Historical experience of pacifism of the Soviet evangelical community: statements of the church and the choice of believers

The paper presents the historical experience of pacifism of evangelical believers specifically Evangelical Christians-Baptists and Pentecostals, in the USSR. The main postulates of evangelical pacifist convictions were formulated in the early 20th century, with doctrinal provisions emerging in the 1920s and subsequently becoming wide-spread. The article analyzes the changes of state policy regarding pacifism, as well as the reaction of the evangelical community to the pressure of the authorities. Initially, the Soviet state granted believers the right to replace military service with alternative civil service. However, in the 1930s, this option was revoked. Despite the proclamation of freedom of conscience, the Soviet state forced evangelical structures to perform civil duties, including bearing arms for military service. . The evangelical community has developed a flexible position on pacifism, officially declaring the requirement to comply with state laws and personal responsibility for choice. During the Soviet period, the evangelical community developed several strategies of action in relation to participation in military operations and military service: from categorical refusal to total acceptance of the need for army service. Different evangelical churches have their own traditions of attitudes towards military service. In illegal communities, there were often cases of refusal to take the military oath with weapons in their hands. In the late Soviet period, for most believers, military service was a way to test the "steadfastness of their faith" and a demonstration of law-abiding and inclusion in the life of Soviet society.