«A special institute or academy of missionaries is needed»: Archbishop Nikon (Rozhdestvensky) about sectarianism and Church’s anti-sectarian mission in Russia

Abstract

The article examines the sectology theme in the legacy of Archbishop Nikon based on the materials of his “Diaries” and relatively recently discovered texts published in the collection “On Guard”. The main themes of the publication are the analysis of internaland  external reasones and factors of the spread of sectarianism, occultism and paganism in its manifestation in extreme nationalism in Russia at the beginning of the XX century, as well as the methods to countering the sectarian propaganda. The peculiarity of the archbishop’s approach in the disclosure of these topics is to use the theological-ascetic method which allows to identify the spiritual mechanisms of the falling away of believers from the Church and to propose measures to prevent these falling away and ways to combat sectarianism in accordance with them. An important role in the fight against sectarianism was assigned by archbishop Nikon to the theological school, but it couldn’t fully use its resources in his opinion. The archbishop’s critical view opens its shortcomings, reveals its unrealized potential and indicates the possible directions in its development.