PROTESTANT MINORITIES IN THE SOVIET UKRAINE, 1945-1991 by ALEXANDER KASHIRIN A ...

948 Pages·2011·12.38 MB·English

PROTESTANTMINORITIES IN THE SOVIETUKRAINE, 1945-1991
by
ALEXANDERKASHIRIN
A DISSERTATION
Presentedto the DepartmentofHistory
and the Graduate School ofthe University ofOregon
inpartial fulfillmentofthe requirements
for the degree of
DoctorofPhilosophy
June 2010
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University ofOregon Graduate School
Confirmation ofApproval and Acceptance ofDissertation prepared by:
Alexander Kashirin
Title:
"Protestant Minorities in the SovietUkraine, 1945-1991"
This dissertationhas been accepted and approved inpartial fulfillment ofthe requirements for
the degree in the Department ofHistory by:
Julie Hessler, Chairperson, History
R Alan Kimball, Member, History
Jack Maddex, Member, History
William Husband, Member, Not from U of0
Caleb Southworth, Outside Member, Sociology
and Richard Linton, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies/Deanofthe Graduate
School for the University ofOregon.
June 14,2010
Original approval signatures are on file with the Graduate School and the University ofOregon
Libraries.
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© 2010 AlexanderKashirin
IV
An Abstract ofthe Dissertationof
Alexander Kashirin forthe degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy
in the Department ofHistory to betaken June 2010
Title: PROTESTANT MINORITIES IN THE SOVIET UKRAINE, 1945-1991
Approved:
Julie Hessler
The dissertation focuses onProtestants in the Soviet Ukraine from the end ofthe
Second World War to the collapse ofthe USSR. Ithas two major aims. The first is to
elucidate the evolution ofSovietpolicy toward Protestant denominations, using archival
evidence that was not available to previous students ofthis subject. The second isto
reconstruct the internal life ofProtestant congregations as marginalized social groups. The
dissertation is thus a case study both ofreligious persecutionunder state-sponsored atheism
and ofthe efforts ofindividual believers and their communitiesto survive without
compromisingtheir religious principles.
The opportunity to function legally came at a costto Protestant communities in
Ukraine and elsewhere in the USSR. Inthe 1940s-1980s, Protestant communities lived
within atight encirclement ofnumerous governmental restrictions designed to contain and,
ultimately, reduce all manifestations ofreligiosity inthe republic both quantitatively and
qualitatively. The Soviet state specifically focused on interrupting the generational
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continuity ofreligious tradition by driving a wedge between believing parents andtheir
children. Aware ofthese technologies ofcontainment and their purpose, Protestants
devised avariety ofsurvival strategiesthat allowed them, when possible, to circumventthe
stifling effects ofcontainment and ensure the preservation andtransmission ofreligious
traditions to the next generation. The dissertation investigates howthe Soviet government
exploitedthe state institutions and ecclesiastic structures in its effortto transform
communities ofbelievers into malleable societies oftimid and nominal Christians and how
the diverse Protestant communities responded to this challenge.
Facedwith serious ethical choices-to collaborate with the governmentorresist its
persistent interference in the internal affairs oftheircommunities-many Ukrainian
Evangelicalsjoinedthe vocal opposition movement that contributedto an increased
international pressure on the Soviet government and subsequent evolution ofthe Soviet
policy from confrontationto co-existence with religion. The dissertation examines both
theoretical and practical aspects ofthe Soviet secularizationproject and advances anumber
ofarguments that help account for religion's survival inthe SovietUnion during the 1940s
1980s.
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CURRICULUMVITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: AlexanderKashirin
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University ofOregon
EasternNew Mexico University
DEGREES AWARDED:
DoctorofPhilosophy, ModernRussian History, 2010, University ofOregon
MasterofArts, Russian and EastEuropean Studies, 2005, UniversityofOregon
BachelorofArts inEnglish, 2002, EasternNew Mexico University
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
SovietPolitical and Social History
ModemEuropeanHistory
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Graduate Teaching Fellow, University ofOregon, 2003-2010
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GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS:
Thomas T. TurnerMemorial Award for Outstanding Achievement and Character,
Department ofHistory, University ofOregon, 2008
U.S. Fulbright Fellowshipto Ukraine, "ProtestantMinorities inthe Soviet
Ukraine, 1945-1991," September2007-June 2008
Passwith Distinction, Comprehensive Exam for the Degree ofMaster ofArts,
University ofOregon, 2005
Cum Laude, BachelorofArts inEnglish, EasternNewMexico University, 2002
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wishto thank my adviser, ProfessorHessler, who workedcloselywithme on
this project, as well as Professors Kimball, Maddex, Southworth, and Husbandfor the
valuable feedback Ireceivedfrom them. This projectwouldhave been impossible
withouta Fulbrightgrantto Ukraine for 2007-2008, whichenabledme to conductthe
necessaryarchival research. Iwishto express my sincere appreciationto all parties
involved in selectingme as arecipientofthis greathonor-the University ofOregon,the
Institute ofInternational Educationandthe Fulbrightrepresentatives inUkraine,
especiallythe Director ofthe FulbrightProgram inUkraine, Myron Stachiw. lowe a
greatdeal ofgratitudeto all the wonderful people inUkraine whose advice andassistance
wereinvaluableto my work's progress-Valerii Vasiliev, who ushered me into the world
ofUkrainian archives, employees ofthe TsDAGO and TsDAVO archives inKyiv, the
academic staffofthe Department ofReligious Studies atthe G. SkovorodaInstitute of
Philosophyin Kyiv, and my generous hosts, the Kyiv SeventhDayAdventistresidents
IvanFedorovichand MartaKhimenets, for sharingtheirhome withme and connecting
me witha numberofprominentUkrainianProtestants Iwishedto interview. I also want
to acknowledge my wife, Wanda, whose patience, understanding andundivided support
ofmy academic pursuits were indispensible to the successful completionofthis project.
Finally, Iwantto thank my faithful dog, Fifi, for the love andcompanionship she
lavishedupon me so unconditionally overthe years ofmy graduate experience.
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Tothe memory ofmy Mother, Nadezhda, and Father, Yurii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. STATE INSTITUTIONS: THE COUNCIL FOR THE AFFAIRS
OF RELIGIOUS CULTS 28
1. The CARC's Functions and Prerogatives.......................................................... 31
2. The CARC Relationship withthe MGB/KGB and LawEnforcement
Agencies............................................................................................................. 61
3. The ImpactofKhrushchev's Empowerment ofthe LocalAuthorities
onthe CARC 73
4. The CARC's Role as Ombudsmanfor Believers 82
5. Conclusion 88
III. ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS: THE VSEKhB AND THEVSASD ...... 95
1. The Formationand Aims ofthe VSEKhB 102
2. The VSEKhB and the Pentecostals: A Failed Union 135
3. The ForeignRelations Role ofthe VSEKhB 163
4. TheVSEKhB as Enforcer 188
5. The ContrastingExample ofVSASD 199
IV. PROTESTANTS AJ\lD LOCAL AUTHORITIES 224
1. Protestants as Victims ofPrejudice and GeneralBrutalization ofSoviet
Society 226
2. StateBond Drives as Pretextsto HarassProtestants 237