«THEY ARE COMING TO PRAY WITHOUT PRIOR ARRANGEMENT…»: EVANGELIC COMMUNITIES IN PERM REGION IN THE EARLY 1960s

Abstract

The paper deals with the Evangelic (protestant) communities in the Perm Region according to the archival sources of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Statistical data and some research cases reveal the quantitative and qualitative changes in their composition. There were approximately 59 protestant communities (nearly 2300-2350 believers), including 28-29 Baptist groups (more than 1200 believers) in the late 1950s. By 1962, the protestant society numbered 37 communities (nearly 1160 persons). The authors analyze the causes of quantitative changes of the protestant societies structure. They argue that the Evangelical Christians-Baptists and Pentecostal groups became mainly Russian-speaking communities in the mid-1960s in the Perm region. The authors analyze gender, aged-related and socio-economic characteristics of the Perm Region Evangelic communities. A significant predominance of women and the middle-aged and elderly believers made the community stable, but, at the same time, contributed to the reproduction of conservative attitudes, focused on the isolation of the evangelical community. Most of the Evangelic believers were lower-income citizens. As a result, the Evangelic groups might be seen as a social niche, which helped the believers to adapt to the society.