Petrov S. Policy of the USSR toward Evangelical churches during the period of 1940's - 1960's

The object of this research is the policy of USSR with regards to religion and religious institutions in all its manifestations: ideological, sociopolitical, legal, administrative, organizational, and punitive. The goal of this work is the determination of the key factors and trends of the development, content, character, and peculiarities of the Soviet policy related to Evangelical churches during the period of 1940’s – 1960’s. The author used the following methods: empirical, logical, historical-genetic, chronological, typological, comparative, systemic-structural, ideographical, biographical, statistical, quantitative, as well as methods of analysis, synthesis, historical reconstruction, and terminological analysis. The article examines the specific historical circumstances, causes of emergence, and development of the new religious policy in USSR. Based on an original classification of the subjects of religious policy, the author analyzes the system of religious policy in USSR, interaction of its subjects, as well as correlation between it and the changes in the Soviet religious policy. The author determines the causes of crisis of the post-war religious policy and its consequences for the state religious affairs and the reputation of the Soviet Union on the international arena, as well as explores the role and place of the Evangelical churches within this process.