The tragic history of Moscow Theological Academy in 1917-1919 in the context of church renovationism

The study focused on the historical events of Moscow Theological Academy which took place against the background of the state and church complex processes in 1917 and in the post-revolutionary period. The research analyzed the attitude of teachers and students to the 1917 Revolution and further modifications both in various spheres of public life and in the Academy’s everyday life. The paper discussed the strained and ambiguous relationship between the church and the secular authority, the church renovationism, the role of the Academy and Orthodoxy, fostering and preserving Russian values, cultural heritage, and traditions in the face of social and political upheavals and transformations. The study identified the repercussions of the events of 1917-1919 that had a strong impact on the activities of Moscow Theological Academy involved in nationwide changes and determined its future. The research was based on the materials of the Manuscripts Department of the Russian State Library, the Central State Archives of Moscow, and the first social and political newspaper of Sergiev Posad entitled Izvestia Rasporyaditelnogo Komiteta Sergieva Posada.