Ethnic factor as an element of Church policy in the 1920s (in terms of Chuvash Republic)

Abstract

The article is based on archival documents and published sources and examines the state church policy and the internal church political life of the 1920s. Main attention is paid to the analysis of the schisms in the Russian Orthodox Church in Chuvashia. On the example of one of the national autonomies of the Middle Volga region the role of ethnic factor in the internal church life is revealed. The article focuses on the Renovationist and Autocephalous movement. On the basis of the studied documentary base, the key features of the development of the internal church situation in Chuvashia are identified, the dependence of regional events on the all-Russia events is estimated and their comparative characteristics are given, the dynamics of actions of local schismatics is described and the fact of participation of representatives of state bodies in provoking of Renovationist and Autocephalous splits is reflected.