The Russian Church was chiefly governed by Greek Orthodox hierarchies in Constantinople during the first few centuries. But as the Byzantine Empire shrank, the Russian Church gradually became the stronghold of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Russian Orthodox Church became ecclesiastically independent from Constantinople in 1448 by decree of the Russian Grand Prince Vasily. The Russian episcopate was ordered by the prince to select a "metropolitan" from its own ranks instead of being appointed by Constantinople. The Russian Orthodox Church became independent from Constantinople in this way.

Later, the Grand Prince John III proclaimed himself to be the heir of the Byzantine Emperors when he became czar. Thus, the Russian Church maintained that "Moscow is the Third Rome".

The origin of the ruling Rurik Dynasty in Russia is lost in legend. It is believed that Varangians (Vikings) came from Scandinavia or Jutland (Denmark) to the St. Petersburg region. The Rurik Dynasty ruled from 855-1598 and extended its realm from the Volkhov River in the north all the way down to the Dnepr and Dnestr Rivers and the Black Sea. The southern peoples were commonly known as Slavs. The Rurik Dynasty became extinct with the passing of the last male heir.

The Romanov Dynasty was chosen to ascend the throne of czar with fifteen-year-old Michael, (1596-1676). The Russian Patriarch Philaret was the father of young Michael. Philaret attained a level of power and authority until then unprecedented. The czar and the patriarch came to rule with almost equal authority over the country in government and church as a dyarchy. Throughout the reign of the Romanov Dynasty the country was locked into the grip of the absolute authority of Autocracy and Church. Religion and devotion to the czar dominated the lives of the people for three hundred years.

Michael's son, Czar Alexei (1645-1676) elevated Nikon to the patriarchal throne. Nikon was peasant-born and although very proud and tactless, he was quite capable. He initially had a major influence on the czar, which caused conflict and jealousy among the czar's nobles, the boyars. A ferocious controversy ensued between the patriarch and the Court and also the patriarch and the traditional political Church Party.

The czar called the Council of 1666 to settle the disputes. The Court prevailed in deposing Nikon as patriarch but also the Nikonian reforms in the liturgy were imposed. This was called the Raskol, the Great Russian Schism, which continues to this day. In essence, Nikon was instrumental in a Russian reformation similar to that of Martin Luther's in Germany.

Czar Peter, "Peter the Great", refused to have a successor appointed when the Patriarch Adrian died in 1700. This effectively abolished the patriarchate. In 1721, Peter created the Holy Governing Synod as one of the bureaus of the government. This replaced the patriarchate. The Church then struggled along through a number of cataclysmic influences.

After World War I, the short-lived Russian Provisional Government was set up in 1917. It was patterned after a Western type of democracy. The Church was free to hold a council in which it quickly abolished the Holy Governing Synod and restored the ancient patriarchal system. Patriarch Tikhon was elected to the high office.

The November Revolution in 1917 with the victory of the Bolsheviks drastically changed everything, including the status of the Church. The Marxist-Lenin world-view was anti-religion and the new masters of Russia followed that dictum. The basic law governing the relationship between the church and state was published in January 1918. It separated the church from the state entirely as well as the schools from the church.

The French had adopted a similar law of separation in 1905, however the Russian law was radically different. All property was nationalized. Thus, the Church was dispossessed. Freedom of religion was granted. So was freedom of anti-religion. It became practically impossible for the practitioners to financially support the Church. Religious instruction to any group under the age of eighteen, either in church or at home, was strictly forbidden.

Patriarch Tikhon, who was newly elected, renounced the law immediately. The Church versus State conflict began. For the Soviet regime to succeed, the Church had to be utterly defeated. Tikhon was arrested and imprisoned where he remained until 1924.

When Tikhon was released, he was forced to vow never to resume his "anti-revolutionary" activities again. He died the next year. No council for the election of successors was permitted. Many of the beautiful churches in Russia were changed over to bureaucratic government or business offices. This would be the same as if Italy nationalized the Vatican and imprisoned the pope.

Despite the bitter persecution under the Soviet Regime, the Russian Orthodox Church survived. In 1939, the government relaxed its religious restraints and was surprised to find that a full 40% of the population still professed faith in the Church. A little known fact is the story of Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov. Originally a distinguished Marxist economist he later entered the priesthood and became an outstanding theologian.

Today, the Russian Orthodox Churches have a strong bond with the Anglo-Catholic party of the Church of England as far as belief and ritual are concerned. Many of the Eastern Churches have joined Protestants ecumenically in the World Council of Churches.