Easter 1992. A long line of people stretches across Red Square waiting their turn to visit the Lenin Mausoleum. Behind them the red bricks of the Historical Museum to which is attached a huge poster. As had been the case for many years the image is trinitarian, but in place of Marx, Engels and Lenin, are to be found Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Much has changed in what we used to know as the Soviet Union since this book was conceived. Originally intended as an analysis of the shaping of the state's less than benevolent policy towards religious institutions and ideas, it has been extended to include consideration of the various factors leading to a fundamental change of policy orientation. Conflictual relations between religion and state have been replaced with cooperation and it has been suggested that in some of the former Soviet republics the majority religion is close to becoming the new official ideology. In these circumstances it becomes essential to focus not only on the discrete processes by which state policies have been formed, but to look for longterm trends which may have contributed towards recent developments. At the same time we need to be aware that the apparently radical nature of recent changes may hide some underlying continuities, particularly in the way in which many of the new breed of politicians and officials – sometimes the same under different political names – deal with the religious question.

The aims of this study are threefold. Firstly, to provide a general overview of religious policy in the post-Stalin years.