Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great - two different, but equally decisive ways to subordination of the church

The Orthodox culture dominated all the spheres of life in medieval Russia: spirituality, morality, domestic and state structure. The role of the church as an element of the state power was unassailable. However, since the fifteenth century, the governors began the process of becoming independent from the Church. This process was initiated by Ivan IV the Terrible, who separated the roles of the state and the church. Ivan IV, known for his cruelty and elaborate torture that applied to his bondsmen, did not spare recalcitrant priests. Leonid, Archbishop of Novgorod, was holed up in a bearskin and torn apart by dogs. The monks, who did not want to give up their valuables, were thrown to the hungry bears. Convicts were given spears to defend. One, who before his death was able to knock down the animal was later canonized. 
Lev Tolstoy wrote that the more shocking than the fact that there was Ivan the Terrible, is that there was a society that approved him.  The key element of the social loyalty to Ivan the Terrible as well as his remain in power was the national commitment to the Orthodox religion and Orthodox Tsar. Ivan IV emphasized at every step his devotion to religion, going on pilgrimage, praying in the church. He claimed that his absolute authority comes from God " If you are not obedient to the ruler who commits some offense, you become not only guilty of perfidy, but damn your soul to damnation because God orders you blind obedience to your prince. "
At the time of Ivan IV, there was created a set of lifestyle and laws regulations, governing family life and relationship to the Tsar and religion - Domostroj. The document was written in a language accessible and identifies three main aspects of life.
In Part I discusses duties to God and the Tsar, Part II- The ratio of the head of the family to his wife, children and family members, Part III - Gives the advice to run a household. The document recommended long prayer (also night time), strict observance of fasting, daily attendance at worship, as an ideal puts the wealthy and thrifty house, isolated from neighbors and self-sufficient, ruled by the father of the family. You can also find there an advice on how to treat a disobedient wife: "If the wife, son or daughter does not listen to words and ignores you, is not afraid and does not do what she was told by husband or a father or mother whip according to guilt; lash but not in front of  the people, but solitude: teach, say a kind word .... "
In the fifteenth century, the Orthodox Church clashed two main theories about the role of the Church in public life. The first was represented by Nil Sorsky, who claimed that the church should be poor, but fully independent of the secular. The second concept expressed by Josif Volocki, expected powerful, rich church fully cooperating with authorities. The second concept succeeds and became the base theory for ROC (Russian Orthodox Church)- state relations for centuries.  According to it, the church was supporting state power in all priority issues, and in cooperation with the government, it builds its power. The theory has survived for centuries in Russia, and Josif Volocki, for his services was canonized. His theory was fulfilling the idea of Moscow as the Third Rome, based on the symbiosis of the state and Orthodox Church.

Ivan punished people for shaving beards, for western wear, western books, and customs. Travel to the West was recognized as a treason.Compared to Ivan IV isolation strategy, Peter the Great and his West  - open attitude started the new chapter in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, called the "Synod period". Profound changes in the symbiotic relationship between Church and state power have occurred during the reign of Peter the Great, who carried out the reform of subordinating the Church to the state power. Peter the Great has also begun the process of opening Russia to the West, thus limiting the impact of traditional values in the life of Russian society.
For progressive Tsar, Church was the symbol of Russian backwardness, so he decided to reform it completely and surrender state power. According to the Western mainstream Enlightenment, not shunned from overt criticism of the clergy, for drunkenness, selfishness, poor education and debauchery. After returning from a trip to Europe, Peter ordered his subjects shaving beards and dressed in European clothes. What is interesting, traditionally, on the icons the devil was presented without a beard and wearing German clothes.
In 1721  there was adopted a decree setting up a collective church authority,  which replaced one-person leadership in the church and was fully dependent on the Tsar. Synod had a competence in the interpretation of dogma and liturgy as well as regulated property issues of the Church.
Typical for a legal solution to the era of Peter was the edict of May 1722 obliging the clergy to denounce the authorities about cases of violations the law, which they learned during confession. 
According to the document obligation to denounce the criminal intention revealed during the confession was justified with Gospel. Argued that, an act of the confession was not fulfilled, as there was no sorrow for the sins. 
Zealous members of the clergy filled the obligation imposed on them too helpfully, keeping in view their own benefit. Refers to them,  "[...] it is better to err, reporting than silence" 
As was to be expected,  a number of the worshipers decided to avoid the confession, so the another Tsar edicts impose on the citizens the obligation of completing confession under threat of fines. In order to control the clergy were required, to keep records of acceding to confession. There was even introduced a system of written certificates of holding the confession, which was recommended to use remaining journeys.
Since the beginning of the eighteenth century, Tsar has started intensive subordination of monasteries, as well as the finances of the Church. In 1701 issued a decree depriving monasteries income of the ownership of land, property and manufacturing facilities, and obliging the state to provide in exchange material resources. The state administration also imposed on the Church organization of the hospitals, asylums, and organizing schools.
For sure the main reason of Peter the Great actions against the Church was to strengthen his own position. However, not the only one.  It was also about his fascination with Protestantism and western philosophy of the churches' role: - church more as a social servant than as a governor.
However, the role of the Orthodox Church in the eighteenth century Russia was not to be underestimated. The deep roots of faith in society, the distinctive element of Russians from neighboring Poles and Lithuanians, the mobilization to fight the enemy for the faith - it was all too important for the Tsar, to fully demolish the Orthodox Church.  

Crucial for the state were the main principles proclaimed by Orthodox Church. Particularly the humility, perfectly preparing its followers for the role of docile subjects of the state.
Peter the Great formally started to use the title of "father of the fatherland". It also meant that he took the position of the patriarch, to whom this title previously belonged.
Both Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great realized vision of the total power basing on the religious tradition. Both intimidating, demeaning and using the humility of the orthodox society, changed the country bearing in mind the only creation of their own imperial, absolute power. 
The huge success of the adopted strategy is demonstrated by the fact that despite the unprecedented atrocities, which characterized their governments, in contemporary Russia, you can meet the monuments of Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great.