Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
Russian Orthodox Church, ROC, Soviets, national identity
College
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Department
Geography
Abstract
As a missionary in Russia, I was always told: To be Russian is to be Orthodox. What does it mean to be Russian after seventy years of Soviet rule, when atheism was religiously enforced? Walking down the streets and passing Orthodox churches in dilapidated condition, I could not help but ask myself what had happened to the church buildings during communism and what was becoming of these buildings today. If the Soviets were so intent on atheism, then it would seem that Russian national identity should also change. But despite the way the Soviets destroyed the churches, the Orthodox Church has persisted as a symbol of Russian national identity. This paper examines how the Soviets treated these buildings during Communism, the restoration work the Orthodox Church is currently doing to the buildings and what this signifies for Russian national identity.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Jennifer and Jackson, Dr. Richard
(2013)
"Russian Orthodox Churches in the Century of Change: How the Soviets Affected National Identity,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013:
Iss.
1, Article 261.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/261