Foreword to the French Edition

The local Council of Moscow of 1917– 1918 is without doubt the greatest event in the recent history of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was the first council convoked since 1667 and the result of an astonishing renewal— scarcely known until then—of Russian Orthodox theology at the beginning of the twentieth century. This council addressed, with exceptional courage, the myriad questions that the evolution of society was presenting to Christians: Church government, mission, preaching, liturgy, monasticism, parochial life. Many of the problems then raised still seem particularly relevant today: the role of the laity in the Church, the place of women, the position of the Church in society, the unity of Christians. Some of the decisions taken at that time allowed the Russian Church to survive the Soviet period and formed the basis for its present renewal. These include the reestablishment of the patriarchate and church councils and parish renewal. But over and above the council’s results is its deliberately “conciliar” method, in the spirit of sobornost’, so dear to Russian tradition—anxious always to place adequate emphasis on the charism of each part of the Church: bishops, priests, the laity. This is most extraordinary in many respects. Without attempting to idealize one period with respect to another, in this case the “Moscow” period vis-à-vis that of the “synodal,” the council posed in a new light each one of the questions noted above with constant reference to the fathers and to earlier councils, while seeking to adapt to the society of its time. Unfortunately, historical circumstances prevented the assembly from finishing its work. It is the task of the Russian Church to continue the reflections begun by the Council of Moscow, with due regard to the context of that period as well as the present situation. Thus it is with gratitude that we extend our blessing to this monograph on the Council of Moscow of 1917– 1918 and recommend it to readers. Ten years ago, access to the archives of the council was made available, and its acts and decisions were published. Since then several studies have been made—both in Russia and abroad—on this important page in the history