The Act “On Freedom of conscience and religious organizations” was adopted

On 1 October 1990 the Supreme Court of USSR adopted the Law “On Freedom of conscience and religious organizations”, according to which certain parishes and Church establishments acquired the status of legal entities.  The Law recognized the existence of the Religious Affairs Council by the Council of Ministers of the USSR – the governmental body, which was in charge of church institutions’ relations and religious activity in the country, but deprived it of any power.

This Law changed the status of the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious organizations, who got the legal basis for their activities and acquired the status of legal entities.

From now on the religious organizations were able to own the real estate, create educational establishments for children and adults, and freely distribute religious literature.

A month later, on 25 October 1990 the Russian Law “On freedom of religion” entered into force. It acknowledged almost all statements of the previous Act, but suggested the more radical solution to the “religious issue”. The Religious Affairs Council was abolished, and for the first time the Soviet legislation provided the right to choose alternative military service because of religious ideas.

Adoption of these legislative Acts favoured good relations between the State and Church.  For the first time in the history of the country the legislation proclaimed and fixed the norms, which provided the freedom of conscience and religious activities. In 1997 this Act was replaced with the new Law “On freedom of conscience and religious organizations”.  

Lit.: О свободе совести и религиозных организациях  // Ведомости Съезда народных депутатов СССР и Верховного Совета СССР. 1990. № 41. Ст. 813; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL.: http://www.r-komitet.ru/vera/26.htm; Определение о принятом Законе СССР о свободе совести // Ведомости Съезда народных депутатов РСФСР и Верховного Совета РСФСР. 1990. № 21. Ст. 241 ; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL.: http://www.bogoslov.ru/text/373504.html.