Joseph Stalin’s policies towards Christians and the Russian Orthodox Church were multifaceted, involving both political power struggles and ideological motivations.

Political Power Struggle:

Stalin sought to eliminate potential rivals and consolidate power. The Orthodox Church, with its significant influence and institutional autonomy, posed a threat. He aimed to:

1. Suppress opposition: Clergy and believers were potential dissenters.
2. Control education and ideology: Churches provided alternative worldviews.
3. Nationalize resources: Church properties and assets were coveted.

Ideological Motivations:

Stalin’s Marxist-Leninist ideology viewed religion as:

1. “Opium of the people” (Marx): Religion distracted from class struggle.
2. Counter-revolutionary: Christianity was seen as aligned with Tsarist Russia.
3. Obstacle to communism: Religion competed with socialist values.

Persecution of Christians:

Stalin’s regime:

1. Executed or imprisoned thousands of clergy and believers.
2. Closed or destroyed churches, monasteries, and seminaries.
3. Imposed atheistic propaganda and education.
4. Forced churches to subordinate to state control.

Notable Events:

1. 1917: Russian Revolution led to church-state separation.
2. 1920s: Church properties nationalized.
3. 1930s: Great Purge targeted clergy and religious leaders.
4. 1943: Stalin reopened some churches, strategically, during WWII.

Stalin’s actions targeted Christianity as both a political threat and an ideological obstacle. The persecution was part of a broader campaign to establish Soviet dominance.