Understanding Russia

Part Four A: Christianity in Russia

By

Raymond Buniak, Ed.D.

Fullbright-Hays Seminar 2008University of Chicago, CEERES

American Home

Video Essay text:

Limitations text:

This video essay was created for limited educational purposes only. It may not be used for commercial purposes or reproduced. Permission must be obtained for all additional uses of this video.

Dedication text:

This composition is dedicated to the hospitality of the Russian people. It is a characteristic that raises them to the forefront of humanity.

Overture text:

We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere upon earth. We cannot describe it to you: only this we know, that God dwells there among men, and that their worship surpasses the worship of all other places. For we cannot forget that beauty. (Primary Chronicle, 12th century). The tenth century envoys from Rus considered the central place of beauty in worship and holiness that laid the foundation of the seven hundred year old Byzantine culture.

Title text:

Understanding RussiaPart Four A: Christianity in RussiaUniversity of ChicagoFulbright-Hays Seminar 2008

Byzantium and Early Rus text:

Constantine I's impetus began a remaking of the Roman world according to Platonic and other theories. The foundations required the resolution of universal questions (e.g., justice, morality, correct living, happiness, etc.). The Byzantines found answers by fusing the State and Christianity. Christianity, in turn, reconciled its gospel with paganism through compromise. This foundation of dualism ultimately

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produced the most absolute form of government ever known. Byzantium's emperor stood above the State and the Church and each upheld him as God’s representative on the earth. No one could participate or question his authority for his will was identical with God's will for men. Ultimately they viewed their society as the arrival of a God ordained eternal order.

Legitimacy stemmed from Christian and pagan relics which were buried under Constantine I's pillar in the new city. Icons were later produced and disseminated to further this authority. There were 88 emperors from Constantine I to Constantine XI but only the strong survived (13 entered monasteries and 30 others died violently). Justinian once survived by filling the Hippodrome with blood. Constantine I killed both his son and wife. The Empress Irene blinded her son and took his title. Perhaps it was because of this precariousness that only certain kinds of characteristics were cultivated. Innovation might become incompatible with security and, so, deviation might become a heretical abnormality and a civil crime. Thus the conservators of Orthodoxy's essential timelessness became the monasteries.

The Rus were Vikings (from Birka?) who traded along axis rivers from northern Europe to Constantinople. Ryurik was the quasi-legendary founder of Rus. Arab chroniclers described them as a warlike nation predisposed to trade. The Viking Rus ruled over Slavic tribes (e.g., Drevlians, Radomichi, Severians, and Vyatichi). Intermingling led to the adoption of the Slavic language and translation of Scandinavian customs and military ideas. Valdamar became Vladimir, Helga became Olga, and Ingvar became Igor. The characteristic of importing things and ideas through trade or raiding was established.

Christianity in Rus text:

As in the rest of medieval Europe, bells regulated daily life and rituals of worship. Ultimately Moscow had 5,000 church bells.

Christianity was known in Rus at a very early date. One legend says that St. Andrew visited the future site of Kiev. Most significant, however, was the 9th century evangelization of the Balkans, Moravia and Bohemia by Cyril and Methodius. A fundamental aspect of Eastern Christianity was now established: the faith was disseminated according to the culture and language of the local people. The Glagolithic alphabet was devised for translating service books and essential Bible sections. This yielded to the Cyrillic alphabet and eventually worship texts were exported to Rus.

The Primary Chronicle suggests that Askold and Dir, two 9th century Viking warlords, were baptized for a church was built on their burial mound. Kiev's next ruler, Prince Oleg, however, was a pagan. Christians, Jews, and Muslims, nevertheless, seem to have been tolerated in Kievan Rus.

During Prince Igor's 10th century reign, Christians were active in the army and administration of the state. Igor's widow Olga was baptized in Byzantium in 946 as a part of a trade agreement with Constantine VII. Later her son, Prince Svyatoslav, initiated a pagan revival which was continued by her grandson Vladimir. Therefore, it is interesting that Prince Vladimir adopted Christianity for Kievian Rus in 988 AD. His people were baptized in the Dneiper River under the threat of the sword and struggles with paganism ensued. It is thought that Christianity won out over Islam because, drinking was the joy of Rus. Contemporary thought favors political motives for Rus joined the Byzantine commonwealth on

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equal terms. Byzantium acquired an ally and peace on its northern frontiers. Vladimir married the Byzantine Princess Anna to seal the understanding.

Another stream of thought is simply that Vladimir completed a process that had begun centuries before. He may have found himself to be an ever more isolated pagan ruler in a spiritually and culturally Christian Rus and, so, found it expedient to follow in Constantine I’s footprints. Prince Vladimir was baptized according to the rites of the Byzantine Church in 988 at the southern Greek town of Chersones on the Black Sea. The consequences were monumental. Rus became an interpreted replica of the Byzantine philosophical State with a strong resistance from pagan elements. This experience cemented a resistance to religious tolerance after Orthodoxy was established. Pagan symbolic elements, however, persist until the present time.

The nature of the new church in Rus is vague. Its basis was the Byzantine form of worship together with elements like the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and Church Slavonic texts. Vladimir built a church next to his palace and pledged a tithe. At first, Greek prelates were appointed from Constantinople for this new ecclesiastical province. Six dioceses were organized around important centers like Novgorod and Turov. Monasteries did not exist in 10th century Rus. Vladimir instituted regulations for tithes and the appointment of clergy, and worked towards an autonomous Church of Rus. Evidence suggests that there was no hostility between the Latin and Byzantine species. The 16th century Nikon Chronicle records an exchange of envoys between Kiev and Rome circa 1000. Bishop St. Bruno of Querfurt was received in 1007 by Vladimir.

After 1015 a time of violence ensued. Vladimir's sons, Boris and Gleb, were martyred by their half brother Svyatopolk. In this they established a peculiar kind of Russian spirituality whereby evil is conquered by a serene, self-emptying martyrdom modeled after Christ’s passion and self-sacrifice on the cross. Yaroslav “the Wise” (1015-1054) emerged as Vladimir's successor. During his reign over 600 churches were established. The Cathedral of St. Sophia was modeled after Byzantium's Hagia Sophia and Kievian Rus saw itself as a spiritual rival to Constantinople. Master church architects were engaged, monasteries were organized, iconography, Russian spiritual literature, hymnography and the Znamenny chant all developed. Relationships between the Princes of Rus and Western Europeans developed. Oaths and peace treaties between princes were arbitrated by bishops. Now the driving impetus for development and activity was local.

Yuri Dolgoruki founded Moscow and played a key role in transitioning power from Kiev to Vladimir-Suzdal. Along with fortresses, he established Ksniatin, Pereslavl-Zalesski, Yuriev-Polski, Dmitrov, Tver, Kostroma, and Vologda. After his brother Mstislav of Kiev died in 1132, Yuri began a war of conquest which was never permanently resolved during his life. After his death in 1151, his second wife moved to Constantinople (she was possibly the granddaughter of Alexios Komnenos and Irene Doukaina). Yuri had at least fifteen children. Andrei Bogolyubsky was born to Yuri's first wife, the Khan of the Cumans' daughter. As prince of Vladimir, Rostov and Suzdal Bogolyubsky sought to unite Rus under his authority. From 1159 he struggled with Novgorod. In 1169 he sacked Kiev and reduced its importance. He

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transferred the capital northward to Vladimir and built the Dormition Cathedral. Andrei Bogolyubsky was assassinated in 1174.

In 1227 Rus fell under the Mongol-Tartar yoke. Today the Russians continue to mark Batu Khan's lesson of disunity. The Mongols exhibited religious tolerance and some converted to Orthodoxy. This preserved the Byzantine character of Christianity from the havoc caused by the fourth crusaders who sacked Constantinople. The Orthodox Church now looked inwardly and literature considered the tragedy of their destruction. Iconographic and hymnographic innovation ceased. All of this now ruptured the Russian Orthodox and Latin Churches.

Russia's resurrection began with Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Working from cities independent of the Mongols, he fought the Western invaders at Lake Chud in 1242 and is credited with saving the Russian Church. In the late 14th century the principality of Moscow emerged. A key figure during this time was St. Sergius of Radonezh. He brokered a peace between the nobles of Rus and gave his blessing for Moscow's Prince Dmitry Donskoi to fight the Mongol Khan Mamai at Kulikovo Field in 1380. This battle shattered notions of Mongol invincibility in Russia.

St. Sergius' message was centered on prayer and contemplation as the bedrock for service to Christians. He taught that God can be contemplated not in His essence but in His energies and the human person can become united, or deified in Him, but only through the way of the Cross and only by grace: man cannot become a god by nature. After Sergius' death in 1392, the Orthodox Church in Russia experienced a renaissance. During the early 15th century the onion dome style emerged, Rublev created his iconographic masterworks, and Church’s mission extended to the Urals and the evangelization of the Finno-Ugric peoples.

During the 16th century two streams of thought emerged. The Non-Possessors preferred a life of prayer accompanied by material poverty. The Possessors believed that monasteries should accumulate wealth to build schools, hospitals and churches. Constantinople's fall compelled the Russian Church to seek a new identity. The monk Philotheos prophesied that the first Rome fell because of heresy, the second Rome fell because of infidelity to the true Church doctrine... Moscow will be the third Rome and a fourth there shall not be. The Russian Church now viewed herself as the primary guardian of the Orthodox faith. This stance was advanced when the Russian Church achieved complete independence from Constantinople in 1589. The Kievan metropolitanate, however, remained under the domain of the Greeks for a century more.

This achievement led to the replication of union between Emperor and Bishop. Beginning with Ivan the Terrible, Tsar became an official designation for the ruler of Muscovy with the blessing of the Church. The Church, however, could never be reconciled to Ivan because of his cruelties. Metropolitan Philip was martyred for this stance. By the 17th century, the tension between Tsar and Patriarch erupted into overt hostility.

Patriarch Nikon introduced liturgical reforms on the basis of his Sovereignty. This created a schism which persists to this day. Old Believers preferred martyrdom to surrender of rites prescribed by their

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service books. After 1666, the Old Believers believed that the reign of Antichrist had begun in the Russian Church. Today there are about five million Old Believers in Russia. In the 17th century the Orthodox Ukrainian hierarchs, influenced by Polish Jesuits, entered into a union with the Roman Church. They worship according to the Byzantine rites, yet owe allegiance to Rome.

Peter the Great replaced the Orthodox Patriarch with a Holy Synod headed by a Procurator (a lay man) answerable to only himself. The Procurator could appoint and transfer bishops. This transformed the Orthodox Church into an imperial ministry of religion. Catherine the Great confiscated monastic lands and placed severe restrictions on those called to monasticism. This strengthened the Old Believer's ideology. Church academies (organized on Western models in the 17th century) became so detached that by 1800 all teaching was conducted in Latin. Protestant theology was learned to combat Catholicism and Latin theology was learned to combat Protestantism. Iconography exhibited traits of portrait painting. Hymnography was influenced by European baroque music and opera. Yet, behind this facade of compliance, the spiritual life of the Church continued. This Synodal period remained until 1917.

Focus on “Old Believers” text:

Civilizing the Slavs was Byzantium’s most enduring gift to the world. (Ihor Sevcenko). Yet, the 1666 schism was less than civil for Rus’ Orthodox believers. In 1652 Nikon introduced a preliminary alignment of Russian and Greek Orthodoxy. In 1666, after a second synod, the old rite was anathematized with State backing and objectors became raskolniki. The Russian Church now seemed to be a house of serious liturgical errors. Later research vindicated the unrevised Muscovite materials as being older and more venerable than the Greek ones. Some scholars detect the political motivations of Tsar Alexis who wished to liberate all areas under Ottoman and Polish-Lithuanian domain.

From 1666 onward, Old Believers lost civil rights and persecutions, torture, and martyrdom followed. Their leader, the Archpriest Avvakum Petrov, was executed in 1682. Government sanctions ranged from a beard tax (Peter the Great) to exile (Catherine) to death (Nicholas I). Even so, the Old Believers became the dominant species in regions like Pomorye, Guslitsky, Kursk, the Urals, and Siberia. From 1905-1917 a period of relief ensued. About 25 percent of the population claimed membership in 1910. In 1971 the 17th century anathemas were revoked. In 1974 the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad asked forgiveness for past wrongs. The schism, however, remains in place worldwide.

Folk Religious Philosophy Insert (Baba Vera subtitles) text:

Pavlopol. There aren’t many homes here. 52 or 53 families, and that’s it.

The people who used to live here… they really worked hard… they loved to work… and they lived well.

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That’s me. I’m really an old hag now. I never just sit around. I try to make use of every minute.

Here’s Maria. She’s feeding her chickens, Maria is. She… her husband died on her probably two or three years ago.

Fanya. She’s alone as well. Her husband dies. Her son doesn’t like to chop wood. At least he saws it. He likes to drink and make merry. He’s quite old and still not married. He’s about 40 I think.

Oh, here’s Katya. Her husband also died. I think about three years after mine, her husband died. She’s also alone in th world. This place is full of old women on their own… Fanya, Katya, Maria.

Men die and women stay on… That’s how God arranged it. God takes one with him and leaves the other here. And the Scripture says, “Two shall be grinding grain together, the one shall be taken and the other left.”

Faith means believing… in God, in myself, in life and all good things. That’s all there is.

There is band and there is good. When you believe in God, you’re good. When you reject that belief in anger, then evil owns you. And it prompts you to drink. And it leads you to all things bad.

END OF BABA VERA FOLK RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY INSERT.

Focus on Old Believers continued:

There are ten million Old Believers worldwide. In Russia they face property restoration challenges. Some sub-species do not recognize one another and require re-baptizing. In 1846 the Popovitsy convinced the Greek bishop Amvrosii Popovich to consecrate three Old-Believer priests as bishops. By 1859, there were ten bishops and an episcopate was established. The Popovitsy continue to serve with all of the sacraments and Eucharist.

Among those that rejected the Popovtsy solution the problem of perpetuating the sacraments and the Eucharist emerged. These Beglopopovtsy rejected the Antichrist's rule, preached apocalypse, asceticism, and adherence to the old faith and rituals. They claimed that priests that had used the Nikonian rites had forfeited their Apostolic succession. To them, the true church had ceased to exist on earth. Priests and all sacraments except baptism were renounced. Although splintered, the Bespopovtsy formed a hierarchy in the 1920s.

The Old Believers sought to preserve the purity of Orthodoxy as embodied in the old rituals. They distrusted the State and Nikon's episcopate, and insisted upon arranging their own spiritual lives. They hold that the preservation of a certain condition that enables salvation requires living by the commandments of Christ and tapping into the spiritual power and knowledge of the past as it is embodied in traditional rituals. Some sub-species prohibit shaving beards and using coffee, tea, and tobacco. The strictest Beglopopovsty refrain from outside contact.

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Old Believers make the sign of the cross with two fingers and say the Jesus Prayer. They use Church Slavonic translations, only recognize three full immersion baptisms, and oppose ecumenism. Liturgically, Old Believers perform seven (not five) prosphora, chant the alleluia verse after the psalmody twice (not three times), use monadic unison singing, and practice seven species of Znamenny chant. They use cast silver and bronze, wooden, or painted icons in the old style, reject photographic replacements, and do not venerate portraits of Christ, Mary, or Saints. Post 1666 saints are not venerated.

Moving Towards Modern Russia text:

In the 19th century the monks at Optina Pustyn sought to renew Russia's spiritual life. Peasants and cultural figures-- Tolstoy, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Solovyov-- all sought counsel there. Theological study was renewed and new Russian translations were prepared. Educational standards and seminarian scholarship improved. These influences contributed to Tsar Alexander II’s liberation of serfs in 1862.

The Orthodox Church founded Siberian and Far Eastern dioceses, and missions in China, Japan, and Alaska. They sought to evangelize these areas by bringing the gospel in the context of native languages and cultures. In Alaska, for instance, the Bible and liturgical texts in the Eskimo languages were prepared.

The greatest saint of this time was Seraphim of Sarov. His spirituality focused on prayer, compassion for the poor, spiritual insight and guidance. Seraphim stood at the forefront of monastic eldership. Monks with charismatic gifts became spiritual confessors to thousands of people and sometimes their healers. These elders had great authority among educated and simple Orthodox believers.

By 1900, Russia had the largest single national Church in the world. From 1900-1910 the Orthodox Church became conscious of infidelities to her apostolic mission. Some individuals had converted only to advance imperial administrative careers and the Eucharist was but a legal obligation. Proposed remedies included liturgical language reforms and the reinstitution of a canonical patriarchate. The 1905 decree on religious tolerance permitted this discussion.

Prelude to Modern Russia text:

Since the beginning, Russia has stood in opposition to the West. The Holy Roman Empire's double headed eagle portrays principalities which fall under the pillaged legacy of ancient Byzantium. The Russian Imperial Eagle, however, portrays principalities to which the legacy of Byzantium was freely given. History teaches that those that fail to build upon this ancient foundation will come to ruin in Russia. Perhaps this is why Russia has persecuted its Church and produced more martyrs than any other nation.

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Orthodox Christians, Protestant Christians, and Pseudo-Christians text:

In October 1917 the Communists seized power. In November 1917 Tikhon (Belavin) was elected Patriarch. Proposed Church reforms which were prohibited by the tsars also were not allowed by the communists. The Church was assaulted from within (i.e., Renovationism) and from without by plundering assets and executing objecting priests and laity. Tikhon anathematized the communists. Later he was slandered, placed under arrest and on trial. He died under mysterious circumstances in April 1925.

From 1917-1922, 28 Orthodox bishops and 1,200 priests were executed. From 1917-1940, 130,000 Orthodox priests were arrested. The Cheka executed over 3,000 clergymen in 1918. Many bishops and others faced the firing squad with Christ-like courage and humility.

Eight metropolitans, 20 archbishops, 47 bishops, and tens of thousands of other Christians died at Solovki. 95,000 persons met the firing squad there.

This was the basic idea behind Solovki. It was a place with no connection to the rest of the world for half a year. A scream from here would never be heard. (A. Solzhenitsyn).

... prisoners were forced to eat excrement. …on shoulders of officers they cut out the skin. Those who called the name of God were crucified naked... (Prisoner E. Solovyev).

A single death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic. (Josef Stalin).

In 1927 the Metropolitan Sergei obligated clergy to proclaim loyalty to the Soviets. Many refused, emigrated and set up the Russian Orthodox Church in Exile. By the 1930’s only a few bishops survived in the administrative structure. Church properties, monasteries, and schools were closed or converted to other purposes or destroyed. In 1920 there were 29,584 Orthodox Churches. By 1940, there were less than 500.

In 1941 Stalin enlisted the Church's help in the war effort in return for which Metropolitan Sergei was allowed to open a few monasteries and seminaries, recruit new priests, and publish a church journal. The Church financed the Donskoi and Nevsky tank columns. From 1945-1953, the Church was relatively unmolested. By 1959, there were 25,000 Orthodox churches.

According to the Mitrokhin Archive, Stalin established the Moscow Patriarchate as a front organization of NKVD and later the KGB. Key positions were approved by the CPSU and KGB and priests attempted to influence the World Council of Churches and other organizations such as World Peace Council, Christian Peace Conference, and the Rodina Society (founded by the KGB in 1975).

In 1945 Soviet authorities victimized the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church by arresting, deporting, and sentencing Metropolitan Josyf Slipyj, nine bishops, hundreds of clergy and leading lay people to Siberian labor camps. All of the bishops and most clergy died in prisons, concentration camps, internal exile, or soon after their release.

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Under Khrushchev persecution was renewed. Over 12,000 monasteries, churches and theological schools were closed, 50,000 clergy were executed, and the KGB priesthood was strengthened. There were, however, no mass executions and imprisonment of priests and believers. From 1960-1985, the Church was reduced to something like a cultic institution. Religious education was replaced with the compulsory study of scientific atheism. The Church had no media voice and priests were not permitted to visit parishioners’ homes. Spiritual life and eldership continued at the risk of KGB arrest and the price of decades in labor camps.

In response to a KGB priesthood that reported the names of its flock to authorities, people ceased attending traditionally organized church services and created the Underground Church phenomena. Sermons from the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad were heard and links were established with Orthodox Christians in America, Canada, and Australia. Traditional iconography and iconic theology was renewed in the 1980s.

By 1987, only 6,893 functioning Orthodox churches and 18 monasteries remained. Nevertheless, 40 to 50 percent of newborns were baptized and over 60 percent of the deceased were buried according to Christian rites. Many Russians believe that Baba had preserved Christianity during the hard times.

Government actions toward religious confessions were based upon State interests and carried out for political purposes. Christianity was blackened in school textbooks from historical and scientific perspectives. Believers were harassed, imprisoned for their faith, and paid an economic price (e.g., career advancement and eligibility for State-sponsored organizations). Actions included execution, torture, prison and labor camp sentences, and mental hospital treatments. Some were subjected to psychological punishment and mind control experimentation aimed at eradicating personal beliefs. Over 20 million people died or were interred in gulags. Most were not political prisoners. Some were sent for petty theft, jokes, and work absences. Half went without trial. Stalin alone martyred 2,700,000 Christians.

After 1945, Protestants (Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists, etc.) were compulsively sent to mental hospitals, deprived of parental rights, and endured trials and prisons (sometimes as conscientious objectors). Pentecostals were sentenced to 20 and 25 year prison terms en masse. Vladimir Shelkov, an Adventist, was imprisoned for almost his entire life after 1931 and died at Yakutia.

Religious Pluralism text:

On April 16, 1905 St. Petersburg's Christian leaders were summoned to Princess Lievan's palace. When all the guests arrived, one of the big folding doors opened and our beloved princess came into the room, deeply moved, holding a copy of the Manifesto in her hand. She could hardly read the glad news for inner excitement and joy. When she had finished, those present joined in thanks and worship to the Lord. Not an eye remained dry and not a mouth dumb. (Jakob Kroeker).

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The 1905 Manifesto offered the hope of religious tolerance. Tsar Nicholas II, however, took back many of the new concessions. Thus, the social net and uplift of Christianity was insufficient to counterbalance the 1917 revolutionaries. The Soviet Union was the first nation to adopt the ideological objective of religious extermination. Although the official posture and State constitution was one of religious freedom and tolerance, the Soviets enshrined atheism as the only scientific truth. Criticism of this was forbidden and sometimes led to imprisonment.

Early non-Orthodox Christians included the Strigolnikis (14th century), the Molokan, Dukhobor, Subbotniks (16th–18th centuries), and the Tolstoyan communities (19th century). Quakers were involved with Tsars (e.g., Peter the Great, Catherine, Alexander) in consultative roles from the 1700s. The Baptists appeared in Transcaucasia, Ukraine, and St. Petersburg from 1860-1870.

The first translation of bible books into the Russian language of that time occurred in 16th and 17th centuries. The Russian Bible Society was established in 1813 and representatives of Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant churches attended the opening ceremony. They joined together in the work of translation and distribution. From 1813-1826 the Russian Bible Society distributed over 500,000 bible related books in 41 languages of Russia. A complete version of the Russian Synodal Bible was published in 1876. The government suspended the activities of the Society several times in 19th and 20th centuries.

In 1944, the Baptists and Evangelical Pentecostals united to form the Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. From 1945, Pentecostals were legally permitted to hold services in buildings registered under this union. In 1990, at the first congress of the Pentecostal Union of Russia a constitution and the name The Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith of the Russian Federation (UCEPF) were adopted. The second (1994) and third congresses (1998) amended the organization as per government requirements in the new freedom of conscience and religious organizations law. The UCEPF consists of over 1,350 churches, three theological institutes, 36 Bible schools, 56 regional centers, and over 300,000 members. Leaders were involved in the Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993) draft process, signed the Treaty on Civil Concordance, and participated in the work of the Presidential and Russian Council of Ministers' committee on communications with religious organizations.

Modern Russia text:

During the Gorbachev – Yeltsin period new political and social freedoms were manifested. By 1991, new laws spawned something like a Western understanding. A time of hope ensued for all confessions. Several species of Orthodoxy (Free Orthodox Church, True Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, etc.), Roman Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, Krishnas, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Bahai, the Unification Church, and others were able to develop alongside the Russian Orthodox Church. Russians emerged from their spiritual hibernation. Churches of the catacombs (underground churches) made themselves public.

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The 1997 Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations created three religious categories: religious groups, local organizations, centralized religious organizations. There were operational differences for aspects like legal status and privileges, conducting worship services and rituals, teaching religion, publishing materials, opening new branches, and inviting foreigners to participate. Previous demonstrable organizational longevity of 15 and 50 years was cardinal during a two year re-registration window. Failure to comply within the time frame authorized dissolution. Unregistered organizations without legal status could not own property, have bank accounts, invite foreign guests, publish literature, enjoy tax benefits, and conduct religious services in prisons, hospitals, and among the armed forces. This was problematical for missions, emerging underground churches, and others that depended upon proselytizing for growth.

Ultimately, compliance became a local concern. Since 1997 many regional governments have enacted restrictions on the activities of religious organizations. The National Security Concept (2000) states that, ensuring national security includes countering the negative influence of foreign religious organizations and missionaries. The 2006 Law on Public Associations has been used to obtain documents, send representatives to attend events, and to conduct compliance audits. The Federal Registration Service can close organizations that fail to comply with timely paperwork submission. Even the Russian Orthodox Church found some requirements to be problematic.

There are no reports of imprisonment for religious convictions. Local implementation of current requirements, however, can impose subtle forms of economic persecution and harassment. The Russian Office of Federal Human Rights Ombudsman has determined that about 75 percent of the 200-250 religious freedom complaints it receives annually (which represent thousands of alleged individual violations) are genuine violations. The US State Department documents these kinds of phenomena in its annual report on religious freedom in the world. Clearly, at the root of this situation are individuals that have forgotten the experience of all Christians sitting in the gulags together in league with those that formerly persecuted them.

In December 2006 there were 12,830 registered Orthodox organizations (including 285 registrations of four Old Believers’ species).

Registered also were 68 Armenian Apostolic, 43 Russian Orthodox Autonomous, 42 Russian True Orthodox, 30 Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, 27 Molokan, 11 Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kiev Patriarchate, and 10 Russian Orthodox Free churches.

The 4,453 Protestant registrations included: 1,486 Pentecostal, 965 Baptist, 740 Evangelical, 652 Seventh Day Adventist, 228 Lutheran (four types), 187 Presbyterian, 115 Methodist, 80 New and 70 other Apostolic, 32 Salvation Army, and 40 others.

The 1,487 registered Catholic organizations included: 1,234 Russian Catholic, 248 Roman Catholic, and 5 Greek Catholic churches. There was one registered Anglican Church.

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Others registered included: 386 Jehovah’s Witnesses, 50 Mormon, 27 Church of the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God, 24 non-denominational Christian, 11 Church of the Last Testament, and 9 Unification Church.

There were 4,355 non Christian organizations registered: 3,537 Islam, 267 Jewish, 192 Buddhist, 80 Krishna, 20 Bahai, 14 Shamanism, 11 Pagan, 6 Taoist, 2 Assyrian, 2 Scientologist, 2 Tantra, 1 Hindu, 1 Sikh, 1 Zoroaster, 1 Tolstoy, 1 Rerikh, and 216 others.

Theological Response text:

Jesus said: Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Mt. 4.19).

In 2008, Russia had 142,008,838 people. More than 100 languages are spoken in Russia by 160 different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples.

Good fishermen know that not all fish can be caught with the same net or the same bait.

Russia’s population is declining. Alcohol abuse, stress, drugs, disease, and other afflictions contribute to a situation where men die at age 58 and women at 73. There are thirty suicides per 100,000 people. There are 13,000 abortions per day. There were only one million births in Russia in 2007. Human trafficking makes Russia a major source of Internet pornography. Clearly, it is in the State's interest to promote all entities that contribute to a social net aimed at alleviating these conditions. The essence of true religion is to care for widows and orphans.

No matter if it is a white cat or a black cat; as long as it can catch mice, it is a good cat. Deng Xiaoping, quoting a Sichuan proverb (1962).

Teacher, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us. Do not stop him, no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. (Mk. 9.38-40).

Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? (Lk. 6.46).

Russian Boy Preacher subtitles:

Brothers and Sisters… Christ has risen!

Indeed he has risen! (response) – this is repeated.

Brothers and Sisters, I want to read Timothy 18, verse 13. (He's pretending--the reference is to John 14.1-4.)

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Jesus said, "...I will go also to my Father because I will better glorify you because you will be with me in heaven... I will prepare a place for you." (paraphrased)

Brothers and Sisters… Why is this written? (this is repeated)

You see-- that, that God can come and take… Bach! God came and took daddy and me to heaven... but he did not take Liliu and Alosha. But why was this, Brothers and Sisters? Because Alosha and Lillia are mocking Him now.

Brothers and sisters, one should say this…one should pray to Jesus and say this: Father, forgive my sins... so that we would no longer sin.

Reading from the thirteenth verse, Jesus said, "I will also come again for you… because I will prepare a place that will be, will be for us in heaven." (paraphrased)

Brothers and Sisters... tell us, please, if we, if we will behave correctly... We are good! We are good! We are good! We are good! We are good! ...but in reality we are not. In reality we…

Brothers and sisters, Our Jesus is going to heaven. Brothers and sisters, don’t we want to get to heaven in one piece? For this we must listen to your mom, and not abuse your brother… When God returns then you will get to heaven in one piece.

Do you remember Elijah? About Elijah? When, when, when, when the fiery chariot came down for Elijah… How did he get in? In one piece or not? In one piece, right?

Yes, in one piece. (response)

That’s right, in one piece. But Elisha did not go to heaven because he was entrusted to do even more good. Yes?

Brothers and sisters, we can also say that Jesus Christ is our teacher. Christ… Yes? Didn’t I say it rightly? And we also can say that Jesus is the Son of God. He… loves you and us. True? He loves… True, that’s the kind of son he is. Yes?

When we go, when a man dies, he goes before God in heaven, yes? He ends up in heaven, yes? With God, yes? That’s where he goes, yes? Goes, yes? He can be happy there. There he will have praise.

But when Jesus comes, Christ returns to earth then the bones that are hammered into coffins with nails… the nails will rot and the coffins will open up! The earth will open up! And the man will stand before God. And God will open a big book and ask us: "Did you do good?" And we then will get to heaven, Brothers and Sisters. But if God tells me “No, you did not do good” it will be too late. One has to pray, to ask God for forgiveness before He returns, while He has not come back.

(THE END OF BOY PREACHER’S SERMON)

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Theological Response text:

Make every effort to enter through the narrow door... Once the owner of the house...closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading... he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves are thrown out. (Lk 13.24-28).

THE END

Acknowledgments:

Meredith Clason and Jeremy Pinkham: University of Chicago, CEERES.

Ronald Pope, Ph.D.: American Home Serendipity Project.

Fulbright-Hays Program Hosts, Vladimir and Murom, Russia.

Lecturers: Vladimir State University.

Lecturers: Murom Institute of Vladimir University.

Tour Guides: Golden Ring, Moscow, and St. Petersburg.

Russian People and Officials: Golden Ring, Moscow, and St. Petersburg.

Music (in order of presentation):

Razboinika Blahorazymnaho (Overture): Myroma Music Video.

Byzantine Liturgical Chant: Leonidas Sphikas.

Blagovest (Bell Chimes): Alexey Utkin Kolo.

Psalm 33: Kiev Pechersk Lavra Monks and Choirs.

Our Father (Kedrov): Kiev Pechersk Lavra Monks and Choirs.

Lord, by Thy strength (Bortnyansky): Alexandre Govorov Choir.

Hymn for Jesus: St. Peters Nicholaevsky Palace Quartet.

The Body of Christ (A. Bessarabov): Kiev Pechersk Lavra Monks and Choirs.

Instrumental Folk Music: Muroma.

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Having Seen the Resurrection of Christ: Alexandre Govorov Choir.

Sticheron to St. Nicholas (Uspensky): Alexandre Govorov Choir.

Final Bells: Alexey Utkin Kolo.

Adagio (Albinoni, arr. Giazotto): H. von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mother Ann's Song (Shaker): Boston Camerata.

Lord's Prayer (Kedrov the Son): Alexandre Govorov Choir.

Cherub's Hymn (Rachmaninov): St. Peters Nicholaevsky Palace Quartet.

On (He): Anonymous Artists.

Final Bells (reprise): Alexey Utkin Kolo.

Bless the Lord, O my soul (Ippolotov-Ivanov): Alexandre Govorov Choir.

We shall behold Him (D. Rambo): Sandi Patty.

Videos excerpted:

Great Blessing of the Waters: New Jerusalem Monastery.

Baba Vera (excerpts): Heinzel & Schlegel, Hochschule fur Film.

Nebo, Nebo (Heaven, Heaven): Choral video.

Josef Stalin Gulag Video: compiled by todlich.

Ivan-Wolf Kuritsyn: 1504: Lightyears888.

Russian Church Service Song: "I Surrender All".

Russian Boy Preacher: Molodezh.

Texts based on:

A History of the Russian Church: Very Rev. Fr. George Konyev.

Reports on International Religious Freedom: US State Department: 2001 through 2008.

Articles on Russian Religious Movements: Wikipedia.

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Byzantium and Russia articles: National Geographic Magazine.

Richard Hellie, Ph.D. commentary: University of Chicago.

Robert Bird, Ph.D. commentary: University of Chicago.

Percy Gurvitch commentary: Vladimir State University.

Alexei Timoshchuk: Vladimir Juridical System Academy.

Major General Boris Gavrilov commentary: Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Fr. Innokenti commentary: Russian Orthodox Church in Vladimir.

Dimitri Petrosyan commentary: Russian Opinion Polling Bureau.

Production:

Produced, Edited, Directed: Raymond Buniak, Ed.D.

Baba Vera video subtitles: E. Mikhailik and M. Pipes.

Russian Boy Preacher subtitles: D. Skuodyte, Z. Shatinishvili, and R. Buniak.

Photography: R. Buniak and Internet friends.

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Plan for Video Essay: Understanding Russia: Part 4A

Element Music Text Notes/RationaleOverture Muroma Primary Chronicle Transport to video

world.Byzantium & Early Rus picture collage

Byzantine 6th century chant

Text: Ray Every Russian knows this historical link

Church picture collage Chimes Text: Ray History of Russian Orthodox Church

Church picture collage continued

Psalm 33 Text: Ray History of Russian Orthodox Church

Church iconostasis and murals picture collage

Our Father (Kedrov) Text: Ray Let’s look inside

Iconostasis, murals and icons picture collage

Lord, by Thy strength Text: Ray Let’s look at legitimacy claims transfer as per Byzantine logic

Iconostasis, murals and icons picture collage

Hymn for Jesus Text: Ray Legitimacy claims

Blessing of the Waters video

Text: Ray Let’s watch a church procession and rite

Baba Vera video excerpt Folk philosophy and religious beliefs

Old Believers picture collage

The Body of Christ Text: Ray Let’s think about the schisms in this belief system.

Old Believers picture collage

Instrumental Folk Horns Text: Ray Who’s right here according to Byzantine logic?

Old Believers picture collage

Having seen the resurrection of Christ

Text: Ray Why was martyrdom the social answer?

Nebo choral video Evangelical music Text: Ray 19th century Russian Orthodox Chruch developments.

Double headed eagles Sticheron to St. Nicholas

Text: Ray Russia traditionally in opposition to the West

Transition Pictures Final Bells Text: Ray Moving into the factory of martyrs

Gulag picture collage Adagio Text: Ray All species of Christians and others sat in the gulags together

Gulag video Text: Ray Let’s reinforce with movement

Gulag picture collage 2 Mother Ann’s song Text: Ray Moving out of the nightmare

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Memorial picture collage

Lord’s Prayer (Kedrov the son)

Text: Ray Yes, it did happen

Kuritsyn video Text: Ray We constantly repeat the same mistake of making martyrs.

Nicholas II & family picture collage

Cherub’s Hymn Text: Ray He gave and took away religious pluralism and it wasn’t there when needed in 1917.

Modern Russia I surrender all: Russian evangelical song service video

Text: Ray Gorbachev-Yeltsin to Putin-Medvedev

Non Orthodox church picture collage

On (He) Russian Christian rock/ballad

Text: Ray

Church registration titles

Final Bells Text: Ray

Picture collage, Jesus icon, maps, etc.

Bless the Lord, O my soul

Text: Ray Theological response

Russian Boy Preacher video

“Out of the mouth of babes”

Final title We shall behold Him Text: Ray Theological conclusionCredits We shall behold Him

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