About the author: in memory of Dmitry Pospelovsky

A brief summary of the concept and structure of the book “Totalitarianism and Religion”

Giving lectures on the history of the Russian Church in seminaries and civil universities in Russia since 1990, Dealing with modern Russian students, I came to the conclusion that if there is no danger of a revival of the Soviet-communist system in today's Russia, then the threat of fascism, totalitarianism of the fascist type is quite real. It is especially worrying that sentiments of the fascist-totalitarian type are found quite often among graduates of the newly established Orthodox schools and students of theological educational institutions. Therefore, I began to develop a new course, tentatively calling it “Totalitarianism and Christianity.” I have been teaching this course in Orthodox educational institutions in Russia for three years now, expanding and deepening it as the topic itself expands. About two years ago, I decided to gradually turn the course into a book - a textbook for universities and seminaries. And then I ran into a problem: what to call this book? “Totalitarianism and religion” will not work, because totalitarianism is a religion, a religion of idolatry. I settled on the title “Totalitarianism and Monotheism.” But what about Japan, whose totalitarian-fascist tendencies in the interwar period are included as an entire chapter in this book - there is polytheism there, not monotheism? This forced me to settle on one of the following two possible titles: “Totalitarianism and Theism” or “Totalitarianism and Religion.”

© Biblical and Theological Institute of St. Apostle Andrew, 2003