Suggested
Guidelines for Contextualizing the Gospel for Modern Russian Youth
Mark Harris
Associate Strategist, U.S. Center
for World Mission, and Independent Researcher
Published in Global Missiology, Contextualization,
July 2004, www.globalmissiology.net
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this paper is to present a
suggested list of guidelines for presenting the gospel message in the context of modern Russian youth
culture. The information behind this study has come from three primary sources. First, from insights I have gained from
living and ministering in Russia since 1993. Second, from my reading of
ethnographies about the Russian culture, both historic
and contemporary. And third, from interviews with young Russian people, both Christian and non-Christian.
Not every issue of Russian youth culture will be
included in this paper, and not every principle of the gospel will be discussed. Rather, this is a
selective list based on my own opinion of which issues are most relevant to a Christian worker from the United States (or
from a culture similar to the
American culture) who is specifically trying to reach Russian youth. Thus this
paper does not contain a complete guide to doing evangelism, and at best could
be used as a supplement to those who
are designing approaches to reaching Russian youth with the gospel.
I will begin by laying a few basic theoretical
foundations for the practice known as contextualization.
This will be most appropriate for those who are not familiar with the concept. Then I will give an overview of the fundamental
issues that affect how this contextualization is to be carried on in a Russian context. The third section will be the
most detailed, in which I will discuss
some of the more important truths of the gospel that require more special contextualization in Russia. The final section
will discuss a few issues to consider in selecting proper venues for presenting
the gospel to Russian youth.
I. THE NEED FOR
CONTEXTUALIZATION OF THE GOSPEL A. A Definition
of Contextualization
To
"contextualize" in evangelism is to communicate the truths of the
gospel message in such a way that the hearers will
understand what is being said and will see the relevance of the message to their lives. This
sounds like common sense, but is much easier defined than practiced. Proper contextualization must be concerned with proper
terminology, order of presentation, knowledge of audience worldview and
preconceptions of the gospel, and must also anticipate causes of opposition. If the message has not been properly
contextualized, the hearers may not properly understand what has been told them, and as a result will not have the
correct image in their mind of what is
required of them. It should be stressed at the outset and constantly repeated:
this is not a simple task.
B. Factors of Contextualization
1. Understanding
Central Cultural Issues – People
in every culture develop a set of values, beliefs and attitudes as they are raised within their own culture. Some
of these are held deeply, and in many
cases a person may have never even questioned them. Others may be negotiable or
debated within the culture. But all of them will affect how a person receives a
new message. One must ask, "What
core values are my listeners assuming as they hear the message of the gospel? What do they already believe that will affect
their attitude toward the message?" To jump right into a "standard gospel presentation" is
to ignore the fact that people will tend to fit the ideas into their preconceived grid – and the result will
often be a misunderstanding. The truths of the gospel, when new to hearers, arrive to transform them from
something and to something. In cross-cultural evangelism, that from
which the listeners are being
transformed is not exactly the same as
that from that which the evangelist may have been delivered. In addition, the
new life to which the people are being
transformed will have a different appearance than the new life in the evangelist's culture. Proper contextualization
starts by taking seriously the central characteristics of a people's inner culture, never assuming that
the gospel is being written on a blank slate. Americans must beware of assuming, for example, that Russian culture has
given its youth an appreciation of
the same attractions of the gospel that work on the hearts of Americans.
Different cultural values lead to
different slants on the attractiveness of the gospel.
2. Building
Truth Systematically – The
central truths of the gospel, such as might be written out in a short tract, can be deceptively simple.
The fact is that they are built on a broad set of assumptions that are carefully developed in
biblical history. The events of the Bible create the proper foundation upon which the gospel is laid.
The Bible creates and develops the proper world view and life values that make the work of Jesus Christ
understandable. These truths must be
carefully taught, and listeners tested for proper understanding. Often the
cultural traits discussed above will
cause listeners difficulty in both comprehending and accepting the gospel, and the evangelist must be prepared to build step
by step. Each culture will differ in the set of steps that must be constructed to reach the platform of clear
understanding that leads to readiness for response.
3. Tearing Down Error
Carefully – When biblical teaching is not the basis for a culture's beliefs and values, errors will abound. In order
for the pure gospel to take root, false reasoning must be pulled down at the
same time that biblical teaching is being constructed in the mind (II Cor.
10:5). The evangelist must be aware of the errors peculiar to the culture in
which he is ministering, and be
prepared to battle them sensitively, yet directly. Improper worldview assumptions will lead to chronic problems in new
churches.
4. Allowing
Proper Cultural Variation – Much of what makes the world so
interesting is the wide array of values and
practices that exist in various cultures. A great many of these are not unbiblical,
and need not be removed as the gospel is brought in. Many of them, in fact, may
more closely reflect biblical teaching than the values and
practices of the evangelist's home culture. All of
these must be allowed, and even celebrated, so that those receiving the gospel
do not take offense needlessly.
5. 
Disallowing
Improper Cultural Contamination – One
common danger in the process of contextualization
is to allow some kind of syncretism – the improper mixture of falsehood with
biblical truth. This can be troublesome in a subtle way in cultures that have
had some form of Christianity in their
history. Even when one has assumed he has torn down error, as mentioned above, subtle remainders of unbiblical aspects of
the receptor culture can mix in with and render impure the understanding of the gospel.
6. Removing
Personal Cultural Preconceptions – A
common problem of those doing cross-cultural
ministry is to assume that their own cultural expression of Christianity is in
fact part of the gospel. The result is
an attempt to convert people not only to Jesus Christ, but to another culture
as well. This is a common complaint against American missionaries, who tend to
be very ethnocentric. The evangelist must
thus not only contextualize the message, but must decontextualize it as well – that is, he must
remove from his teaching those factors that reflect his own cultural biases regarding values and
practices. This is one of the most difficult aspects of contextualization, but is absolutely vital to
developing a healthy movement of the gospel in another country.
II. BASIC
ISSUES IN RUSSIAN CONTEXTUALIZATION A. Orthodox Foundation
1. Russian Religious
Identity – Russian Orthodoxy has been the national religion of
Russia for just over 1,000 years. One deeply
ingrained feature of Russian religious character is the assumption that "Russians are Orthodox
Christians." Contextualizing in Russia is complicated by the fact
that most of the people who believe that there is a God already consider
themselves to be Christians. In their minds,
to be Russian is to be Christian, and to be born in Russia is to be baptized as an infant by an Orthodox priest.
2. Orthodox
Anti-Contextualism - The Orthodox Church believes that its forms,
sacraments and traditions have continued
uninterrupted from the apostles themselves.1 The Church does not alter these forms in order to fit into a new
context. These traditions are considered to be as authoritative as the Bible itself,2 and
thus cannot be arbitrarily changed. When the average Russian youth thinks about the operation of
"church," the images of the unchanging Orthodoxy all around him exert a strong influence. Russian
culture has changed drastically since the Revolution; the Orthodox Church has not changed at all.
3. Orthodox Privileges – Although Orthodoxy
suffered major setbacks during the period of communism
in Russia, it never lost its privileged position as a Russian national symbol.
Since the fall of communism, the
Orthodox Church has made gradual steps to try to regain advantages over
all other religions in Russia. Orthodox leaders were heavily involved in the
passing of a law restricting the
registration of new religious groups in Russia. At major political rallies,
Orthodox leaders are often
conspicuous. Orthodox priests are allowed to teach religious courses in public schools, while other groups are not allowed
access.
B.
Culture In Disarray
1. Confusion
and Change – The fall of
communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union left many Russians in various states of disillusionment,
discouragement and despair. At the same time, others expressed a new hopefulness and enjoyment of freedom. Life
had been quite standardized in the
Soviet system, and suddenly all the rules had changed. The older people were the most harmed by this, and many have been
plunged into poverty. On the other end of the spectrum, the youth of Russia have emerged as a new kind of subculture
that needs to be studied carefully.
They are growing up in an entirely different Russia than that of their parents'
youth. This disarray has profound implications for the communication of the
gospel among youth and, as will be
mentioned below, the youth subculture is far from being monolithic. There is no
single overpowering context for all
Russian youth.
2. Cultural
Invasions – Perhaps the most
visible manifestation of change in Russia is the presence of heavy influences from other cultures – and most particularly
from the American culture. This is
most clearly seen among youth, who commonly listen to Western music, follow Western fashions, and gravitate to clothing and
accessories that bear English lettering. The influences go beyond the material ones. Alternate beliefs, values and
attitudes from abroad are being assimilated by many Russian young people. The
Russian culture was long prevented from open access to outside influences. The
youth seem to be making up for lost time in their avid consumption of Western
culture.
3. Polarization of Youth –
Not all Russian youth respond in the same way to changes in the Russian culture. In fact, two opposite positions
among youth seem to be developing. These positions are partially traceable to an old debate that has been carried
on in Russia between those called
"Slavophiles" and those called "Westernizers." The
Slavophiles believed that Russia held the key to the regeneration of Europe
through ideals found uniquely in traditional Slavic culture and Orthodox Christianity. Westernizers were in
favor of leaving behind these ideals in a move toward more rational ways that they believed were found in Western
thought.3 The entrance of communism into Russia complicated the
issue even more, but did not eliminate the underlying controversy among Russians. Now it is heating up
again between youth that are more traditional and patriotic, on the one hand, and those that are more contemporary and
less proud of Russia, on the other
hand. To contextualize the gospel for a Russian youth, one must first learn
more about where the young person is
located along this cultural continuum.
C. Barriers in Place
1. Orthodox
Exclusivity - Perhaps the most
important factor of Orthodox influence is its claim to be the one true church of Jesus Christ on earth.4
All others who claim to be followers of Christ are considered to be heretics. Those who seek to "cooperate"
with Orthodoxy in evangelizing Russian
youth are seeking in vain. This issue of the nature of the church must be dealt
with directly by evangelical
believers, because Orthodox leaders are very forthright in making their
exclusive claims publicly (though, perhaps, not so frankly when speaking to
Westerners).
2. Folk
Religion - Although Russian folk ideas about
God and the spiritual life come primarily from
Orthodoxy, the practices of common people display a mix of Orthodoxy, paganism
and folk
superstitions.
To understand the influence of Orthodoxy on young people, it is not enough to read
the official church doctrines. The Orthodoxy that is observed by Russian youth
is that which is practiced by the people around them, and this
is often very unattractive to them. On the other hand,
the relative lack of personal demands found in folk religion can become a
strong barrier against the gospel call to a
radical life change. Folk ideas can also cause confusion for a young person
who is hearing the gospel message. For this reason, underlying assumptions of
youth must be unearthed if the gospel is to have its proper
impact in their hearts.
3. Secularism - Secularism
has been the central feature of the Russian cultural scene since the Revolution. All Soviet public institutions and all
forms of art assumed a life without God. In order to learn more about God, one
had not only to go out of his way, but had to face many obstacles as well. Even
with the revival of Orthodoxy, mass culture even today operates very much in a secular mode – including the culture of
Russian youth. With such a small percentage of the youth involved in any way in religion, the dominant youth peer
influence is secularism. In spite of
some reports to the contrary, there has been no mass movement of youth into
churches. Thus the peer context for the average Russian youth is not a
spiritual context. For a young person to be "like everybody else" – a
strong drive among young people the world over – they should remain unreligious
(or have religion only to an absolute minimum level).
4. Fear
of Cults - Along with every other
Western influence invading Russia have come religious cults of all kinds. Many of them are destructive cults that
have separated children from their families, and which result in highly
regimented lifestyles. Parents are naturally frightened about these, all the more since Orthodox priests
are often warning about them through various media. However, there is very little discernment among parents when it
comes to non-Orthodox faiths. The
tendency is to believe that they are all cults. An evangelical leader will
often get a call from a mother whose
child has started attending the church. She will anxiously ask something like, "What is going to happen to my
daughter?!" Parents with stronger control over their children will often forbid them to attend a
non-Orthodox church. The warnings of Orthodox priests and the fears of parents have contributed to a great wariness of
non-Orthodox religions among Russian youth. If a religious belief involves
joining a particular group and entering into their practices, there will automatically be suspicion among young
people. Those who are more flexible,
however, feel that they can discern the difference between a strange cult and a
legitimate religion, and are not so
afraid or overly cautious. Even with them, however, the building of trust is no easy matter.
5. Negative
Experiences of Evangelism – Following
the flood of Western evangelicalism into Russia, many young Russian people were trained with superficial methods
of evangelism. These methods tended to
ignore Russian culture and promoted barging ahead with a "cold
turkey" approach that did not
take into account the need to build trust. Many Russian youth have been "accosted" by such people, and tend to
have a negative attitude to someone who approaches them with a "presentation" of some sort.
Insightful Russian believers have noticed that a young person will often be thinking, "this person is just
trying to stuff me with what has been stuffed into him by somebody else."
6. Inoculation
Against the Real Gospel – Superficial evangelistic methods
have also resulted in many young people who have been
led to believe that the praying of a prayer has taken care of
the issue, and that
they don't need any more teaching or exhortation by you. They did what they
were told to do by other visiting evangelists – why should they do it all over
again? Such young people become very difficult to reach with the gospel of a
transformed life (something that they didn't want in the first place,
because it was too threatening). Many of these will actually become involved in churches, and perpetuate the shallow
methods that were used on them. They have not been truly converted, and become like the "blind leading the
blind" in their evangelism. The result
is often simply more inoculation.
7.
Fear of "Pioneering" – Westerners must never forget that the call to
follow Christ in every aspect of
one's life is still a very new concept to the Russian ear. To believe in God,
wear a cross, be baptized, or pray a
prayer is relatively harmless and will not raise any eyebrows. But to love,
worship and serve Jesus Christ openly is to stand out very sharply among modern
Russian youth culture. An American
convert immediately has a multitude of fellow believers to get involved with, as well as a great variety of kinds of
churches to join. The Russian seeker must look forward to being a relative pioneer, among the first of his peers to
follow such a path. It is not a "tested
and reliable" path that gives him comfort, but something new and different
that makes him nervous.
8.
Peer Pressure - Young people in the West are heavily influenced by
their peers, and Russian youth feel
this same pressure to conform to the styles and attitudes of those around them.
Peer pressure has become perhaps the
most dominant direct influence on Russian youth. A very common statement would be, "I don't want to be
different. I want to be like everybody else." Since the dominant life perspective of a Russian
teenager's peers is secularism, as mentioned above, the practical result is
that young people live their lives with very little thought of God. They don't deal with spiritual issues in their
everyday lives, and find few around them that do. As a result, they will say, "Everybody else lives
that way (without God), so I should too." One of the ideas held by Russian
youth is that religion is something that gets in the way of fun, and for that
reason is to be avoided.
The factors above combine to create an atmosphere
in which deep religion of any kind tends to be rejected among Russian youth. It is generally acceptable among peers
for a teenager to wear a cross, carry an icon, or occasionally visit a
church service – as long as it does not affect his or her everyday life. Young Russians do not freely discuss
deep life issues – this is a matter only for a very few close friends. It is no small matter to break through the
surface of superficial religious issues
to get to the heart of true faith, and even then a young person is going to be
thinking, "What would my friends
think if I responded to this message?" The usual answer is, "They
will think I have become
strange." Getting deep into religion automatically makes a person an outsider from the dominant peer group. One young
Christian man said, "When God starts doing something real, people become suspicious and oppose it."
This peer pressure seems to have
the most power in younger teens, and Russian youth workers have
found that, in general, young people from age 17 and older are easier to work
with than those 16 and under. Peer and parental pressure give
way to more individualistic and adult attitudes
as the Russian youth gets older. Even so, workers have found that it is always
best to try to work with opinion leaders among youth, who are
less afraid of being "pioneers" (as mentioned above).
Young people who have a "follower's" mentality tend to be more afraid
of new ideas,
and are looking around to
see who else among their peers is heading in these new directions. Opinion leaders will be less influenced by this
fear, and can be the source of effective networking to reach larger groups of young people with the gospel.
In the initial days after the fall of the Soviet
Union, an atmosphere of tolerance reigned. Everything was new and open, and there was very little active opposition
to steps of faith. In many ways, people did not really know what to
expect from open faith in God, and were ready to welcome anything that would help them escape the troubles of the past. As
life began to enter the post-Soviet reality, with new worldly attractions
flooding in from outside, young people became more aware of the meaning of making a choice to submit to God. The
dominant peer culture ran faster toward materialism and hedonism than to
spiritual values, and now those dominant values find the religious life to be a threat rather than a help. Subtle
opposition to true religion began, and has grown into active persecution in
some places. Young people are finding that accepting the gospel is going to mean rejection by their
peers.
9. Western-Inspired Optimism – Among the young Russians that are most attracted to
the things of the West, and who see
increased opportunities for themselves in a Russia that is moving toward Western freedoms (in their
estimation), their optimism about their life and prospects can work at cross-purposes with the gospel. They are not yet
disillusioned about this life, and are
too young to think very seriously about their mortality. They are thus often
not open to a call for a radical
change of life that will pull them away from the very things that at this time
hold for them such promise. The promises are empty,
but they don't yet know this. Although they are open to Western ideas, most of this openness leads to receptivity to
pop culture and its worldly
attractions. There is not yet a strong voice reaching them, which they respect,
that can warn them against the vanity of worldly pursuits and thus set
them on a search for more enduring principles
of life.
D. The Westerner's Problem of
Identification
1. Wealth
– Russians commonly believe that
their American visitors are wealthy. This has become one of the biggest problems for Americans in Russia. In fact, in
comparison to the vast majority of
Russians, an American is indeed very wealthy. The Russian perception creates various kinds of barriers to reception of the
gospel. Russians often wonder how these wealthy visitors can understand anything about the difficulties of their lives,
and how their message can be
relevant. They might say, "Well, it is easy to have faith in America,
where you have everything you
want." This factor is less powerful among youth, who are not yet so
conscious of the connections of wealth and faith, but it is an important factor
to deal with nonetheless.
2. Superficiality – Russians commonly mention
that Americans are very friendly – but only to a point. At first they greatly enjoy how everybody smiles at them, but then
their experience begins to make them wonder what is behind the smiles. Are they
sincere? Young Russians who have visited
America will often say, "Everyone is nice and open, and they say, 'come
visit us.' But when you drop in on
them (unannounced – the Russian way) they say, 'It is nice that you came by, but what do you want? Why did you come
by?'" They miss what Russians call dushevnost
– which could be translated as
"the quality of having an open soul." Russians prefer being more
straightforward, and being friendly only with those who are really friends.
And, once people are
friends,
there are no artificial boundaries between them. Russians expect that
friendships should be deeper, and that friends should
depend on each other much more than they see in American relationships.
Americans who come to Russia often tend to isolate themselves from Russians except in religious
settings. Then, since their knowledge of the people is not deep, their religious
messages tend to be simplistic. For an
American to truly connect with and impact a young Russian for the gospel, he or she will need to
invest much time, listening and observing more than speaking.
3. Structure - Americans suffer in Russians' estimation by
comparison to Germans (a culture disliked
by Russians for many obvious historical reasons). American culture, like
German, is seen as being too
structured, with everything "cut and dried." When Russians visit such
a country it feels to them unnatural and makes them long for the simpler life
of home. They tend to feel nervous
when they go to a place with lots of order, because they always seem to be
breaking the rules. Western influence
has caused Moscow to become much more orderly than the average Russian city or
village. Because of this, even Moscow feels different than the rest of Russia –
it is unique. Young people are more
flexible in adapting to a highly structured environment, but will tend to react to it unfavorably at first.
Americans must be willing to put aside their urge to force Russians to
fit within their systems and structures, and reach them within their own
cultural approach to managing life.
E. The Russian's Problem of Motivation
1. Curiosity
- In the early days after the
fall of communism, Americans in Russia were a great novelty. Many Russians had never seen a foreigner
in person before that time, and would have been frightened to speak to him even if they had the opportunity. Early
visits of American Evangelicals drew large crowds, curious to hear what the
Americans had to say. This curiosity was
the main driving force of Russian young people, and a great many of them
attended evangelistic meetings in the
early 1990's. Information about the West and its culture had been largely withheld
from them in the past, and now they wanted to find out all that they could. A common response afterward was, "Well, the
Americans came, and we had lots of fun. They gave out Bibles and talked about God – but we don't
really know what they wanted. They stayed a few days and then they left. Funny Americans."
2. Financial
- Along with curiosity were found
many other motives that were not related to the gospel message brought by the
Americans. The opportunity to receive financial help was a major factor, and many Americans with soft hearts gave
away many dollars in attempts to provide help. As this became common knowledge, many young people were present whenever
an American group arrived.
3. English Language – English-speaking Russians
were also eager to get practice with their language
skills by speaking with Americans. Good English ability was a prime factor in
finding work, especially in the early
1990's. Most of the young people had very little practice with their English, and attached themselves to Americans in
order to improve their practical language skills.
4. 
Escape
From Russia - Many Evangelicals
and organizations were inviting Russians for a trip to America, and this also became a dramatic
attraction. The power of the desire of Russians to travel abroad has been commonly underestimated, and
ulterior motives related to this desire were often not well discerned by Americans.
5. Easy
Deliverance From Problems – For
many young people who did respond to the gospel message, it was often to a one-sided, misunderstood call. They wanted God
to bring help to their lives, but did
not hear the call to a change of life. They wanted instant results with no
personal effort, and thus many became
disillusioned. They did not want to hear about restrictions on their amoral lifestyle. The gospel of easy belief may
have brought many to churches, but it brought relatively few to Jesus Christ.
III. GOSPEL
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO CONTEXTUALIZE A. Who is God?
1. Distant vs. Immanent – Some
have compared the Orthodox attitude toward God to that of Islam. God is seen as distant from man, and thus we
are unable to approach Him on any sort of familiar grounds. This provides a good foundation for teaching about the
transcendence of God, but leaves a
great gap in the understanding of God's immanence. Young Russians must be
taught that the transcendence of God
does not mean that He is distant from them. They should not see Him as outside
of His creation, but intimately involved with it – and especially with the
people He has created to be involved with Him.
2. Caring
vs. Aloof – The immanence of God
would not be much comfort without understanding
the caring nature of God, as the Father of those who believe in Him and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Russian youth must understand
the God who is not only ready to respond, but also lovingly willing to provide care for those whose hearts will receive
Him as children. Many have the attitude that God should not be
"bothered" with the small problems that we have – they are not so
important to Him. This falsehood must be dispelled.
3. Mysterious
vs. Knowable – Russian Orthodoxy
has long appreciated the great mysteries surrounding the nature and work of God. Mystery and awe go together in
the way that Russians have traditionally thought about God, and
consequently simplified explanations of God are often distasteful among Russians. Young people are not as influenced by this
mystical spirit, but may feel
suspicious about a teaching about God that makes Him "too knowable."
A proper balance must be maintained
that exalts the mystery of the infinite God, while also giving credit to the
clarity of God's Word in explaining what humans can and should know about Him.
A spirit of awe and mystery can go
together well with the joy of receiving God's clear revelation.
4. Gracious
vs. Judging – Young people have nagging
feelings about their sin, even if they try to ignore
or suppress the guilt feelings. They commonly believe, though will not always
openly admit, that they are being punished for their sins in this
life. God is thus primarily seen as the Judge
who does not approve of their lives. The common reaction is to avoid thinking
about Him. That He would be gracious and ready to pardon, and
even enter into a close, loving relationship with a sinner is not understood by
most young people. They must be taught about the evil of sin
and
sin's consequences, but they must be shown clearly the heart of God as shown in
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. It must be seen
as a picture of grace and not of further condemnation.
5. Relevant vs. Outdated – As mentioned above, the Orthodox Church fiercely
avoids any attempts to change its
outward forms. The seeker is expected to contextualize himself to God – God
will certainly not change His ways to come to them. The result is a general
attitude toward God as being outdated
and irrelevant to the current life of young people. He can perhaps meet the needs of old women with no future, but can
certainly not speak very deeply to vibrant young people with their lives ahead of them. This point, in a nutshell, illustrates
both the importance and the challenge
of contextualizing the biblical teaching about God to Russian youth. They must understand the God who communicates Himself
in ways that a person can understand, and who deals directly with every issue of modern life in a way that is
perfectly wise. God is eternally
relevant.
B. What is Conversion?
1. Process vs. Event – Confusion over the
nature of conversion seems to abound in Russia. But the problem is not simply with Russians who respond to the gospel, but
also with Westerners who are
communicating it and evaluating responses. One difficulty is in how these two
groups understand the way that
conversion occurs. Some are emphasizing the process, and others the dramatic
event of conversion. I see two fundamental reasons for this confusion.
The first reason for confusion relates to Orthodox
teaching on the subject. The central meaning of salvation in Orthodox teaching is the growing participation in the
nature of God by the means of Orthodox
rituals and mysteries. It is this process that is the central aspect of
salvation according to Orthodox teaching, in contrast to the focus on legal
justification in Western teaching.
“Orthodox theologians contend that in the West the doctrines of sin and salvation
have been unduly dominated by legal, juridical, and forensic categories.”5
The restoring of a mystical union
with God, a process not completed in this life, is the focus of Orthodox
soteriology, and one does not hear of
God declaring sinners righteous on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ. “In the history of Orthodox theology...it
is startling to observe the near total absence of any mention of the idea of justification by faith.”6
Unlike evangelical soteriology, in Orthodox teaching there is no clear distinction between justification and
sanctification. The "legal" aspect of justification tends to be the focus of the thinking of Evangelicals,
and this contrast in ways of thinking can cause confusion among Russian
listeners to the gospel. In addition, a much stronger theology and demonstration of divine indwelling and transformation is
often needed among Evangelical
missionaries in order to communicate the gospel in all its glory to the Russian
mind.
The
second reason for the confusion lies in the nature of coming to understanding
of biblical truth. Westerners often don't recognize the wealth
of context that the American culture and media
provide for people about Christianity. Even if much of it is not accurate, it
still provides many windows into the meaning of the gospel to people in the
American culture. The Russian culture and media are almost completely devoid of
such context, and so most Russians haven't had
time to meditate on the claims of Christ or the ramifications of the gospel by the
time they
are asked to make a
decision to convert. In this sense we are not talking about a
"process" of regeneration,
but about a process of being brought to a readiness for true repentance and
belief.
2. The danger of
conversion rituals – Westerners doing evangelism are almost
invariably attached to visible actions that
are identified with conversion. By far the most common is the use of a "sinner's prayer" in both public
and private settings. It may be quite a feat to bring a Westerner to the point of such a prayer, and thus
the likelihood may be much greater that one is truly praying in faith (but even
this is a debatable point). In Russia, the tendency to see prayer almost as an
incantation, with the expectation of satisfying a mysterious divine demand,
makes such conversion rituals very
suspect – even dangerous. They have resulted in countless false conversions in Russia in the 1990's. Multiple
thousands, including many young Russians, have been reported as converts as a result of such a prayer, and yet the
churches have very rarely grown as a
result of campaigns that use these approaches. In most cases, in my opinion,
the use of such a prayer has actually
been abortive of the important process of coming to an understanding of the call of Christ, as mentioned
above. This fact is displayed in the common practice of young people "falling away" as soon as they
understand that the Lord is making any kinds
of demands on their lives. They are not used to such an idea, and become
afraid. Their impulse is to run away
from such a challenge. Thus the all-too-common pattern: a quick, flighty response
to an incomplete explanation of the gospel; a shallow response with an equally
shallow rejection; a young person scared or
offended, and now much harder to reach with the truth.
3. The
meaning of "Belief" – To
many in Russia, to be a "believer" is simply to be one who assents to the existence of God. Even this was no
small claim in the time of the Soviet Union, and so those who believed in the existence of God kept this fact secret.
Since so many Russian youth believe
that God exists, and have been baptized (as discussed below), they need to be
carefully informed about the nature of true belief. Otherwise they will not
understand why a person who is
already a "believer" needs to do anything else. Belief as a living
trust and a new life needs to be
deeply stressed with Russian youth. It will actually often be a sign of
progress when a young person is unwilling
to make such a step toward
conversion as described above. It will mean that the claim of Jesus Christ on
his life is starting to sink in and threaten his sinful autonomy.
4. The
purpose of baptism – According
to Russian Orthodox teaching, water baptism is the means by which a person enters into the Christian
life. It is the door into salvation, which continues in the process mentioned above. It is thus far more than a
symbolic act, because by it one is
said to be made a member of the mystical body of Christ. For many Russian
youth, baptism is not just the first
act of the Christian life; it is practically the only act that they will experience in a church (unless they are also
married in a church). A great many Russian youth have been baptized as infants,
and this may be their only claim to being a Christian. And yet, it may serve as a barrier against the gospel. A
believer's baptism outside of Orthodoxy will be considered a strange thing, and
will need to be carefully explained.
5. New
life and Nominality – Russian youth who consider
themselves to be Orthodox may have extremely little to do with the
Church. "Conversion" to Orthodoxy, if it is even considered in these
terms, bears little effect on their lives. The idea of a new life that is a
daily walk with God is not their normal idea of
Christianity. Many want the minimum, which could often be seen as a
small
measure of insurance before God while they actually continue to live their
lives as they please. This extreme nominality can easily carry
over to those who get involved with Evangelicals. Young people are not
likely to have a concept of a conversion that would make them
newly living members of a living body. They may get involved in just a minor
way, picking and choosing what they want to do, and moving on
to other things when they lose interest in the activities. Much of this could
be avoided if, from the beginning, Westerners carefully
taught the new life that comes with true conversion.
C. What is the Christian Life?
1. Relationship
with God - For the Orthodox
Church, baptism, communion, and other church activities are far more than symbolic acts. They are sacraments in the
fullest sense. They are seen to
transmit grace to the believer, resulting in true communion with Jesus Christ,
and thus occupy a prominent place in
the thinking of Orthodox people. For many people, performing the sacraments is the sole reality to their
relationship with God. They will superficially perform the sacraments, memorize prayers, wear a cross, carry
an icon and cross themselves, but don't think as much about the deeper meaning of a moment by moment relationship with
a loving Father God. Futhermore, on
the folk level, many of the practices mentioned above have descended to the
level of superstition, completely removed from any notion of a relationship to
God. One of the most critical
contextualization issues is thus to instill in young people the notion of a
real and living relationship with
Jesus Christ that cannot be contained in any outward acts.
2. Prayer
as communion – Consistent with the
sacramental mindset that young people may have gained from Orthodoxy would be
the notion of ritualistic prayer that can be performed apart from a living relationship with God. Many have a
notion of prayer as a memorized incantation that will force God's (or even "fate's") hand. Prayer as
ongoing, loving communion with the Father is not commonly understood. One of
the best ways to contextualize this is for young people to actually see it taking place. And one of the best venues for
this is in small groups of believers.
3. Living
by the Word of God – Even among
those who are heavily involved in Orthodox ritual, the knowledge of the Bible is likely to be minimal. Given the
Orthodox belief that the Church is the
infallible interpreter of the Bible, as will be mentioned below, it is more
important to learn from the priests
than to search the Bible for oneself. Life is generally lived according to tradition and ritual, and not directly according to
the teachings of the Bible. To accept the Bible as the authority for daily life is a very big step for a Russian youth.
The Scriptures were shrouded in
mystery within Orthodoxy, and ridiculed by communists. The result is that they
are largely ignored today. Although the Bible has some measure of value
in the eyes of Russians, it is for all practical
purposes unused. The Russian youth must learn that the Bible is deeply relevant
to his or her life, and see that
spiritual light and life fulfillment will be found in its message.
4. Ambassador
for Christ – The nominality mentioned above
has also combined with a Russian notion that one should keep his
spiritual beliefs to himself. The fact that a youth is likely to be ridiculed
for taking religion too seriously adds to the pressure to remain silent about
one's faith. This, of course, runs counter to the command of
Christ to make disciples and proclaim His message
to the world. Although the means of proclamation must be contextualized as
well, as
will be discussed
below, the fact of proclamation as the duty of an ambassador for Christ must be
clearly taught and expected.
5. Eternal
Perspective – Seventy years of
communism led most people to focus their entire attention on this earthly life (since it was, in fact, the only life that
existed). Orthodoxy, on the other
hand, tended to withdraw from participation in the world (as did Baptists). The
result is that there is little
understanding of the need to live life in the light of eternity, yet with a
focus on bringing glory to God in the
context of normal human life. Young people today tend to be fixated not just on earthly life, but on the immediate
pleasures of that life. It is a very strange thing for them to think about living life today in such a
way to influence eternal reward. Earthly life and eternal life are often separated in the mind by a
great gulf, and it is up to the one who is contextualizing to explain the close connection of the two.
6. Living
by Faith – In times of great
uncertainty, it is most important for believers to learn to trust God as a caring provider. Under communism
this idea was ridiculed, and it is hard for a young person to understand how a life of faith operates. One will even
hear a young person say, "Well, it is okay to trust God, but you need to
depend on yourself." This secular approach holds sway, even among those who consider themselves to be
believers in God. Young people need to learn
to find security in the Lord, and not in having money, jobs, and material
goods. Most importantly for the
Westerner, this message may not be well received coming from him. Most Russians
think that Americans don't need to trust in God – they already have everything.
"How can they come here and tell
us how to live by faith? They don’t know anything about our difficult lives!" On the other hand,
Russians who have learned this secret can become effective in demonstrating and verbalizing this to others.
7. Suffering
– Related to the above is a
biblical perspective on suffering. One of the key features of the Russian consciousness has been a fixation on
suffering. One will very often hear or read of the "long-suffering Russian people." Their long history bears
this out, and 20th century history has
planted this idea even deeper than in the past. Again, Westerners are not
usually the best people to teach the
message of how God uses suffering, and that it should not be rejected. Many Russians already believe that Americans, for
example, are spiritually inferior to Russians due to their comfortable and unchallenging lifestyle.
This will not be such a strong factor with youth, who have not experienced the suffering of their parents
and grandparents, but the subtle messages
cannot help but filter down to them. The point is that proper communicators
must help Russian youth to beware of
focusing all their attention on trying to materially better their lives, as well as avoiding suffering by remaining quiet
about their faith.
8. Holiness and Morality –
Life
under communism was considered to be impossible without lying, cheating, and breaking rules. After all, the rules were unfair.
But even today, for example, businessmen
believe that if a small business pays all of the legally required taxes, it
will not be able to survive. Public
morality in this and many other areas greatly deteriorated under communism, especially in its last few decades.
Young people became very immoral and relativistic.
Today, to see another young Russian living a life of sexual purity and
integrity is a strange thing. Many
Americans are surprised at what they consider to be the loose idea of integrity among their Russian counterparts. The holiness
of God and the joy of a pure lifestyle, even in the face of ridicule and
difficulties, must become part of a young person's concept of the
Christian life. Otherwise
youth are likely to have minimal moral foundations, and will not respond to the Lordship of Christ.
9. Stewardship – Giving to the Church has often been seen as a way
to receive back a favor from God.
Many young people will buy a candle to light in an Orthodox church, or even pay
an older woman to pray for them.
Young corrupt businessmen will pay priests to pray for them – even with no intention of changing their
lifestyle. Thus the connection of money and spirituality has become corrupted in the minds of many. This
becomes a touchy area to contextualize, because young Russians must be taught to be stewards of their resources
as members of the body of Christ. Many
have seen Westerners give great amounts to Russian churches and ministries, and do not yet feel that it is their
responsibility. Or they may feel that they need not give, because they have so little themselves. This is another
teaching that is best passed on by a Russian in similar circumstances as those
of the listeners, who can both teach and demonstrate proper stewardship.
D. What is the Church?
1. The
Church as People – One of the
first misconceptions to correct in the mind of a young person is that the Church of Jesus Christ is not a
building of particular architecture; it is not a temple made by man. Rather it is the people of God assembling together to
worship and build each other up. Young Russians are often very surprised
when told that the Church is people, so connected
in their minds is the local Orthodox temple. The Baptists in Russia are today
very intent on having impressive
buildings, and much of this comes from the fact that Russians will not take seriously a gathering of people in a home
or rented hall. How can it be called a church without the building? With
the poor economic condition of most Russians coming to churches, Evangelicals have great difficulty finding the
funds to construct buildings. The result is often a lack of feeling of ownership and stewardship by the
congregation. That Russians would learn to look at themselves as "the Church" should be a critical
goal of contextualization.
2. The
Church under Lordship – A
further difficulty is to instill the notion that the Church is a worldwide family of believers with no human head.
Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Church; He is the head of the body. As such, there is no human mediator between God and
man apart from Jesus. The Orthodox
Church considers itself to be the only true church of God on earth, and will vehemently reject the notion of the equality of
all local bodies before God. The Church itself is seen as the mediator between God and man, and
nobody should expect access to God apart from the ministrations of this organization. There will be no compromise on
this issue, and Evangelicals will find this to be a critical point of
contention. Young Russians will be forced to consciously
reject the authority of what is considered to be the national Russian Church in
order to join a group of Evangelicals.
3. The
Church under the Word – Evangelicals understand that
the Word of God is the standard by which the Church is to be
judged. In Orthodoxy, on the other hand, the church itself is considered
to be infallible, and the result is that the ecumenical councils and other
Orthodox traditions have authority equal to that of the Bible.7 The
Church has no external or dogmatic authority over itself, but is
itself the authority, a fact guaranteed by the presence of the Holy Spirit
in the church. “...the only ultimate theological criterion to which Orthodoxy
appeals is the
living
presence of God himself, who safeguards the church and promises through his
Spirit to lead us and guide us into all truth.”8
Evangelicals often think that they will be able to appeal to the
Word of God to prove their assertions about the Church and about believers, but
Russian youth are being told that people outside the "true
Church" have no such right to use the Bible. As with
all issues related to Orthodoxy, the extent to which the Russian Orthodox
Church influences a Russian youth will be the
extent to which this teaching will be both critical and controversial.
4. The Church as Family – In
Russian Orthodox churches people do not really function as members who are intimately involved in each other's
lives. The people worshiping next to each other may do this for years without knowing each other, and would not
consider themselves as part of a
caring family that is interdependent. Russian youth who have a conception of
the Church in their minds have the
idea of a place to go to perform church-type rituals. One can go anonymously, and slip in and out at any time. It is
both important and difficult to introduce the idea that the Church is the family of God, and that the lives of the
children of God should intertwine as
they provide mutual care for each other.
5. The
Church as Body – The prior point
related to the love and care within the Church; this point relates to the function of its various
ministries. Russian Orthodoxy with its strict hierarchy and notion of priesthood, is not a model of the
mutual ministry of gifted people toward one another that is found in the Bible. The priests "do the
ministry" for the people. It is a very novel concept for Russians that all the members of the
body are equal ministers that work together to build up the body of Christ. This is even the case in Russian Baptists
churches, where a few Brothers tend to
dominate the operation of a church. Strong authority and passive membership is a concept that must be carefully torn down so that
Russian youth do not fall into the patterns of their ancestors and elders.
6. The
Church as Light to the World – If
Russian evangelical churches are to have an impact on Russian society, become recognized, gain
credibility, and reach more young people for Christ, they need to inculcate in their members the idea of the Church as
the light of the world which must not
be hidden. Young people are used to thinking of the Church as irrelevant to
society at large, and the cloistering, otherworldly approach to religion as
practiced in Russia lends credence to
this attitude. Russian Baptists also tend to be both legalistic and hyper-separatists, not promoting integration into society
in activities that are not considered "Christian."
The result is very minimal impact on the culture. Young people must gain a new perspective of the Church as a force in the world,
infiltrating to provide both salt and light, and not attempting to simply escape from the world.
7. The Church and Worship
a.
Music – Russian Orthodox church music is very traditional,
and often seems gloomy and depressing to Russian youth. If
anything "Christian" is portrayed in Russian media, it will be Orthodox
music that is providing the atmosphere. Young people need to find out, to their
surprise, that the worship of God need not be imprisoned
in musical styles that are unappealing to
them. Young people are becoming very westernized in their musical tastes, and
will be much more open to new styles of worship music that would
not necessarily appeal to their parents (and would probably appall their
grandmothers). This is a form of contextualization that calls for the formation
of new mental associations, and so will bring about various responses. It might
be best
to
utilize more universal youth styles that do not expect too great a cultural
leap in the minds of youth.
b. Ritual – Young people are likely to think of worship in
terms of precise liturgy, rituals and forms,
candles and vestments – all inseparable from Orthodox worship. The simplicity
of evangelical worship will often be a
shock (though often a pleasant surprise) to young people. Consistent with their attitudes toward all things
Orthodox, they may not really care that the Orthodox Church operates in this way or that. However, their fear of
cults will be more likely to surface
when approaches to worship are in sharp contrast to Orthodox forms. It will be
important for Evangelicals to not only demonstrate a new way to worship, but
explain it carefully as well. Young
Russians do not necessarily have in their minds an idea of what their ideal
worship would look like, but inner
values, if offended, may prevent them from truly entering into the approach brought to them by Evangelicals. Much is yet to be
learned about this subject as it relates to Russian youth.
8. The
Church and Symbols – There are a
few evangelical churches in Russia that are already beginning to attempt to utilize selected Orthodox
symbols (such as icons, priestly vestments and incense) in their worship services, with the apparent goal of making
Russians more at ease. An icon may
not seem harmful in and of itself, but the question must be asked: Are there
beliefs that are inseparably linked to the use of icons that will produce
unbiblical practices? It may not be so easy
to alter the idea of icons in the minds of Russians, and it may not be
advisable. Evangelicals may even
attract more Orthodox opposition by using symbols that are considered the
spiritual property of Orthodoxy.
Also, the cross is a universal Christian symbol that may cause few problems. However, the wearing of a cross can often
carry deeper meanings for youth that relate more to underlying superstitions than to Christian truths. Priestly
vestments worn by a man who is not a
true "priest" could cause unnecessary confusion. The use of symbols
will be one of the most dangerous
areas of contextualization attempted in Russia, and Evangelicals should proceed
with great caution.
9. The
Church and the State – As mentioned above, Russian
Orthodoxy has been the religion of Russia for over 1,000 years.
In addition, the Church has long been intertwined with the State, and
thus Russian nationalism drives many people to identify with Orthodoxy as part
of their pride in being Russian. Americans, who are so used to a
plurality of denominations, along with religious
freedom, have not had to struggle with this issue for many years, and are often
unable to draw on rich historical, exegetical and biblical
theology to teach about this issue with authority.
As a result, many Americans are disqualified as spokesmen for Christianity in
the eyes of many Russians. Russian young people may be quite ready
to hear that the Church need not be attached to the State, but
careful teaching will be required to show that this is true, and why it is true.
Also, many American denominations are entering Russia and starting churches
that are named according to that American organization. To associate with a
denomination may be a helpful thing, but to accept the
name and authority of it in a country like Russia is to invite longterm
irrelevance in the minds of the majority of the potential Russian audience. The
Russian churches should be Russian – not pale copies of something
American.
IV. CONTEXTUAL VENUES FOR PRESENTING THE GOSPEL
In this section I will just briefly discuss a few
issues that have arisen in Russia regarding evangelistic venues. The subject requires much more treatment, but a few
summary statements may be of some introductory help.
A.
Mass Evangelism
1. Advantages
– Large meetings in rented halls
have become associated with visiting Western evangelists in Russia in the 1990's. The primary advantage is that a
neutral setting can be arranged where
many people can be invited to hear the gospel. Advertising can be used to
attract people, and gifted speakers
utilized.
2. Disadvantages
– The main disadvantage relates to
the misuse of this method by many evangelical groups. Many Russians have
responded to a public gospel invitation by performing the required step
(raising hands, coming forward, praying a prayer, filling out a response card, etc.) but only a minute fraction of these have
ended up in churches. Russians are often seen to respond due to the actions of the group around them, but with no deep
understanding. A speaker cannot
respond to the particular questions and problems of each listener in a mass
group, and the large numbers who
respond in various ways make follow-up problematic.
3. Primary Usage – This
method is best used when the main goal is general exposure to the gospel. I
believe that those listeners who are serious will demonstrate this by coming to
further meetings in various kinds of neutral
venues, or by giving a trained believer the opportunity to come visit
them. They will be much less likely to take the big step of visiting a church.
I would discourage any kind of public
invitation at the time of the meeting. At the same time, I would make allowance, by means of one-on-one meetings,
for those few that may be actually ready to repent and believe at that time.
B.
Church Evangelism
1. Advantages
– An evangelical worship service
provides a setting where the visitor can observe a large group of believers together and see what they do. The site will
be more likely to remain the same for
future visits, unlike those rented for public meetings. The message of the
gospel is combined with singing,
prayer, and other forms of worship. In addition, bringing the young person to become a living part of a church is the
goal of evangelism, and so this step must necessarily happen sometime.
2. Disadvantages
– The church can be an
intimidating place for a young person to visit, and may be too strange to him or her for an initial
exposure to the gospel. The pulpit messages are less likely to be directed to the visitor, and may be
hard to understand.
3. Primary
Usage – This method is best used when the main goal is
exposure to worship. Visitors not only hear the gospel,
but also see it being corporately demonstrated. The life of the body
need not be described, because it is in fact experienced. A trained member has
more
freedom to follow up by
conversing with a person who has visited the church. The resulting personal relationship is a more fruitful method of
evangelism, especially in Russia.
C.
Small Group Evangelism
1. Advantages – A
small group, usually meeting in a home, provides a more natural setting for a young Russian who is finding out about Christians.
In the small group he can see how believers interact with each other, care for each other and pray together. He can
see that they are normal people like
him, but with a living faith that exists outside of the four walls of the
church building. A visitor to a small
group is much more conspicuous than in a church service, aiding in follow-up.
2. Disadvantages – The
small group may be the most susceptible to being considered a cult, and this fact will frighten many away from them. It may
also be less likely that a person will be there with adequate training to
properly communicate with a visitor in line with his particular needs. Visitors to small groups may feel too conspicuous
in a small group, and thus be too intimidated.
3. Primary Usage – This
method is best used when the main goal is exposure to fellowship. The life of a church is best seen in the lives of its
members, and godly fellowship is the most important expression of that life.
D.
One-on-One Evangelism
1. Advantages
– This method has the advantage
of being the most flexible of all methods. It can occur anytime, at any place. The person doing this
kind of work is able to focus all of his attention on one person,
allowing for more particular probing into the person's special needs and questions. This is the only method that can be
used with the many people who will not accept any invitation to a group. A
loving, wise believer can take the time and build up trust, being careful not to rush the young person into
something for which he is not ready.
2. Disadvantages
– In Russia, one person
evangelizing another is a very strange thing, and young people will be likely to feel that this is
not a normal person talking to them. The fear of cults will also be a factor, in that this is the common approach of
cults in Russia. The young person may be very reluctant to open up and discuss
such a topic, and so the method is often limited to close acquaintances or else
gifted personal evangelists.
3. Primary
Usage - This method is best used
when the main goal is exposure to personal counsel. The young Russian can see
how this one person cares enough about him to take time and deal with his personal life problems. When
church members are trained to do this kind of evangelistic ministry sensitively, it can become the most important way
to give people first exposure to the
gospel.
CONCLUSION
There
seems to be a common assumption among American Evangelicals that they are able
to write the gospel message on a "blank slate"
when ministering to Russian youth. They assume
that atheism left a
vacuum that allows for rapid acceptance of the gospel. This is simply not true,
and fruitful ministry demands that
this illusion be broken. The combined influences of Orthodoxy, secularism, hedonism, superstition, fear
of cults, and other factors have quickly made the soil resistant to simple seed
planting among Russian youth. The ground must be broken and watered by wise
Christian workers.
Americans desiring to reach Russian youth need to
become educated regarding the cultural and religious context that shapes how their audience thinks and feels.
Russian youth are definitely reachable
with the gospel, and encouraging, fruitful ministry is proceeding today along
with the fruitless efforts that have
discouraged so many American workers. May God grant us the desire to proceed in our labors with wisdom and
discernment, so that a new generation will hear and see an effective,
contextualized communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Copyright © 1999 by
Mark J Harris. Permission to reproduce material from this paper, for
noncommercial purposes, is hereby granted. Please provide appropriate credit
and send a copy of the reprint to the following address:
1605 E Elizabeth St
Pasadena, CA 91104
Endnotes
1
John Karmaris, Concerning the Sacraments in
Daniel B. Clendenin, ed., Eastern Orthodox Theology,
Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995, p. 30.
2 Daniel B. Clendenin, Eastern Orthodox
Christianity, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994, p. 109.
3 James H. Billington, The
Icon and the Axe, New York:
Vintage Books, 1966, p. 320-21.
4 George Florovsky, The Function of
Tradition in the Ancient Church, in Daniel B. Clendenin, ed., Eastern Orthodox Theology, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995, p. 112.
5 Daniel B. Clendenin, Eastern
Orthodox Christianity, Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 1994, p. 109.
6 Ibid, p. 110.
7 George Florovsky, The Authority of the Ancient
Councils and the Tradition of the Fathers, in Daniel B. Clendenin, ed., Eastern Orthodox Theology, Grand Rapids: Baker
Books, 1995, p. 30.
8 Daniel B. Clendenin, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994, p. 107.