Orthodox Clergy of the South of Russia in the Conditions of Socio-political Upheavals in 1917 (Spiritual and Moral Aspects and Lessons of the Past for Students of the Agribusiness and Mechanical Engineering Faculties)

Abstract

Appeal to the designated topic is associated with a significant interest in the history of the Russian Church and Orthodox thought and creates the prerequisites for a deeper study of the history of the Civil War. The reaction of the clergy of the South of Russia to the revolutionary upheavals and military conflicts of the early 20th century, their attitude to politics and views on reforms in the Church have largely remained a blank spot in historiography. The South of Russia (in the context of the subject under consideration) is of particular interest as a complex multi-confessional region with a broad representation of the Cossacks, which became one of the centers of the white movement during the Civil War. The methodological basis of the work was formed at the intersection of such sciences as theology, history and philosophy, as well as at the intersection of research principles and methods of the classical model of scientific historical research and modern methodology, which are based on the principles of historicism and consistency. Consideration of the problem is carried out on a universal source base, including church records management, reports of the White Guard Osvag and regional periodicals, with the involvement of the main historiography on the problem. The authors show that various political forces during the Civil War recognized the socio-political potential of Russian Orthodoxy. Complex in political structure, the White movement sought to support this traditional institution in their own interests, pinning their hopes on the unifying, moral and patriotic role of the Church. This article has been prepared on the basis of the lessons “Fundamentals of Morality” and “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” for students of the agro-industrial and mechanical engineering departments in order to familiarize themselves with the lessons of the Russian past, with topics of spiritual and moral orientation”.