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Introduction: Our Topic, the Russian Church in the 20th Century
A. Why “the end of the world”? Recall our previous discussions about
i. the kathechon (II Thessalonians 2:6-7) and Orthodox monarchism
ii. discerning our place in history – living “after the end,” relationship of Church to society; a new catacomb age
iii. our task of discerning “Where is the Church”? Faith comes first.
a. principles of discernment: the world, the sects, the Church
b. ecclesiology – go back to Class 43. Confession of faith, union with a true bishop.
B. Importance of Sergianism in addition to Ecumenism
i. term “Sergianism” – its origin
ii. importance: Must see that Ecumenism is not to be understood in isolation, but as one aspect of an all-encompassing Antichrist agenda. Sergianism is the linchpin uniting theological indifference to the creation of the appearance of the Church without the reality of the Church. It creates a church organization in service of the Antichrist New Order that will ensnare “if possible, even the elect.”
iii. new soteriology: “two ways” – confession or compromise – the very essence of the spirit of Antichrist
I. Sources – A Reading List
A. The Russian Golgotha, Monastery Press 2006, see esp. “The Sovietization of the Moscow Patriarchate” by V. Moss 93 pp.
B. Articles by V. Moss, esp. http://www.orthodoxchristianbooks.com/articles/441/did-church-betray-tsar-1917/ and http://www.orthodoxchristianbooks.com/articles/556/how-moscow-patriarchate-lost-grace/
C. Article by Fr. Nikita Grigoriev: https://rocorhistory.blogspot.com/2009/03/rocamp-history-by-fr-nikita-grigoriev.html
D. 1972 History of the Russian Church Abroad by Holy Transfiguration Monastery:
https://app.box.com/s/fare5dzeqrnqmtg8j057ky6m7layu0fu .
Review of this book by Fr. Seraphim Rose: https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2014/06/unrewritten-history-of-rocor-1917-1971.html
E. Life of St. Philaret of New York, by Bishop Stefan (Sabelnik): https://blessedphilaret.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-life-compiled-by-rtoc.html
F. Again, Russia’s Catacomb Saints, I.M. Andreyev, Fr. Seraphim Rose. https://russiascatacombsaints.blogspot.com/ .
II. Outline history of the Church in Russia in the 20th century
A. The February Revolution1917 : The synod betrays the Tsar
- CORRECTION: The new Ober-procurator under the Provisional Government was not Tuchkov (a later, Bolshevik minster) but Prince V. N. Lvov.
B. The October Revolution 1917 and the All Russian Sobor of 1917- 1918 : The patriarch anathematizes the Bolsheviks
C. The Patriarch takes a softer line 1922 – confiscation of church valuables
D. The “Living Church” 1922-1924
E. 1925 repose of the patriarch; three locum tenentes
F. Sergius, the declaration of 16/29, 1927
G. Cainite-Sergianist pseudo-church vs Sethite True Church
H. Stalin’s annihilation of the clergy and churches – 95% by 1940.
I. WWII – the fake church hierarchy created by Stalin
J. 1948 on – WCC, MP as arm of Soviet intelligence, propaganda, and the ongoing destruction of the church in the USSR.
K. Post-Soviet/neo-Soviet MP – the church leadership allied with Putin, now power brokers in their own right
III. The Russian Church Abroad, the Evlogians, the Metropolia/OCA
A. Ukaz 362 of 7/20 November: the Russian Church Abroad was never part of the phony MP created by Stalin. It is *older* than phony MP and, moreover, was actually a real Church.
B. Evlogians – Paris jurisdictions, YMCA, St. Sergius Institute, theological modernism, worldliness. Masonic “Orthodoxy”
C. North America – 1924-1936, 1936-1946. 1946-1970. OCA.
From former Uniates to full-blown modernists.
IV. The MP Acquires Most of the ROCOR.
A. Met. Anastassy’s prohibition and why. Cat and mouse.
B. Russia opens up. ROCOR efforts there. Opposing views.
…To be continued in Class 48!
