long walk to church, A
Book Description
In the vast expanse of Russia, where distances between functioning churches once stretched for thousands of kilometers, lies one of history's most remarkable stories of spiritual endurance. Nathaniel Davis chronicles the extraordinary journey of the Russian Orthodox Church through nearly a century of persecution, survival, and unexpected revival.
Drawing from previously classified Soviet archives, this comprehensive historical account reveals how a faith community faced institutional extinction not once, but twice in sixty years. By 1939, only four bishops and a handful of scattered priests remained openly active across the entire Soviet Union, their survival hanging by the thinnest of threads.
The narrative unfolds through dramatic reversals of fortune. Stalin's brutal policies nearly destroyed the church, yet ironically, Hitler's invasion prompted an unexpected rescue. Parishes reopened, new clergy emerged, and seminaries returned to life. However, this reprieve proved temporary as successive Soviet leaders resumed their assault on religious practice.
Davis exposes the full scope of these systematic campaigns while illuminating the church's remarkable resilience. Despite enduring decades of suppression under Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev, the Orthodox faith maintained its luminous character and eventually emerged as Russia's primary vehicle for spiritual and ethical renewal.
This meticulously researched work offers readers insight into how authentic spirituality persists even under the most challenging circumstances, demonstrating the enduring power of faith to survive and ultimately flourish.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~11 hours)
📄 Length: 381 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche
- ✓ Explore Histoire religieuse
- ✓ Explore Église orthodoxe
- ✓ Explore RusskaÄ±ï¸ a︡ pravoslavnaÄ±ï¸ a︡ tï¸ s︡erkovʹ
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Church and state
- ✓ Explore Orthodox
