Professor of the St. Petersburg theological academy T. V. Barsov on the reform of the spiritual court of the Russian church (based on articles in the scientific journal “Khristianskoye chteniye”, 1870-73)

In an article on the material of publications in the journal Christian Reading 1870-73. an attempt is being made to reconstruct the possible legal concept of T. V. Barsov regarding the reform of the spiritual court of the Russian Church. It is shown that Barsov, trying to justify the possibility of separation of the spiritual court from the administration, by analogy with the secular court, refers to the court proceedings of the Ancient Church with its two-stage (bishop - court) and conciliar (in the form of presbyteriums and cathedrals of different levels) device. Speaking about the foundations of the spiritual court, Barsov points to the ancient court as a court of open confession, as well as the principle of Christian justice. Interpretation of Mt. 18: 15-20 about the alleged indication in the words of Christ on the device of a spiritual court, by analogy with the Roman court, the author of the article is considered to be erroneous. It is concluded that T. V. Barsov as an active participant in the “Committee for the Transformation of the Judicial Part of the Clerical Department” obviously had his own concept of reform of the spiritual court.