Myshkov V. Evolution and trends of Old Believers in Ukraine

The thesis is a holistic research on peculiarities of belief system evolution and religious practice of Ukrainian Old ritualism from the perspective of philosophy, religious studies, and historiosophy. The work touches upon ideologically-cultural, structurally-typological, world view and doctrinal peculiarities of Old ritualism in Ukraine, its establishing and evolution. The author defines the stages of Old ritualism transformation, conditioned by the processes of its adaptation to new circumstances of functioning. The sources of belief system and forms of ideological transformation of Ukrainian Old-ritualism are identified, and its main doctrinal and institutional models are analyzed. Moreover, the thesis contains analysis of Old ritualism dissents, defines their place in social, spiritual and inter-confession life, and provides forecast on tendencies and dynamics of their development.