Behind the Iron Curtain: the Impact of Persecution
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BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN: THE IMPACT OF PERSECUTION ON EVANGELICAL WORSHIP By Christy G. Solomon Liberty University A THESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF WORSHIP STUDIES BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN: THE IMPACT OF PERSECUTION ON EVANGELICAL WORSHIP by Christy G. Solomon A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Worship Studies Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA November, 2019 APPROVED BY: BETTY MELINDA DAMON, Ed.D., Committee Chair JAMIE R. COATES, D.W.S., Committee Member VERNON M. WHALEY, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Music ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all of the faculty in the DWS program of the Liberty University School of Music and the Worship Arts who were inspirational to me throughout my degree completion. I would like to thank my parents for their godly example and for teaching me perseverance. I am also very indebted to my children who substituted home-cooked meals for TV dinners much more than I would care to mention. I want to especially acknowledge the men and women around the world who are suffering today for their faith in Christ and to whom I owe my vision and passion for this project. Finally, I am grateful to God for the opportunity to study about worship and to deepen my relationship with Him. To God be the glory. Abstract Despite detailed accounts of religious persecution faced by evangelicals behind the Iron Curtain, many narratives are incomplete, and therefore, the understanding of the extent persecution impacted the worship of believers is limited. With more Christians today being persecuted for their faith than ever before, it is important for believers in America to understand what happens in the lives of their Christian brothers and sisters when they face persecution. By comparing the religious practices of these evangelicals before, during, and after the lifting of the Iron Curtain, the differences in corporate and individual worship as a result of persecution become evident. Worship that was initially characterized by its fervor, evangelism, and outreach was restricted to the church walls. As a result, discipleship was limited, Christians became inward-focused, and there was a greater concentration on depth of personal spirituality. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, perestroika, and the end of the Cold War, there has been much more religious freedom in the countries where evangelicals were once persecuted for their faith. However, Christians in other parts of the world are still being persecuted in record numbers. By understanding how persecution changed the worship of evangelicals behind the Iron Curtain, Christians in America can know how to better assist these believers, recognize the signs of religious persecution in their own country, and be prepared in case they find themselves in similar circumstances. Keywords: persecution, Iron Curtain, worship, martyr, communism, Cold War 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................................................................2 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................7 Problem Statement .............................................................................................................11 Purpose Statement ..............................................................................................................13 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................13 Research Questions ............................................................................................................15 Core Concepts ....................................................................................................................16 Hypotheses .........................................................................................................................18 Research Method ...............................................................................................................20 Research Plan .....................................................................................................................21 Definition of Terms............................................................................................................21 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................23 Introduction ........................................................................................................................23 Soviet Law Regarding Religious Freedom ........................................................................24 The Council for Religious Affairs ...........................................................................26 3 Khrushchev’s Empowerment of Local Authorities .................................................30 State-Registered Churches .................................................................................................33 The All-Union Council of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (AUCECB) .................33 Influence of the Russian Orthodox Church .............................................................37 Evangelicals and Local Authorities ...................................................................................40 Victims of Prejudice ................................................................................................40 Khrushchev’s Antireligious Campaign ....................................................................44 Quantitative and Qualitative Reductions ...........................................................................48 Legal Pretexts for Closing Churches .......................................................................49 Deprivation of Effective Church Leadership ...........................................................54 Proselytism and Religious Propaganda ....................................................................58 Attack on the Evangelical Youth .......................................................................................63 Challenges to Religious Upbringing ........................................................................64 Soviet Re-education of Religious Children .............................................................67 From Ideological Warfare to Religious Toleration ............................................................70 Soviet Religious Policy Changes .............................................................................71 4 The Perestroika and Glasnost Years ........................................................................74 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................77 Introduction ........................................................................................................................77 Research Design .................................................................................................................77 Research Questions ............................................................................................................79 Research Hypotheses .........................................................................................................80 Gathering Information .......................................................................................................80 Information Identification ..................................................................................................82 Interpretation of Material ...................................................................................................84 Synthesis of Key Elements ................................................................................................85 CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH FINDINGS ...............................................................................87 Introduction ........................................................................................................................87 Major Characteristics of Evangelical Worship Behind the Iron Curtain ...........................89 Spiritual Fervor ........................................................................................................90 Resilience .................................................................................................................93 5 Fellowship ................................................................................................................96 Changes in Evangelical Worship as a Result of Persecution .............................................99 Discipleship..............................................................................................................99 Missions .................................................................................................................102 Spiritual Depth .......................................................................................................105 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION..............................................................................................109 Summary of the Study .....................................................................................................109 Summary of the Findings .................................................................................................110 Assumptions .....................................................................................................................112