Project and Topics of the Failed All- Russian Congress of Religious- Philosophical Societies of 1917. (Example of Philosophical Forecasting of an Event)

In late 1916 — early 1917, the active forces of the Russian religious intelligentsia were concentrated in religious- philosophical societies. When the threat of revolution loomed over Russia, Petrograd Religious- Philosophical Society decided to push it by creating centers of public opposition throughout Russia, and a project for a new social “movement” emerged. To put the idea into practice, it was decided to convene a congress of all religious- philosophical societies. Due to the lack of historical time, the congress did not take place. The article comprehensively examines this project and the process of preparation for its implementation. Drawing on the texts of the minutes of the meetings of the Council of Petrograd Religious- Philosophical Society on the project of the congress, as well as the articles by its potential participants, the study resorted to the method of philosophical forecasting of the event. Some probable topics of reports and directions of discussions at the congress of the Petrograd, Moscow, and Kyiv religious- philosophical societies are prospectively considered, based on the concepts of “church- political” reform developed by the leading figures of these societies. It is shown that being discussed on the platform of the problem of “Church and power”, the issue of theocracy in its new form was supposed to be the main line at the congress. The conclusion made is that the organizers of the congress wanted to combine the absolute concept of religion with the “church- political” consciousness of the Church, and despite the existing disagreements, the congress could have led the societies to a short-term agreement and interaction in 1917.