Before judging the Russian Church too harshly one should bear in mind that this is a church that has within the last 100 years endured the most brutal religious persecution in the history of Christendom. The true number of Russian Orthodox martyrs to Communism will never be known, but it is certainly in the many millions.
Now if you want to argue that the Russian Church has at time been a tad too close to the state, I will not dispute the point. That aside, I think Putin in his own way is a sincere defender of traditional values and he is certainly the only world leader standing up for the persecuted Christians in the Middle East. I don’t see him ever being canonized a saint. But sometimes you have to work with what you got.
#3 and #4 I had certainly thought that perhaps the Russian Orthodox Church was now being unhealthily influenced by Putin and his government, but someone recently returned from many years in Russia working near the Kremlin interestingly suggested that in their view it was Putin and the Russian Government who were now being influenced by an increasingly powerful Orthodox Church.
Certainly the recovery of the Orthodox Church in Russia both in rebuilding of its buildings and its influence in society has been nothing short or remarkable.
So it is not entirely clear on which foot the boot is.
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Vladimir Putin in church! Holy cow!
You shouldn’t be surprised Mr. Keller. Putin uses the Orthodox Church to further his nationalist agenda and Patriarch Kyril is not beyond being used.
Before judging the Russian Church too harshly one should bear in mind that this is a church that has within the last 100 years endured the most brutal religious persecution in the history of Christendom. The true number of Russian Orthodox martyrs to Communism will never be known, but it is certainly in the many millions.
Now if you want to argue that the Russian Church has at time been a tad too close to the state, I will not dispute the point. That aside, I think Putin in his own way is a sincere defender of traditional values and he is certainly the only world leader standing up for the persecuted Christians in the Middle East. I don’t see him ever being canonized a saint. But sometimes you have to work with what you got.
#3 and #4 I had certainly thought that perhaps the Russian Orthodox Church was now being unhealthily influenced by Putin and his government, but someone recently returned from many years in Russia working near the Kremlin interestingly suggested that in their view it was Putin and the Russian Government who were now being influenced by an increasingly powerful Orthodox Church.
Certainly the recovery of the Orthodox Church in Russia both in rebuilding of its buildings and its influence in society has been nothing short or remarkable.
So it is not entirely clear on which foot the boot is.