I’ve just uploaded (by permission) the third of Michael Bourdeaux’s books here. Written in 1990 it records many of the changes brought to the Russian church by perestroika and glasnost, but not the final break-up of the USSR.
It’s sobering to think that much of what happened here has been erased from history, in that the mainstream media never refer to it. It’s also sobering to see how many religious ‘trends’ in modern society are identifiable, before their time, in the policies of the Kremlin. Bourdeaux’s books are well worth a look.
I have just discovered the existence of a 1995 Bourdeaux publication, wherein the KGB archives were partially unsealed and revealed that most of the most prominent and senior Russian Orthodox clergy were in fact officers of the KGB. Which of us ever heard of that?
Christians must record their own history, and ensure that it is not lost; for otherwise it will vanish into obscurity.
I think you will find the Russian Orthodox were well aware of that. The word to remember is podsvechnik (see for example here).
Probably — but I’m not sure anyone else is.
I know it was a pretty big concern among Eastern European Catholics, that their hierarchy stay pure. But it’s pretty plain that some priests were recruits; and even a few in the West may have been affected.
Still, there are always enemies of the Church trying to join the clergy, or clergy who become enemies of the Church. The KGB was just more open about its enemyhood.
You’re right. I was reminded of the “Red Dean”, Hewlett Johnson, the apologist for Stalin. He must have been on the KGB payroll.
Interestingly, once the Cold War was over, NO-ONE in the establishment here wanted to know what the KGB archives contained. One defector leaked a small snippet and was promptly slapped down.
Which I suppose tells us all we need to know about KGB penetration of the British establishment.