CHURCH REFORMS IN RUSSIA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE XIX CENTURY
Background. The article analyzes the position of clergy in the Russian Empire in the second half of the XIX century. The investigation of church reforms in Russia was conducted in the context of mutual relations between clergy, flock and social perception of reforms. Materials and methods. The investigation of the problem was conducted on the basis of archive sources, periodicals and published memories of contemporaries. The author used the comparatively-historic method at analyzing a change of the clergy’s position in reforming Russia. Results. The main author’s goal was to estimate the results of church reforms. The changes of the parish clergy’s position during structural reforms have been generalized and systematized. Conclusions. During the reforming period there appeared a branched chain of church periodicals. Clerics were allowed to preach without prior censorship. They were also allowed to print in secular press. One of the results of the church reforms was getting over the isolation of the clergy class. The liquidation of this isolation was required in order to overcome a gap between a pastor and flock, which not only didn’t reduce, but even expanded to the beginning of the XX century.