Russian anti-old believer state-confessional paradigm of 1666–1906

Abstract

On the basis of the historical-genetic method, the author studied a significant period in the history of Russia. 240 years of state-confessional policy aimed at reintegrating Old Believers into the official Russian Orthodox Church have gone down in history under the slogan of "fighting schism." The methods and means of this struggle were of a different nature: from outright violence (including the death penalty) to missionary methods of "admonishing", including even a unique church experiment called "common faith."

During the reign of Peter I, a system of "anti-schismatic" legislation was formed. For the first time, the Old Believers were able to legally register through a double capitation salary. However, the main goal of the state-confessional policy in solving the "Old Believer problem" was reduced to the elimination of the Old Believers as an undesirable social and religious community, but at the same time with the extraction of fiscal benefits for the imperial political regime.

Legal indulgences during the reign of Catherine II and the second half of the 19th century. were controversial, were half-hearted and represented only minor concessions caused by the prevailing circumstances. Despite the relative loyalty of the imperial authorities, the Old Believers were still perceived as "schismatics", "sectarians", "heretics" and "state criminals".

The research carried out by the author allows us to conclude that for 240 years there has been an unchanging anti-Old Believer political and legal paradigm of the Russian authorities.