The Russians' Secret What Christians Today Would Survive Persecution? by Peter Hoover with Serguei V. Petrov Martyrdom, in early Christian times, already appealed to believers intent on doing great things for Christ. The early Christians venerated martyrs, the dates of whose executions grew into a calendar of saints, and wearing a martyrs' halo is still extremely popular. But martyr's halos do not come in the mail. A great amount of persecution faced by Christians today results not from what they believe, but from what they own, and from where they come. Missionaries in poor countries lose their possessions, and sometimes their lives, because people associate them with foreign wealth. Other "martyrs" lose their lives in political conflict. But does having our vehicles and cameras stolen, our children kidnapped, or being killed for political "correctness," assure that we have "witnessed for Jesus" (martyr means witness, Rev. 6:9, 12:17, and 19:10)? Real martyrs for Christ do not wear halos. They only carry crosses. Most people, even Christians, quickly discredit and forget these martyrs. Real martyrs suffer persecution, not like "great heroes of the faith" but like eccentrics and fools. Ordinary people usually consider them fanatics. Does that disappoint or alarm you? Do not worry. Reading this book about Russia's "underground" believers will assure you that if you are a typical Western Christian you will never face persecution. You will never have to be a real martyr for Christ. Only if you are not typical - if you choose to be a "weed that floats upstream" - you may want to know the secret by which Russian Christianity survived through a thousand years of suffering. "True to the spirit of Russia's believers, this work gives a colorful and detailed description of faith 'underground.' But what makes it unique is the author's penetration of the soul of Russian belief — in so many ways dissimilar to western belief in God." —Leonid Maslennikov, Russian professor, James Madison University "Westerners have become increasingly aware of the Russian people's deep roots in Eastern Orthodoxy. The Russians' Secret introduces us to 'another' side of Russian Christianity not as well known in the West, the 'little traditions' of sectarian, mystical, and evangelical faith that have always existed alongside the official Orthodox church. This book, written for the general reader, offers a sweeping and detailed view of those radical Christian movements without stooping to superficiality." — William Rushby, member, Rockingham Meeting of Conservative Friends and independent scholar. Please note: If you click on a footnote your browser should take you to that footnote. You will need to click on the "Back" button of your browser to return to your previous place in the text. There are two other books by Peter Hoover on the www. AllGodsWord.com web site. Contents Acknowledgements and Dedication Introduction Chapter 1. Speaking Without a Tongue Chapter 2. Snow, Fire, and Gold Chapter 3. Old Russia--Its Heart and Soul Chapter 4. Not With Observation Chapter 5. Christ Victorious Chapter 6. With Him Chapter 7. The Antichrist Chapter 8. Nonconformity Chapter 9. Nemtsy Chapter 10. Bread and Salt Chapter 11. Mysteries and Miracles Chapter 12. Salt and Light Chapter 13. An Explosion Chapter 14. Ivan Chapter 15. Christ in Camouflage Chapter 16. The Kingdom Within Chapter 17. A Rainbow Chapter 18. The Lion and The Bear Chapter 19. Red Sky at Sundown Chapter 20. Risen and Forever Alive Chapter 21. The Pilgrim's Way Chapter 22. Survival Note on Names Bibliography Cover illustration: the line drawing of a Stundist meeting was drawn by Lana Martin This book is not copyrighted and no publisher shall do so. No rights are reserved. All parts of it may be reproduced in any form or by any means for the cause of Christ. But before reprinting it, please contact the present publisher if possible. The need for corrections or revisions to the text may have become apparent. Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless included as part of translated quotes from German text. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. This book was first published on the Internet on October 15, 2005. Please check back for updates as improvements are planned. This PDF was last updated Jan. 28. 2006. Another copy of this book is available here: Molokans Around the World My hope is that the publication of this book on the Internet will encourage you to follow Christ in all you do. Please let me know what you think of this book and if it has been helpful. Other comments or suggestions are also welcomed. Thank you! Email: Paul Breneman PO Box 3817 Columbus, OH 43210-0817 Acknowledgements and Dedication Without the generous contribution of a wide circle of friends, this book would not have become a reality. I especially thank Walter Sawatsky, scholar of the Russian evangelical movement, for his valuable criticism and suggestions, Boris Glushenko, Anne Tolmasoff Strubhar, Stephen Scott, Leonid Maslennikov, and Harvey Yoder who gave us important leads. I also thank the brothers and sisters of Shippensburg Christian Fellowship for their support and contributions: in particular Edsel Burdge and John D. Martin who edited the manuscript, Dallas Martin, Marvin Wadel, and others who reviewed it, Joshua McConnaughey who managed its final revision, Conrad Sollenberger and Lana Martin who sacrificed hours to its layout and design. However, my greatest debt is to Serguei Valeryevich Petrov of Moscow, Russia, a member of the Rockingham Meeting of Conservative Friends. Serguei read the first draft of this manuscript, and offered numerous corrections both in fact and perspective. In addition, he helped to rewrite the chapter on the Old Believers and sections of the chapters on the Spirit Christians. He brought to this task a knowledge of the Russian sources as well as a sympathy and identification with the spiritual heritage of the Russian Christians. Serguei's Russian perspective complemented and corrected my own North American Anabaptist orientation. Because of his important contributions, I would like to acknowledge him as a co- author. To all who long for freedom from this world's things and fellowship with the Infinite, we present this book with a prayer that your longings may lead to eternal reality. --Peter Hoover Introduction The loud ringing of a bell interrupted our class. The teacher commanded all of us to crawl under our desks. I was an elementary student in the public school system. It was the early 1960s, and we had just gone through an air raid drill. Substantial buildings in town were designated as fallout shelters in case of a nuclear attack. The Cold War was on, and it seemed that everyone was worried about the Russians. As a young boy growing up in a Christian home, I was shielded from the things that most of my classmates were seeing in movies and on television. They did not seem to be bothered by the threat of war and violence. But I was petrified. To me, the Russians were atheists, and the prospect of meeting them was quite dismal. I was a believer in Christ! There could be no compromise! As I was thinking about my own welfare, it did not occur to me to consider the experience of believers who actually lived in Russia. They were Russians too, numbering in the thousands! What would it be like living as a Russian? Had the government of Russia always been opposed to Christianity? If not, what took place in history to bring the nation to this place? The Russians' Secret tells about life in Russia, not only in recent times, but also through a thousand years of history. The rulers as well as the common people come alive in this story, with names and narratives about them that captivate the reader. Many of these people were believers. Their lives had short intervals of peace, but most lived daily with the threat of prison and death. While we in the West were trying to protect ourselves and our lands from Russian aggression, the Russian believers were giving up their families, possessions, and lives for Christ's sake. How did the believers remain faithful in this intense persecution? Why did the church grow so rapidly and large while experiencing horrible suffering? Why did so many believers turn their backs on wealth and fame to be numbered with the poor? Why did they choose suffering? What was their secret? They believed Jesus, and they loved him! Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he die, yet shall he live!" (John 11:25) "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:5). Death to the Russian believers was not the end, but the beginning! It was the path to life. They saw a victorious Christ. Their lives were a celebration of Christ's resurrection, and their victory was found in calling on the name of Jesus. Many believers refused to compromise on what some would call minor issues. Simply refusing to sign their name to a government document often meant years in prison, separation from family, and ultimate death. Believers in the West often have faulted them for such "unnecessary" disobedience. Was their consequent suffering senseless or was it a crucial part of the secret? The reader will have the opportunity to ponder the answer for himself. Today, I am a father. My concerns and questions have changed. The question is not "Will persecution come to us?" But we must ask: "Have I chosen the path of suffering?" Will my children choose this path as well, or will the world swallow them? Is there a Christian bypass around this path, and will it lead then to Christ? Our society has not become more Christ-friendly, yet there seems to be little pressure on the church.