Russia's Social Gospel: The Orthodox Pastoral Movement in Famine, War, and Revolution. By Daniel Scarborough.

The article discusses the emergence of a pastoral social movement within the Russian Orthodox Church during the late imperial and revolutionary periods in Russia. The clergy responded to calls for aid during times of famine, war, and revolution, leading to a shift in their mentality from a caste-like service estate to a professional one focused on the broader society. This movement played a critical role in shaping the church revolution of 1917-1918, which aimed to reconstruct Church governance based on inclusive and conciliar principles. The article provides case studies from Tver' and Moscow dioceses to illustrate the clergy's evolving activities and their impact on church-state-society relations. The author argues that the pastoral movement was influenced by Konstantin Pobedonostsev's vision of a proactive pastorate, but it also led to increased autonomy for the clergy. The article concludes that this book is a valuable resource for understanding the social role of the Orthodox Church during the late imperial period in Russia. [Extracted from the article]