, 1874-11-15
RELIGION IN RusslA--IHE GREEK CHURCH

LEGL1sE RussR. By Ax41o1z 1nor Br4u1nu.
Paris. 1874.::
Religion nowhere holds such sEsy orer ths
masses OF the people ~ in Rusaia. In e1er1
village, the church OF the placs, with its green
or blue cupo1a, toHe ers over III thinga else,
fitting symbol Of the Empire Of Orthodoxy
the Greeks call this church, by WY ot prefer
ence, the Orthodox Church, over ths hea;s
and minds Of the people. Itue, in Russia, n N
al other countries, Skepticism has invaded ths
educated classes- But the victims Of Dlnbt
Rre there fewer relatively thaQ IN my rha'
country in the world
The religious life Of tbs RussiaEs present.
some strange phenomena There d no one
naturally more disposed to be religious tim tha
Russian. Spontaneously III biz conceptions
take religious form. He always protessesto to
be, and believes himself to be, : Christian. III
he is not always Christian, although alTsIs ~
Hgiously inclined There arc st1sts of Buaa7
society, and not among the Finniah sna
Tartar tripea alone. into which Christianity
has not yet penetrated 1ddatJ It'll tnsn
among the lowest classes. Pagan ntss Ind D.
1iefs have in many places survived, toesf tofss
only changed The religion Of othar1, .sta'
ia found to be kind OF hybrid between Cans.
tiAnity Aud primitive Psg1nism. Tba nuno1 q
sects among the masses Is something sppalEa4l
and new ones arc daily arising. L Il s11ose
that people Who, like tho Rustisos, Accepted
Christianity without struggle, 1hould nas' II
theu lower ranks, cling to modified Rsisaen-
ism. Students OF their religious tlssos3 VI
however, that their eonversiou to Chnsa'uhf
was never thorough. Nor 10 it only the naa'a
as y whole in which this contradiction Of P'slp
ism aud Christianity is found 7eEJ @tsa W.
religion Of individual is discovered to d
strange compound Of Paganism, Ch11snaun:'
and Skephcisn. 4 species Of hssuraue'' 1@F
theism is still widely prevalent in Russia
The Russian Church il = National Church. =
is National institution, And tho ono saA*
dates farthest back Of Ill Rusaan tnstlsuuoas
It ia not only National, but I popular ma1~
ton. The county and the chnfen ~
identified IN the mind Of koesaa'
His religion and his patriotism s1e a"s5e ~
Even whero Skepticism abouns tne oau -.
seldom attacked, for. strange to ssy, '1e1 ~. ~
Russian loses his faith in the Church, n's
not cease to be attached to it. Ae ss'u ~''"
To attack it would be r1eason- c.,h:
The Russisns call their Church tho dol! ee
Ole Apostolic and Orthodox Church 49,
usually c.lled simply the Orthodox chascn. III
the Creek separated from the Western cams a.
had only 20, 000, 900 adherenta' II o@ 49, :. prs.
COO. GOO. There are Of these gu 'ooo'o" - ..nr,.
sia alone. It might, therefore, oe mo'' npra. ar
priately called the Slavic. not tho Gfeek on ,:...
It is generally supposed that there is 'e'' 4
difference between the Roman CatnonS -.
Greek Churches. This is to Grea' e1'' 1;r.r.
roneous~ There is often very sesloaa ..-..u
ence where there is apparent haf"on? ~. oi
the two great bodies. Thus, the e1's+s. C".soF.
Pureatory ia an article Of the Kom1n e~ -..h
faith It is not OF the Greek OF huse''n ed ii
Neither Pnrgatory nor the double ptoeT n.
the Holy Ghost is admitted BY tho o'eoe nu>
"Orthodox Church." however, docs ~. I'll
denim these doctrines. It consen@ p1 rh
saving that they are no part of lss ee''1 p,n,s
breach between the Russian and tno ,.,A
Catholic Churches is being graanau, ..nn tr4
To the points Of difference between Nu' Id
have been added recent1y.-t6e oos =. p,,at
immaculate Conception, and tna9 - ..,t %
lQ1AIuDu4t4s AA0 4kAQ9A2+*0 *>e atEt4
doctrinal definition can be m'os - III
the close of the gre.t Councils .nss1iot % =.
rupture Of Rome and Constantlnop.e:. .+i.u;1
theory OF doctrinh development in cat'''i 1,.ia.
ia entirely rejected by them. II ~ an;sb,a
tained that the Christian edifca hss oeen &C.
for centuries. There is, as consequent a1eh cn
siderable latitude Of opinion in ths Cnu rhs
points NOT settled BY the first couoeu', -, IT.. III
Russian Church has no central authority ~ w. ~
Roman. The Creek C:techism saJs -. rhmca
Church has no head but Christ. hoioee4 nnoa
can impose its usages, language OF l'~e 81 hs
any other. The Slavonlc language
Creek, u in general use in the service, cb,,,ta
In many respects, the Rusalsn . .n,np
nearer to come OF the Protestant s0c@ ~. ths
the Roman Catholic. It Ia haaona1' ,,rck
Anp1ican. 1t has no centralized goFeIn;,h Wv, 1T
When Do.'unssr ngna1izsd bis dssits to 1s.as
.scsp. 9ss,I tho d.cres Of Papal 1nf.lbil't, d"''