The goals of the organization of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church and its functions

Abstract

The article presents a brief overview-a study of the goals and functions of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, a public authority regulating the dialogue between the Church and the Soviet state. When the Council was created, the state power in the person of I. V. Stalin had its own goals: on the one hand, it was obvious that the Council was supposed to supervise and guide the Church (formally, however, it was created to "establish communication between the government of the USSR and the Patriarch"), on the other hand, the Council provided the Church with some guarantees (for example, that churches would not be closed without his permission, etc.). The implementation of a policy of partial revival of religious life was supposed to demonstrate to the world community, contrary to popular opinion, a loyal attitude towards religion in the Soviet Union. The functions of the Council included: drafting legislative acts concerning the Church, monitoring the implementation of these laws on the ground, informing the government of the USSR about the state of the Church, assisting the Church in case of obstacles on the ground in the performance of its "official duties", etc.