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[SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED SOVIET RESEARCH ON RELIGION AND MYSTICISM] Krizis sovremennoy religii i mistitsizm: Referativnyy sbornik [i.e. The Crisis of Modern Religion and Mysticism: A Collection of Abstracts]

Item #2375

Moscow: INION, 1985. 198 pp. 20x14,2 cm. In original publisher’s printed wrappers. Fine condition. Copy #000338.

First edition. 1 of 600 copies. Text in Russian. Published in the series Problemy religii i ateizma za rubezhom [i.e. Problems of Religion and Atheism Abroad] (1974-1992). Introductory letter by Yuriy Kimelev (1948-?), a Soviet and Russian religious scholar, cultural scientist, and social philosopher. Editorial board included I. Devina, V. Dudkin.

An exceptionally rare and fascinating testament to the late Soviet anti-religious and anti-mysticism propaganda, designated for official use only and commissioned by the Institute of Scientific Atheism (1964–1991) in 1985.

By the mid-20th century, a resurgence of interest in the occult, theosophy, and Eastern spiritual traditions took root in the USSR, fuelled by underground samizdat publications and the unexpected presence of mystical literature in Soviet libraries. Figures such as René Guénon, Helena Blavatsky, and Nicholas Roerich found a clandestine readership, while groups like the Yuzhinsky Circle in Moscow delved into metaphysical studies with surprising freedom.
The All-Union Ufology and Bioenergy Association, founded in 1989, reflected the growing UFO craze, fueled by state media’s cautious engagement with paranormal topics. Secret spiritist circles, led by figures like Yuri Babikov, practiced séances despite official disapproval. The Hare Krishna movement, persecuted throughout the 1980s, saw members like Anatoly Pinyaev imprisoned or placed in psychiatric hospitals, yet underground groups continued spreading their teachings. Even Scientology-like self-improvement cults found followers among intellectuals disillusioned with Soviet rationalism. In response to this growing fascination with mysticism, the state sought to reassert its ideological control through the Institute of Scientific Atheism. Tasked with training party officials and scholars to counter religious and mystical beliefs, the institute became a hub for Soviet anti-religious propaganda.

The Crisis of Modern Religion and Mysticism, was intended for use by Soviet religious scholars, university lecturers, and ideological propagandists. It aimed to equip them with the latest Western research on mysticism—an area increasingly seen as a threat to Marxist-Leninist materialism. Our copy of the book likely
belonged to one of these officials responsible for countering Western mystical influences in the USSR.

The edition compiles analyses by Soviet anti-religious propaganda workers on key studies of religion and mysticism from the past fifteen years, authored by Western scholars such as M. Talbot (Mysticism and the New Physics, 1981), F. Staal (Exploring Mysticism, 1985), W. Wainwright (Mysticism: A Study of Its Nature, Cognitive Value, and Moral Implications, 1981), and R. Ellwood (Mysticism and Religion, 1980), among others. Soviet critics vigorously challenge these works, viewing mysticism not merely as a form of religious experience but as an ideological tool in the liberation struggle. The book explores topics such as clairvoyance, levitation, meditation, American-born cults, and syncretic movements, reflecting the Soviet state’s deep concern over the growing appeal of esoteric traditions. Published in the wake of the June 1983 Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, which called for an intensified ideological offensive, the volume portrays mysticism as both a symptom of religion’s decline and as evidence of Western theorists’ failure to critically assess spiritual phenomena.

No copies found in Worldcat.

Price: $650.00