Vladimir and the Start of Russian Orthodox

Vladimir and the Start of Russian Orthodox
by Rit Nosotro
Change Over Time essay

Describe the situation before and after Vladimir, the Russian Slavic prince of Kiev converted his state to the Byzantine form of Christianity - later Russian Orthodox. What was the impact of his commitment? Also describe the state’s influence on the Church.

Russia is a very unique land, not only because of its gloomy weather! The largest nation in amount of territory has gone from a great empire to an oppressive socialist country. Ironically, the Church prospered while the country suffered, and suffered while the country prospered. How is this possible? First it is important to see a brief background of Russia before the Church originated, then how the Church’s origins impacted the nation, and finally how the church fared up until modern times.

The country of Russia was first settled by the Varangians, a warrior tribe from across the Baltic Sea. The Varangians arrived in the city of Novgorod in 862 A.D. and called their country Rus. Rus was not an empire, but merely a collection of cities ruled by a warrior named Rurik.

The Varangian leader died, and a certain Oleg took his place as ruler. The new chief pushed southward and conquered Kiev in 882. Making Kiev the capital, Oleg established the first dynasty in the region. For the first time, the country, then known as Kievan Rus’, was united. It flourished economically for about three-hundred years as the center of the trade route from Constantine to Scandinavia.

Then the great-grandson of Oleg, Vladimir I, took the throne in 980, inheriting a vast kingdom that spread from the Black Sea to the Caucasus Mountains, to the ends of the Volga River. Despite the financial and territorial success, civil wars and family feuds were ripe throughout the land. Vladimir himself, then a pagan, was involved in such feuds, even going as far as murdering his brother. By 989 A.D.¹ Vladimir decided that the state needed its own religion, so he researched them all, finally deciding upon the Greek Orthodoxy faith of Christianity² . Most think that he chose this religion because he fell in love with the beauty of Constantinople in contrast to the blandness of the Germans and Muslims³ . Thus the state of Kiev allied with Constantinople and its allies due to their common faith. Of course, this is not a very good reason to receive Christ, but it is impossible to know whether his conversion was legitimate or not. Only God knows the hearts of men. However, Scripture says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him? …faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.”⁴

Vladimir did have his works. He threw the pagan idols into rivers and committed his state to advancing education, improving the judicial system, and assisting the poor. He “civilized and Christianized ancient Russia,”⁵ and began what is known as the Golden Age of Kiev. The Golden Age lasted past his death thanks to the efforts of his successor, Yaroslav the Wise. This Wise Guy established the first law code of Russia, forged alliances with other nations, and supported the arts, propelling Kievan Rus’ to its zenith as an empire.

During these times the Russian Orthodox Church was a subordinate of its sister in Byzantine, and that Church’s patriarch appointed the head of Russia’s church. Under the watch of the Byzantines, the Russian Church was pretty clean and successful. Even when the Tartar Mongols controlled Russia, the Church prospered, even though the Metropolitan was forced to move from Kiev to Moscow in 1325. The Mongols gave the Church land and status as a tax-exempt institution. However, at the end of the Mongol rule, the majority wanted the Church to give up its land. Fortunately, Ivan II intervened and ordered that the Church could keep its territory.

Slowly the Russian Orthodox became separated from the rest of the “Christian” Churches to become its own unique branch. The Council of Florence in 1439 attempted to unite the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, but the Russians rejected this. Thus, the Russian Orthodox Church began to separate from the Vatican and, a few years later, separated from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Five years before Constantinople’s fall, which occurred in 1453, a man named Jonas was elected by the Russian Bishops to have the title of Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia. By 1589, the Russian Orthodox Church was set up in such a way that the head bishop was accountable to no-one, thus sowing the seeds for corruption.

1652 saw another Patriarch, Nikon, endeavor to centralize command by converting to the rituals of Greek Orthodoxy. The people saw right through it and many rejected this, even going as far as creating their own sect known as the Old Believers.

Peter the Great also had a great effect on the history of Russian Orthodoxy. The Church was very critical of Peter; and Peter did not like that very much. So, he took away the tax exemption. Furthermore, Peter failed to assign a successor after Patriarch Adrian died in 1700, then established the “Holy Synod” made up of ten priests to run the church. The priests were led by a layman that the Czar appointed, which made the Church part of the government. This system would last until 1917, when the Russian Revolution took place.

“’I [God] know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.’”⁶ This describes perfectly the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church during the period of 1700 to 1917. Being controlled by the state, it was difficult for them to be “hot”. Although many people made very real decisions to follow Christ, including celebrities such as Leo Tolstoy and Anna Pavlova, the decision to choose the Russian Orthodox religion was usually not a personal one. Also, decisions were not made based on God’s will, but on the political impact. Even so, Russians were not “cold” because they basically followed all the good rules. Unfortunately for them, God detests the lukewarm above all.

Just as the preceding passage described that Church, a verse shortly after it describes the Church from 1917 onwards. “’As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.’”⁷ God decided to discipline His Church through great persecution, caused by Vladimir Lenin and especially Josef Stalin. Compare the 70,000 churches before the Revolution with the 7,000 in 1991. Also liken 54,000 parishes and 150 bishops in office in 1917 to the one hundred parishes and two bishops in 1939⁸ . However, now the Christians are, for the most part, very genuine, following sound doctrine, and willing to suffer for the name of Christ.

“…but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”⁹ The history of the Russian Orthodox Church proves true these words written by the Apostle Paul. Russia’s official conversion to “godliness” resulted in a healthy state, but its corruption was also a downfall for the nation.

Quick Quiz:

Endnotes:

up ¹Geographia.com. "Ancient Russia." http://www.geographia.com/russia/rushis02.htm

up ²Greek Orthodoxy is also known as Eastern Orthodoxy or Byzantine Christianity.

up ³Actually the rumor is that he rejected Islam because they disallowed drinking alcohol.

up ⁵John Carson Crow. Gencircles.com. " Vladimir I "The Great" of Kiev." http://www.gencircles.com/users/jcrow/1/data/9896

up ⁸Fact-index.com. "Russian Orthodox Church." http://www.fact-index.com/r/ru/russian_orthodox_church.html

from <http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/index.htm> ( )

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