UNCONVENTIONAL RELIGIOSITY AMONG THE ORTHODOX POPULATION OF THE BSSR IN THE 1930s (BASED ON THE MATERIALS FROM THE STATE ARCHIVES OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS)

Abstract

The article attempts to identify and analyze the elements of unconventional religiosity among the Orthodox population of the BSSR formed in the 1930s under the influence of secular policy of the Soviet state which had as its main goal the successive displacement of religion and church from all spheres of society. The research is organised according to the classification of types of unconventional religiosity by structure developed by the specialist in new religious movements V. Martіnovich and is based on the documents of the state republic and region archives of Belarus. Pointing out some terminological difficulties related to the vagueness of the use of the term "churchman" in the Soviet documentation, the author comes to the conclusion about spreading of such types of unconventional religiosity among the Orthodox believers of the BSSR as cult environment of the society and elements of intra-church sectarianism and also determines the influence of anti-religious state policy on the transition of Orthodox people into the sects proper.