THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH OF THE EAVANGEL CHRISTIAN BAPTISTS IN RUSSIA TO SUPPOSE THE SOVIET TOTALITARY MODE AND RESTORATION OF UKRAINIAN STATE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the participation of Evangelical Christians-Baptists in the resistance movement of the  Soviet totalitarian regime and their role in the restoration of Ukrainian statehood. The scientific novelty of the research is to develop  socially significant issues, which first became the subject of a comprehensive study. The aim is to study the role of the religious  factor in the resistance movement and the Ukrainian government processes. To achieve this goal it is necessary to realize the  following objectives: to highlight the policies of the totalitarian system on Baptist communities during the 60's and 80's. XX century;  show what methods of USSR Baptist community members fought with the totalitarian system of attacks on their rights and freedom  of conscience; to assess the contribution of the opposition Baptist Union in the fight for freedom of conscience and religion and the  restoration of statehood Ukraine.  It was shown that after a temporary period of easing pressure totalitarian regime for the Church in the early 60s of XX,  began an active attack on religious communities in order to (if not completely eliminate them or at least completely) subordinate them  to its control. Established that in a case of UCECB highest hierarchy was obeyed, the toughest and most consistent members of the  so-called confession «Initsiatyvnyky» didn’t obey and organized resistance to criminal authorities. Although it cost them opposition  forces, health, and some even life, but their struggle they defended their right to faith. It was found that the split among Evangelical  Christians-Baptists on the one hand relaxed them, but on the other hand, showed and proved the communist captains that religious  people (and not the opportunists-conformist) did not spare his own well-being and life for free evangelistic. Proved that the opposition  forced the faithful atheist totalitarian regime and weaken the administrative and supervisory pressure and accept the existence of  religious communities of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, which eventually led to its weakening and gradual decline.

Key words: Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Ukraine, the Soviet totalitarian system