The orthodox conservatism of archbishop Nikon (Rozhdestvensky) against the “pagan” nationalism of M. O. Menshikov

The article analyzes the religious views of the popular publicist of the beginning of the 20th century M. O. Menshikov and their criticism by the famous theologian Archbishop Nikon (Rozhdestvensky). The material of the publications of pre-revolutionary periodicals and sources of personal origin shows the inconstancy and inconsistency of Menshikov’s religious beliefs, their constant transformation, the result of which was the disillusionment of the journalist in the transformative possibilities of Christianity and the Church. It is indicated that, in spite of the current view of Menshikov in modern literature as the faithful son of the Orthodox Church, this position is erroneous. Archbishop Nikon’s many years of criticism of Menshikov’s religious component of journalism revealed the journalist’s gross misconceptions and pointed out the incompatibility of his narrow nationalist approach to the issues of the Orthodox faith and church life. It seems that describing Menshikov’s nationalism as “pagan”, Nikon rather accurately defined both his essence and the threats concealed in Russian nationalism, which was not ennobled and not restrained by the canonical teaching of the Orthodox Church...