Russian Monasticism
Igor Kornilievich Smolitsch’s “Russian Monasticism” is a fundamental study of the history of Russian monastic life from its origins in Rus’ to the beginning of the twentieth century. The author examines the development of monasticism in close connection with the history of the Russian Church, the state, and society, paying particular attention to St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Nil Sorsky, St. Joseph of Volotsk, the movement of eldership (starchestvo), and the major monastic centers. A significant part of the book is devoted to questions of monastic landownership, the internal organization of monasteries, the spiritual and missionary work of the monastics, and their relations with the state authorities. Smolitsch traces the periods of flourishing, crisis, and subsequent spiritual revival of Russian monasticism, linking the latter above all to the development of eldership in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The work is of particular value to readers interested in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, Orthodox asceticism, and the spiritual culture of Russia.