At war with the church

"This detailed study examines the social, religious, and institutional conflicts accompanying the Russian Schism of the seventeenth century. By analyzing who opposed the reforms of Patriarch Nikon (1652-58) and under what circumstances, the author presents a complex and multi-faceted world of popular religious resistance that has been hidden from view for centuries.".

"The book provides a thorough reassessment of the Russian Schism, relying primarily on archival documents and thus departing from the traditional focus on Old Believer writings and biographies."--BOOK JACKET.