“Probably We should Strengthen the Fight Against such Regionalists”: The Policy of the Central Committee of the CPSU towards the Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians – Baptists (1964 - 1969)

Abstract

The article explores the attitude of the highest party authorities towards the emergence, development and activity of such a religious protest movement as the Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists in the early years of the Brezhnev administration. The analysis of authentic documents enables to see exactly what guided the CC CPSU and what steps were taken towards the “Initiative” movement. The results suggest that despite numerous requests from the KGB the Brezhnev administration restrained itself from using repressive actions against the faithful until the “Initsiativniki” demonstration on the Old Square in 1966.