Should the Orthodox Church be wealthy or poor? Natalya Kochetkova Sep 23 2026 History

https://www.gw2ru.com/history/256588-should-the-orthodox-church-be-wealthy-or-poor How the major medieval debate over the Orthodox Church’s role in society and the state was resolved. By the end of the 15th century, the unification of the scattered Russian lands around Moscow was nearly complete. In the new Muscovite state, the Orthodox Church was one of the largest landowners. As a result, its political influence was significant. However, at the beginning of the 16th century, an ideological conflict arose within the Orthodox Church – what historians refer to as the "dispute between the Josephites and the Non-Possessors". While formally a theological conflict, it was essentially secular in nature; the debate centered on the place and role of the Orthodox Church in society.