Missionary Activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in Siberia: Historical and Legal Aspect

Abstract

The article deals with the evolution of state and legal regulation of missionary activity of the Russian Orthodox Church from 17th to early 20th centuries on the example of the Siberian region. The research bases on the R. Horton’s theory of conversion which allows weighing benefits and drawbacks of converting Siberian indigenous peoples to orthodoxy and the legal consequences of such conversion. The article analyses the reasons for no sustainable results from missionary activity during the imperial period. Besides, it reveals the fundamental distinction of pre-revolutionary and modern approaches to the legal regulation of missionary activity