Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent : Faith and Power in the New Russia

__Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent__ is the first book to fully explore the expansive and ill-understood role that Russia's ancient Christian faith has played in the fall of Soviet Communism and in the rise of Russian nationalism today. John and Carol Garrard tell the story of how the Orthodox Church's moral weight helped defeat the 1991 coup against Gorbachev launched by Communist Party hardliners. The Soviet Union disintegrated, leaving Russians searching for a usable past. The Garrards reveal how Patriarch Aleksy II--a former KGB officer and the man behind the church's successful defeat of the coup--is reconstituting a new national idea in the church's own image. In the new Russia, the former KGB who run the country--Vladimir Putin among them--proclaim the cross, not the hammer and sickle. Meanwhile, a majority of Russians now embrace the Orthodox faith with unprecedented fervor. The Garrards trace how Aleksy orchestrated this transformation, positioning his church to inherit power once held by the Communist Party and to become the dominant ethos of the military and government. They show how the revived church under Aleksy prevented mass violence during the post-Soviet turmoil, and how Aleksy astutely linked the church with the army and melded Russian patriotism and faith. __Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent__ argues that the West must come to grips with this complex and contradictory resurgence of the Orthodox faith, because it is the hidden force behind Russia's domestic and foreign policies today. Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent Is The First Book To Fully Explore The Expansive And Ill-understood Role That Russia's Ancient Christian Faith Has Played In The Fall Of Soviet Communism And In The Rise Of Russian Nationalism Today. John And Carol Garrard Tell The Story Of How The Orthodox Church's Moral Weight Helped Defeat The 1991 Coup Against Gorbachev Launched By Communist Party Hardliners. The Soviet Union Disintegrated, Leaving Russians Searching For A Usable Past. The Garrards Reveal How Patriarch Aleksy Ii - A Former Kgb Officer And The Man Behind The Church's Successful Defeat Of The Coup - Is Reconstituting A New National Idea In The Church's Own Image. In The New Russia, The Former Kgb Who Run The Country - Vladimir Putin Among Them - Proclaim The Cross, Not The Hammer And Sickle. Meanwhile, A Majority Of Russians Now Embrace The Orthodox Faith With Unprecedented Fervor. The Garrards Trace How Aleksy Orchestrated This Transformation, Positioning His Church To Inherit Power Once Held By The Communist Party And To Become The Dominant Ethos Of The Military And Government. They Show How The Revived Church Under Aleksy Prevented Mass Violence During The Post-soviet Turmoil, And How Aleksy Astutely Linked The Church With The Army And Melded Russian Patriotism And Faith. Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent Argues That The West Must Come To Grips With This Complex And Contradictory Resurgence Of The Orthodox Faith, Because It Is The Hidden Force Behind Russia's Domestic And Foreign Policies Today.--book Jacket. Prologue: Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent / Sergiev Posad -- The End Of The Atheist Empire -- A New Hope -- Rebuilding Holy Moscow -- Accursed Questions: Who Is To Blame? -- Irreconcilable Differences: Orthodoxy And The West -- The Babylonian Legacy: Exiles, Martyrs, And Collaborators -- A Faith-based Army -- Epilogue: Twenty Years After: From Party To Patriarch. John Garrard & Carol Garrard. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 309-313) And Index. Contents 8 List of Illustrations 9 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 16 Note on Transliteration 20 PROLOGUE: Sergiev Posad: Russian Orthodoxy Resurgent 24 One: The End of the Atheist Empire 37 Two: A New Hope 59 Three: Rebuilding Holy Moscow 93 Four: Accursed Questions: Who Is to Blame? 124 Five: Irreconcilable Differences: Orthodoxy and the West 164 Six: The Babylonian Legacy: Exiles, Martyrs, and Collaborators 204 Seven: A Faith-Based Army 230 EPILOGUE: Twenty Years After: From Party to Patriarch 265 Appendix A: Translated Documents 278 Appendix B: Authors' Letter to the New York Times, May 27, 1990 284 Notes 286 Select Bibliography 332 Index 338 A 338 B 338 C 339 D 340 E 340 F 340 G 341 H 341 I 341 J 342 K 342 L 343 M 343 N 344 O 344 P 345 R 345 S 347 T 348 U 348 V 348 W 348 Y 349 Z 349 Explores the role that Russia's ancient Christian faith has played in the fall of Soviet Communism and in the rise of Russian nationalism. This work tells the story of how the Orthodox Church's moral weight helped defeat the 1991 coup against Gorbachev launched by Communist Party hardliners.