receiving state awards, prizes, and various kinds of incentives:

In the Lyublinsky district of Moscow... the Pozdnyakov family has many children. The mother of this family Pozdnyakova Alexandra Nikolaevna in 1968 gave birth to 6 children and, in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 8, 1944, was subject to submission for awarding the "Medal of Motherhood of the First degree". However, the Lublin Executive Committee, as it turned out, independently decided not to provide her for awarding the medal, since she is a Baptist 38.

Church meetings were usually attended by whole families, despite government bans on introducing children to religious life. Christian women experienced great inconvenience, but continued to raise their children in the spirit of their religious beliefs.

37. Brief record of the speech at the prayer meeting of the MOASD on May 11 of the Vice-president of the general conference of the ASD Alpha Leone/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 98-99.

38. Letter to the Executive Committee of the Moscow City Council of Deputies of workers from the authorized SDR in Moscow A. S. Plekhanov/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 5.

page 164
values. That is why, over the years, with minimal government relief, young people in Protestant communities were able to take a dominant position.39
In March 1971, the same Swedish guest, Sven Svensson, visited Moscow churches and reported in an article "On the situation of Soviet-Russian Baptists": "On Thursday evening there was a regular service, which was attended by about 2,000 people, which is considered quite normal. There are only about 1,000 seats in the hall, but the entire aisle and hall, as well as other accessible seats, were packed with people who stood there for about two hours while the service lasted ... "40 On another occasion, he reports:" But a visit to the Moscow Baptist Church made a particularly great impression. The Baptist Union center is located here... There were more than 1,600 people in the church that night, including many children and a large number of young people. " 41
However, it should be noted that Protestant women were active not only within communities or " on mission fields." They openly defended their civil rights, as Protestants were regularly discriminated against. "A group of Pentecostal women demonstrated outside the reception area of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, carrying placards demanding that they be allowed to leave the USSR on religious grounds." 42 They were subjected to psychological pressure at their place of study, work, and in public places; they were threatened with deprivation of parental rights, which were often carried out. For example, the Annual Information Report of the authorized Council describes the following situation::

Adventist Guseva in an oral complaint states that by the decision of the People's Court of Dzerzhinsk district, her children were placed in an orphanage in Krasnopresnensky district. Children are in unbearable conditions: the older ones-Nadia (12 years old) and Lyuba (12 years old) are called sectarians. The commissioner asked: how are they fed, clothed, and trained? "They are well fed and clothed," Guseva replied.

39. Odintsovo M. I. " You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you...", p. 250.

40. Extracts from the magazine "Baptist" (Denmark) / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 96. L. 128.

41. Extracts from the magazine "Baptist" (Denmark) / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 96. L. 126.

42. Letter of the MGK CPSU/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 107. L. 283.

page 165
And how children learn - this mother is not interested. She works as a nurse, her husband worked as a paramedic, was taken for compulsory treatment for a nervous disorder. They were both religious fanatics, and they didn't pay much attention to raising their children: there were four of them.

- You should thank the authorities for creating good conditions for your children.

"Yes, but we didn't complain to anyone. Even if they are hungry, barefoot, undressed, but they are mine! Guseva 43 exclaimed in anger...

To suppress the active role of women in communities, the Soviet authorities carried out sophisticated "targeted repression". Here is an excerpt from a letter from a mother who was deprived of parental rights due to religious beliefs:

The laws of our country provide for freedom of conscience and the right to raise children in accordance with their Christian beliefs. However, lawlessness was shown towards us and our children by local authorities ... the Court... for our faith in God and for the Christian upbringing of our children, he committed a reprisal against us and our children, making a lawless decision to deprive us of parental rights, and take our children away from us and put them in an orphanage.44
Most often, the names of women are found when it comes to choir directors, deaconesses, and active missionaries. But, despite the huge numerical superiority of women in churches and their active work, there are relatively few women's names mentioned in more than a hundred archival files of the materials of the Commissioner's Fund for Moscow and the Moscow Region, as well as in the materials of the Council for Religious Affairs Fund: party and state-administrative employees did not assign them very significant role. Meanwhile, it was women, as we have seen, who played a key role in the fact that most communities still survived in an illegal situation.

Thus, in the daily life of Protestant communities, there is a sharp contradiction between the traditional tradition of Protestantism.-

43. Annual information report of the authorized Council for the city of Moscow for 1966 / / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 93. L. 47-48.

44. Appeal to all churches of evangelical Christians-Baptists from the Goncharov family/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 89. L. 46.

page 166
the idea of the" patriarchy " of community life and the establishment of a de facto new gender situation: in the communities of the Soviet period, women, who were the overwhelming majority in their environment, had an increasingly significant impact on the development of community life. Their activity was not limited to internal church activities, but also concerned external manifestations of the activity of believers, primarily in the field of missionary work. The gender aspect of the history of Protestant communities is an interesting new area of research, which is still at the initial stage.

Bibliography/References

Archived sources

Extracts from the magazine "Baptist" (Denmark) / / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d.96. L. 122-128.

Annual information report of the Authorized Council for Moscow for 1966 / / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 93-L. 38-48.

Informational report for the 3rd quarter of 1947/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004-Op. 1. d. 9. L. 44-45.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st and 2nd quarters of 1949/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 14. L. 20.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st quarter of 1950/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 21-30.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 1st quarter of 1953/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 36. L. 8.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 2nd quarter of 1950/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 55.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 3rd and 4th quarters of 1952/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 29. L. 96.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 4th quarter of 1950/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 120.

Informational report of the authorized SDRC under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow region for the 4th quarter of 1949/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 14. L. 86.

Informational report of the Authorized Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 2nd quarter of 1951/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 24. L. 34.

Informational report of the Authorized Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR in Moscow and the Moscow Region for the 2nd quarter of 1951/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 24. L. 37.

Information about the religious society of evangelical Christians-Baptists in Moscow/ / TSKD TSGAM. f. 3004. Op. 1. d. 97. L. 112.

Brief record of the speech of the Vice-President of the General Conference of Alpha Leone at the prayer meeting of the MOASD on May 11 / / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 98-99.

page 167
Appeal to all churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists from the Goncharov family/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 89. L. 46.

Report of the presbyterate before the expanded meeting of the twenty for the 2nd half of 1963 / / Central House of Artists TSGAM F. 3004. Op. 1 d. 86 L. 4.

Letter to the Executive Committee of the Moscow City Council of Working People's Deputies from the authorized SDR in the city of Moscow A. S. Plekhanov/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 5.

Letter to the head of the Ideological Department of the Moscow Industrial Regional Committee of the CPSU, com. Krasnov E. V. 26.02.1964 / / Central House of Artists TSGAM F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 88 L. 74.

Letter of the MGK CPSU/ / Central House of Artists TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 107. L. 283.

Letter to the representative of the SDR under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, com. Plekhanov A. S. from the prosecutor of the Irshavsky district I. M. Ivashkovich/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. d. 102. L. 29.

Data on the movement of the number of members of the ASD religious society for the 3rd quarter of 1950/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. D. 18. L. 93.

Reference on the divine service of the SDA on May 14, 1977/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 95.

Reference on the state of religious societies operating on the territory of Moscow on March 1, 1949/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 16. L. 2.

Reference on the state of religious societies operating on the territory of Moscow on May 1, 1950/ / TSKD TSGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 20. L. 24.

Literature

Alekseeva L. M. Istoriya inakomysliya v SSSR: Noveishiy period [History of Dissent in the USSR: The Newest Period].

Belyakova E. V., Belyakova N. A., Yemchenko E. B. Zhenka v pravoslavii [Woman in Orthodoxy]. Church Law and Russian Practice, Moscow: Kuchkovo pole Publ., 2011.

Klibanov A. I., Lyalina G. S. Kritika religioznogo sektantstva [Criticism of religious sectarianism].

Koval T. B., Kotovskaya M. E. Gender, culture, religion (tradition and modernity). Moscow: Severoprint, 2006.

Nikolskaya T. K. Russkiy protestantism i gosudarstvennaya vlast v 1905 - 1991 godakh [Russian Protestantism and State Power in 1905-1991]. Saint Petersburg: European University Press, 2009.

Odintsovo M. I. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you..." History of the Pentecostal Church in Russia. XIX-XX centuries St. Petersburg: Russian Association of Religious Researchers, 2012.

Ozhegov S. I. dictionary of the Russian language. 100,000 words, terms, and expressions. Onyx, Mir i Obrazovanie Publ., 2012.

Savin A. I. Ethnoconfession in the Soviet state: Mennonites of Siberia in the 1920s-1980s; annotated list of archival documents and materials; selected documents. Novosibirsk (et al.) SB RAS, Posokh Publ., 2006.

Franchuk V. I. Russia asked for rain from the Lord. Kiev: Svitaya Zorya Publ., 2001.

Philosophical and religious notebooks. Tetrad N 1. Materials of the First Evangelical Council, Moscow: Publishing House of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation "In Russia", 2010.

Archival materials

Vypiski iz zhurnala "Baptist" (Daniia) [Notes from the journal "Baptist" (Denmark)] // TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 96. L. 122 - 128.

page 168
Godovoi informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo Soveta po g. Moskve za 1966 god [Annual report of the Commissioner for the city of Moscow]//TsKhDTsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1.D. 93. L. 38 - 48.

Informatsionnyi otchet za 3-i kvartal 1947 goda [Report for the 3rd quarter 1947] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 9. L. 44 - 45.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 1-i i 2-i kvartaly 1949 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for 1t and 2nd quarters, 1949] // TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 14 L. 20.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 1-i kvartal 1950 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for 1t quarter, 1950] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 21 - 30.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 1-i kvartal 1953 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for 1t and 2nd quarters, 1953] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 36. L. 8.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 2-i kvartal 1950 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for 2nd quarters, 1950] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 55.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 3-i i 4-i kvartaly 1952 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for the 3rd and 4th quarters, 1952] // TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 29. L. 96.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 4-i kvartal 1950 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for 4th quarter, 1950] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 18. L. 120.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo SDRK pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i Moskovskoi oblasti za 4 kvartal 1949 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for the 4th quarter, 1949]//TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 14. L. 86.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo soveta po delam religioznykh kul'tov pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 2-i kvartal 1951 goda [Report of the Commissioner of Council fo religious cults under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for the 2nd quarter, 1951] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 24. L. 34.

Informatsionnyi otchet upolnomochennogo soveta po delam religioznykh kul'tov pri SM SSSR po g. Moskve i MO za 2-i kvartal 1951 goda [Report of the Commissioner of SDRC under USSR Council of Ministers for Moscow and Moscow district for 2nd quarter, 1951]//TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 24. L. 37.

Informatsiia o religioznom obshchestve evangel'skikh khristian-baptistov v g. Moskve [Information about religious association of the evangelical Christian Baptists in Moscow] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 97 L. 112.

Kratkaia zapis' vystupleniia na molitvennom sobranii MOASD 11 maia vitse prezidenta general'noi konferentsii ASD Al'fa Leone [Short record of the speech of the vice-president of 7th Day Adventist Alfa Leone at the prayer meeting of Moscow Advent-ist organization on May 11]//TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 98 - 99.

page 169
Obrashchenie ko vsem tserkviam evangel'skikh khristian-baptistov ot sem'i Goncharovykh [Goncharov family's call to all evangelical Christian Baptist churches] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 89. L. 46.

Otchet presviteriata pered rasshirennym zasedaniem dvadtsatki za 2 polugodie 1963 g. [Report of the presbyter council before the enlarged meeting of the Dvadtsatka for the 2nd semester 1963]//TsKhD TsGAM F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 86. L. 4.

Pis'mo v Ispolkom Moskovskogo gorodskogo soveta deputatov trudiashchikhsia ot upolnomochennogo SDR po g. Moskve A. S. Plekhanova [Letter by A. S. Plakhanov, the commissioner of Council of religious affairs of Moscow, to the executive committee of the Moscow city council] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 5.

Pis'mo zaveduiushchemu ideologicheskim otdelom Moskovskogo promyshlennogo obkoma KPSS tov. Krasnovu E.V. 26.02.1964 g. [Letter to E. Krasnov, head of the ideological department of the Moscow district industrial party committee, from 26.02.1964]//TsKhD TsGAM F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 88. L. 74.

Pis'mo MGK KPSS [Letter for the Moscow committee of the CPSU] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 107. L. 283.

Pis'mo upolnomochennomu SDR pri SM SSSR tov. PlekhanovuA. S. ot prokurora Irshavskogo raiona I. M. Ivashkovicha [Letter by I. Ivashkovich, Prosecutor of Irshavky region, to A. Plekhanov, the Commissioner of the Council of Religious Affairs] // TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 102. L. 29.

Svedeniia o dvizhenii kolichestva chlenov religioznogo obshchestva asd za 3 kvartal 1950 goda [Information about the dynamic of membership in the religious society of Adventists for the 3rd quarter, 1950] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. D. 18. L. 93.

Spravka o bogosluzhenii ASD 14 maia 1977 goda [Report about the religious ceremony of the Adventists pn May 14, 1977] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 104. L. 95.

Spravka o sostoianii religioznykh obshchestv, deistvuiushchikh na territorii g. Moskvy na 1-е marta 1949 g. [Report about the state of religious societies registered in Moscow city, by March 1, 1949] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 16. L. 2.

Spravka o sostoianii religioznykh obshchestv, deistvuiushchikh na territorii g. Moskvy na 1-e maia 1950 goda [Report about the state of religious societies registered in Moscow city, by May 1, 1950] //TsKhD TsGAM. F. 3004. Op. 1. D. 20. L. 24.

Literature

Alekseeva, L. M. (1992) Istoriia inakomysliia v SSSR: Noveishiiperiod [History of Dissent in the USSR]. M.: "Vest'".

Bourdeaux, Michael. (1968) Religious Ferment in Russia. London: Macmillan.

Kahle, Wilhelm. (1962) Aufsatze zur Entwicklung der evangelischen Gemeinden in Rutland. Leiden [u. a.]: Brill.

Klibanov, A. I., Lialina, G. S. (1974) Kritika religioznogo sektantstva [Critique of the Religious Sects]. M.: Mysl'.

Nikol'skaia, T. K. (2009) Russkii protestantizm i gosudarstvennaia vlast' v 1900-1991 godakh [Russian Protestantism and the State Power in 1905 - 1991]. SPb.: Izdatel'stvo Evropeiskogo universiteta v Sankt-Peterburge.

Odintsov, M. I. (2012) "Vy primete silu, kogda soidet na vas Dukh Sviatoi..." Istoriia Piatidesiatnicheskoi tserkvi v Rossii. XIX-XX vv. ["You will accept power when the Holy Spirits descends upon you..." A History of the Pentecostal Church in Russia, 19 - 20th cc]. SPb: Rossiiskoe ob'edinenie issledovatelei religii.

page 170
Ozhegov, S. I. (2012) Tolkovyi slovar' russkogo iazyka. 100000 slov, terminov i vyrazhenii [Dictionary of the Russian Language. 100000 Words, Terms and Expressions]. Oniks, Mir i Obrazovanie.

Savin, A. I. (2006) Etnokonfessiia и souetskom gosudarstue: mennonity Sibiri v 1920-1980-e gody Annotirovannyi perechen' arkhivnykh dokumentov i materi-alov; izbrannye dokumenty. [Ethno-Confession in the Soviet state: Mennonites in Siberia in 1920 - 1980S. An Annotated List of Selected Archival Documents]. Novosibirsk: SO RAN, Posokh.

Franchuk, V.I. (2001) Prosila Rossiia dozhdia u Gospoda [Russia Asked Lord for Rain]. Kiev: Svetlaia Zoria.

Filosofsko-religioznye tetradi. Tetrad' N 1. Materialy Pervogo Evangel'skogo Sobora. (2010) [Philosophical-Religious Record Books. Book 1. Materials of the First Evangelical Congress]. M.: Izdatel'stvo MRO EKhB "Na Rusi".

Weib, Lothar (2013) (Hg.). Russlanddeutsche Migration und evangelische Kirchen. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

page 171

Permanent link to this publication: