Dissent in Its Essence

Abstract

Religious sectarianism is widespread in our lives. And different views on it exist in literature. Writers like Prughavin portrayed it as a bright, progressive and desirable phenomenon. Such a judgment about him we find in "Materials for the history and study of Russian sectarianism and old-believers", published by V.D. Bonch-Bruevich. The third issue of these "Materials" says: "The Russian people will never reach the proper height and take its rightful place in history, until the "best apostles" ... namely the sectarian preachers... They and only they are destined to open a new era in the life of the Russian people.