RELIGIOUS POLICY OF PAUL I AND FREDERICK II OF PRUSSIA

Kostev A.

The article provides a comparative analysis of the religious policy of the Russian Emperor Paul I and the Prussian King Frederick II. The author examines the attitude of these monarchs to religion as a whole, compares individual steps taken within the framework of reforms and their consequences for the clergy. The facts revealed as a result of the comparison indicate that the religious policy of Paul I was largely borrowed by him from Frederick II, especially in terms of religious tolerance. The religious reforms carried out by them, despite the different political and temporary conditions of implementation, were carried out according to certain rules and led to almost the same results. Among them, the author refers to the legal equality of religious denominations. The comparison clearly demonstrates the continuity of the policy of both sovereigns to the policy of their predecessors, in particular, Catherine II, who stopped the persecution of Old Believers and schismatics, as well as Friedrich Wilhelm I, who put religion at the forefront of statehood. This was reflected in the beliefs of Paul I and Frederick II that religion is a pillar of the state, and they (the rulers) are servants of God. The results of the comparative analysis are summarized in a table in which the author outlines the main characteristics of the religious reform of both monarchs.

Keywords:politics, religion, reform, church, Catholicism, clergy, tolerance