Polemics in Russian Journalism at the Beginning of the 20th Century on the Ministry of Monastics to the World

Abstract

From this article the reader will learn about the controversy that took place in church journalism on the issue of monastics’ ministry to the world, which attracted academic and public interest and made many respected church leaders of the early 20th century speak out. The faculty members of the Moscow Theological Academy became active participants in the controversy, almost unanimously defending the idea of a «new ministry» of monks to the world, which meant the involvement of the monastic institute in social and charitable activities. A well-known publicist, resident of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Nikon (Rozhdestvensky), was a consistent supporter of the contemplative ascetic ideal, arguing that charity would destroy monasteries, that the only task of a monastery is practising church services, prayer and the education of the spirit and that the world should not expect anything from a monastery except ascesis and prayer. The discussed issue caused acute interpersonal conflicts within the Academy’s faculty and administration. Each of the disputing parties tried to back its position, putting forward various kinds of arguments, including referring to Russian church history and the tradition of the Church. However, it must nevertheless be stated that the arguments given by the polemicists cannot be considered exhaustive even today.