Evolution of Church–State Relations in the Tver Diocese (1950–2020): Based on Annual Diocesan Reports

Abstract

This article analyzes the evolution of church‑state relations in the Tver (Kalinin) Diocese from 1950 to 2020 based on materials from annual diocesan reports. The primary aim of the research is to identify the key stages and directions of the transformation of these relations — from strict state control during the Soviet period to the establishment of a model of multifaceted cooperation in modern Russia. The methodological foundation of the study is a historical‑systemic analysis of archival documents, primarily the annual reports themselves, which are considered a representative source reflecting change in the Church’s legal status and its practical interactions with government bodies. The study identifies the main phases of this evolution: a period of formal reporting and restrictions (1950s — 1980s), liberalization and the restoration of church‑administrative life in the late 1980s — 1990s, and the establishment of strategic partnership with the state in the 2000s — 2020s. The article demonstrates how the content of the reports expanded from dry statistics to complex documents detailing the development of social ministry, educational projects, missionary work, and cooperation with the Armed Forces and Federal Penitentiary Service institutions. The scholarly significance of the work lies in its use of regional material to illustrate the overarching trend in the development of church‑state relations in contemporary Russia, while establishing diocesan reports as a valuable source for studying this process.