History of Russian/Ukrainian Christianity

Webpage sources: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/1988/issue18/1820.html and
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/1988/issue18/1804.html.

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Before 1000

c. 50–60 St. Andrew allegedly does mission work in Ukraine and, standing on the future site of Kiev, predicts that a great Christian city will one day exist there

860–65 With Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Christian missions to the Slavic nations begin in earnest; Cyril establishes Cyrillic alphabet that is still used by Eastern Slavs today

c. 864 Under the auspices of Rus’ Prince Askold and Patriarch Photius, the first baptism in Rus’-Ukraine

869 Eighth Ecumenical Council (in Constantinople)

955 Princess Olga, the queen of Kievan Rus’, is baptized at Constantinople

988–991 Mass baptism takes places at Kiev, Grand Prince Vladimir makes Orthodox Christianity the national religion of Rus’—which it remained until 1917
"Prince Vladimir, the Slavic ruler credited with the Christianization of Rus’ (not Russia), allegedly ordered all the inhabitants of Kiev, his capital city, to appear at the river for baptism on a particular day in 988 or they would be considered enemies of the kingdom."
"One reason Vladimir allegedly decided to accept Christianity was because, after hearing defenses of several major religions, he was healed from an eye disease after his grandmother Olga prayed to her god, the God of the Orthodox."

"Another alleged reason for Vladimir’s conversion was his emissaries’ report that when they saw the grandeur of the Eastern Orthodox services in Constantinople, they were so awed that “We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for on earth there is no such splendor or such beauty!”"

1000

1019 Yaroslav receives a metropolitan appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople; this Rus’-Byzantium link continues for nearly 400 years

1025 The beautiful St. Sophia Cathedral is constructed in Kiev

1037 The Russian Orthodox Church comes under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople

1100

1113 The Church of St. Nicholas, one of the first “onion-domed churches,” is built at Novgorod, Russia

1200

1204 Eastern Christendom’s center, Constantinople, falls to Western Christendom’s Crusaders

1206–26 Temujin is proclaimed Gengis Khan, rules the Mongols

1220-21 Mongols invade India

1237–40 Mongols invade and destroy Kiev

1250 Hats come into fashion, and goose quills are used for writing

1261 Easterners retake Constantinople

1300

1325 The metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church is transferred to Moscow

1326 Moscow becomes capital of Russia, and official center of Russian Orthodox Church

1363 Timur the Lame (Tamerlaine) begins his conquest of Asia

1392 Sergius of Radonezh, the patron saint of Russia, dies

1396 Stephen, a Russian Orthodox bishop and famous missionary, dies

1400

1431–49 The Mongols’ domination of Russia comes to an end

1448 See of Moscow is raised to independent status

1450 Moscow emerges as “The Third Rome,” claiming to have succeeded Rome and Constantinople as the center of the Orthodox Church; Russian Orthodoxy remains virtually untouched by the Renaissance and Reformation

1500

1551 The historic Council of Moscow indicates the declining influence of the patriarchate of Constantinople and the rising influence of Moscow

1589–1605 In Moscow, Iov serves as the first patriarch of the new Russian Orthodox Patriarchate

1596 The Orthodox in Poland unite with Rome, forming what is known as the Uniate Church

1600

1629 Cyril Lucano, the patriarch of Constantinople, makes a Calvinist confession of faith

1642–58 Patriarch Nikon tries to reform the Russian Orthodox Church; a schism results

1690–1700 Patriarch Adrian is Russian Orthodoxy’s last patriarch until 20th century

1700

1721 Peter the Great abolishes the Moscow Patriarchate, establishes the Holy Synod as a state institution to carry out church reforms

1783 Potemkin captures Crimea for Russia

1794 Russian Orthodox missionaries begin work in Alaska with fur traders and Indians.
"Clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church set foot on what is today known as the State of Alaska in 1794, and established Orthodox churches all the way down to San Francisco, Calif., before Alaska was even purchased from Russia by the United States government."

1800

1848 Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto

1856–1876 Translation of the entire Bible into vernacular Russian

1867 Russia sells Alaska to the U.S.

1870 Bishop Innocent, former missionary to Alaska, founds the Orthodox Missionary Society

1880 Russian Orthodox leaders begin a persecution of all non-Orthodox sects and churches

1891 Russian Orthodox leaders intensify their persecution of the non-Orthodox, making it difficult for them to find employment or living quarters, and taking their children to indoctrinate them in the Orthodox faith; non-Orthodox are tried in Orthodox courts, not civil ones

1900

1904–07 Russo-Japanese War

1917 The Russian Revolution; Moscow Patriarchate is re-established

1918–28 Lenin separates church and state and proclaims religious freedom

1919 The American Ukrainian Orthodox Church is organized

1922 USSR is formed

1929–1939 Stalin’s “Age of Terror”; most Russian Christians suffer greatly under this state-sponsored tyranny; the worst years are ’34–38

1943 Desiring to rally the Russian people in the face of Hitler’s armies, Stalin re-establishes the Russian Orthodox Church

1959–64 Khruschev oversees a great persecution of Christians, though not so murderous as Stalin’s

1961 Churches in the USSR join World Council of Churches

1974–75 For his writings against Soviet repression, Alexander Solzhenitsyn is exiled, writes The Gulag Archipelago, Vols. One and Two

1986 Gorbachev initiates policy of glasnost, or "openness," and Soviets' freedom of religions increases somewhat

1988 Millenial anniversary of Christianity in the USSR

Kievan Rulers

978–1015 Vladimir I rules Kievan Rus’
1019–54 Yaroslav “the Wise” rules Rus’
1113–1125 Vladimir Monomach rules in Rus’
1125–1140 Other members of Vladimir’s dynasty continue to rule a constantly sub-dividing Rus’
1325–1341 Ivan I rules in Moscow
1359–1389 Dmitri Donskoy rules in Moscow
1425–1462 Vasili II rules in Moscow
1462–1505 Ivan III “the Great” rules Russia
1547–1584 Ivan IV “the Terrible” rules Russia
1645–1676 Alexei rules Russia
1721–1725 Peter “the Great” is emperor of Russia
1762–96 Catherine II is empress of Russia
1801–25 Alexander I is tsar of Russia
1894–1917 Nicholas II rules Russia
1920–24 Lenin rules USSR
1924–53 Josef Stalin
,

"Wild Russia"

Right now I am watching a documentary on Animal Planet called "Wild Russia", about a region called Kamchatka (Камчатка?), land of fire/volcanoes and ice.

In the previews for it, they had the title "Wild Russia" switch from Russian to English, sort of like train station signs change letter-by-letter. In their opening theme, they've got the following phrases:

"6 DIFFEЯЕNT ЯEGIONS"

"11 TIME ZOИES"

"3 YEAЯS IN THE MAKING"

"WILD ЯUSSIA"

I was quite amused that they mixed in Cyrillic letters for the R's and one of the N's. Yes, those are really letters..."Я" is pronounced "ya," and standing alone, it means "I". "И" is pronounced "ee", like the Spanish "y" or "i", and by itself means "and."

A couple notes from the beginning of the first episode:

Russia* = largest country on earth, more than 2x size of US, 6 1/2 million square miles

each region is a world of its own

Kamchatka:

300 volcanoes

far east of asian continent

peninsula, size of California, but only 4,000 people

hidden behind Soviet iron curtain until only recently

Following this episode was one on the forested region of Primorye, also in the east but more to the south. There are amazing views of the land, whether forests, volcanoes, plains, valleys...and yes, the animals are interesting too.

"Chipmunks bury food all the time, but their memory span is only 3 days, so they forget where previous hoards are." Ha ha.

*Ukraine is NOT part of Russia. I am NOT going to Russia (unless there is a CIS field retreat in Moscow). I am on the other side of the continent from these regions.

first (2008) Ukraine story

I thought I would re-post the story of how I got to Ukraine in the first place, for YIM in the summer of 2008. Here it is, as I wrote it in November 2008. (The original can be found on my Facebook page, and probably on my other blog.)
After I returned from my YIM trip to Mexico/El Paso this summer, I wasn't sure if I would do YIM again. This summer was a time of growth and learning not to have expectations, because God would just shatter those ideas in order to stretch me.  I knew I would not have the same teammates or the same experience, even if I returned to the same site. I was hesitant to reapply. Yet I did say, "If God wants me to go again, I'll do it." That kind of thing.

Somewhere in September I decided that I needed to stay home this summer and take Adolescent Development, a course necessary for me to graduate. It's only offered at ENC every other year, and the next time I can take it would be after my graduation date. So I figured whichever college I found that offered it in the summer would determine where I would stay for the summer. So when Joel Tooley was here, I had pretty much decided that doing YIM again wasn't in my future (my brother graduates in summer 09), but that I might do Missions Corps at some point.

Fast forward to the end of October. During all this time, I was thinking that if God called me to missions for life, I'd be okay with that, but that would be something I'd put off till I graduated from college to consider.
[Edit in 2010--since when is God's call something I can put off till later?? What was I thinking???]

In my time with God, and reading devotional stuff, I came to realize that in my interactions with people (be they Bible quizzers or members of a youth group), that it wasn't about how well I felt I connected with them, or that they felt like they could come to me about things. It was about me being there, just having my presence be an encouragement (like this summer back in El Paso). More importantly, it is that I am following Christ, learning His Word, and being the person Christ can use to demonstrate His love for them, so that they can encounter His grace and love.

Bob Skinner, missionary to Ukraine, spoke in chapel one Friday (the next one?) about how God needs to know we want Him more than anything else in life. He also spoke at Wolly and South Weymouth, and I wasn't thinking much about Ukraine except for while he spoke. At one point in the weekend, I wondered if Ukraine was on the YIM site list, but didn't look then, and had no intentions of going on a YIM trip in 2008. I didn't look till Sunday night, and there it was, but all I thought was, "Okay, that's nice."

[If you recall, I had some inklings about doing YIM again, if you happened to read my blog titled "a sneaking suspicion..."]

Sunday evening, as I laid in bed and prayed, I really felt like God was telling me to go to Ukraine. "But God! I don't speak Ukrainian! I don't speak Russian! I speak Spanish, English, and a little French!" Not to mention, going away this summer would throw off "my" plans. Remember Evan Almighty? "YOUR plans?" as "God" lets out a belly laugh. As I laid there and thought about it and wrestled with it, I prayed, "Okay God, I'm going to sleep now. But if this is for serious, remind me tomorrow." You know, so it's not one of those things you think about before going to bed, and can't remember in the morning.

ALL THE NEXT DAY I KEPT THINKING ABOUT IT. Seriously. In the afternoon, I went to the library with my math homework, Bible, and journal. (Never got around to my homework. Ha.) I sat there and prayed and wrote in my journal.

I've been sporadically reading through Proverbs, and that day came across this verse: "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord" (21:30). Agh!, I thought. Then I was flipping through my Bible's index, looking for the terms "God's call." However, what caught my eye was "Procrastination", which I knew full well was what I was doing about my math homework. One of the entries said, "Do not hesitate in responding to God's call." "Agh!" I responded again.

I knew I'd have to give up a lot of things to do YIM this summer....my ideas of what my future held--being uncertain about when I'd take my needed courses, a full-time summer job to pay for car insurance and my cell phone bill, time with family, etc.

That day I knew my answer would eventually have to be yes, but at the very least, my thoughts became, "I think I'm doing YIM again; there's a possibility now."  I began to work on my application.

Two days later in chapel, a woman spoke about how God's plan might not make sense to us, but because God's hand is on it, it makes perfect sense. It is utterly illogical to me why God would have me go to Ukraine. (As I listened to this chapel message, I couldn't help but think, "AGH!")

As of last week, I still had yet to talk to my advisor and my mom, because those were going to be obstacles to get past. I wasn't sure how my meeting with my advisor would go--I figured he'd be supportive of the endeavor, but figuring out the academic side might be a little muddled. I figured my mom would react with, "You need to stay home and work! You have car insurance to pay!..."

I talked to Joel Tooley on Sunday evening, and something he asked stuck with me: "So when was it that you said 'Yes' to God?" I told him I felt like I wasn't at that point just then, because I knew I had a lot to give up.

For whatever reason, I realized that I had to say 'Yes' before I heard from my advisor and from my mom. It had to be independent of me knowing ANYTHING. You know, that whole faith thing. :)

I spent some more time in prayer, and finally, finally, said "Okay God, I'll go. I'll go even if I graduate later. Even if it means not much work this summer, or time with family and friends. I will go--because You have called me." I know it's going to be tough. I know I will need to trust God to sustain me in everything--raising the money, meeting my needs (even if those needs exclude car insurance and a cell phone), and otherwise preparing me.

My brother told me, "I think you should just stay home." Thanks, thanks a lot. You're a lot of help. When I told my mom, "I think I'm doing YIM again this summer," she calmly said, "Ok, well, we'll think about that later; there's a lot going on in the family right now." (she didn't flip out!!! she was supposed to flip out at me!!! haha oh well)

I went to my advisor's office and told him I was thinking of doing YIM again, and that that would throw off me taking Adolescent Development in the summer. Basically, the options are: taking it as an independent/directed study in fall 08 at ENC, taking it as a summer course elsewhere in 09, or going to Olivet for the fall 08 semester. However, the issue with doing the Olivet option is that the courses would need to match up correctly to what ENC has, and they would need to offer what I needed.

While I was there, I was pretty calm. It didn't really matter to me which option would be chosen. I wasn't nervous about how it would work out, just sat patiently and discussed/looked at the options. So now the prayer is that God would work that out somehow.

I do think I have peace about this. And perhaps joy? I'm just like, "Ok, God, I'm doing what you want, I am pretty sure of this!" If this is what God has for me, then He will be faithful and carry me all the way through.

Now (once I finish 2 questions on the application), it will be a waiting game till I hear from Kansas City (or should I say El Paso?) in December if I'm going or not.

And then, I went to Ukraine for the summer. During fall semester, my considerations for where I would be after graduation included Ukraine/KCA if there was an opening, El Paso, or just returning to MD. In December of 2008, I found out there was an opening for a math teacher, and...the rest is history.

"Ten Commandments of Math" and other reflections

Teaching in Ukraine requires preparation in so many different ways.

First, I'm going as a volunteer missionary through the Church of the Nazarene, so I have to prepare for the trip spiritually and logistically (raising support and packing up my stuff for a year). Who knows what I will be able to do with the COTN throughout the country--possibly working with some compassionate ministries projects? I wonder if I will be able to see some of the kids from last summer.

Next, I am going as a teacher, a first-year teacher at that. This requires me to brainstorm lesson activities, consider classroom management ideas that I can implement with my very own classes, and implement some of the many things I learned during my time at ENC. I think this is one of my biggest needs in preparation, especially for teaching 3 specific classes that I've never taught before (Geometry, Algebra II, 7th grade Bible). In each of my classes, I will have approximately 15 students, which is a nice size. :)

Thirdly, I am going as one who is able to build relationships with my students in and out of the classroom. This doesn't require active preparation on my part before I go, but a willingness to strike up conversations with my students, to listen to their stories, to attend their extra-curricular events to support them, and probably to hang out with them on weekends. I see this as being slightly different from how I would relate to students in the States, and I imagine my relationships with the students will be similar to those with my quizzers back at Wollaston. I'm looking forward to getting to know my students, all 45ish of them!

Tonight (or should I say this morning) I was looking at some teacher webpages, and found these sets of "Ten Commandments." One is based more on rules for the classroom, and the second has to do with mathematics. Enjoy!

1. Thou shalt not divide by zero.
2. Thou shalt not put other textbooks before thee in math class.
3. Thou shalt show thy work; check thy work and confirm that thy results are reasonable.
4. Remember thy test days and prepare for them wholly.
5. Thou shalt honor the correct order of operations.
6. Thou shalt not do thy math homework in ink!
7. Thou shalt commit the facts of arithmetic to memory.
8. Thou shalt do unto one side of an equation what thou doest to the other
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy original problems; thou shalt copy thy problems accurately and legibly.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's paper, not anything that is thy neighbor's.

And now, the "Mathematician's Version."

1. Thou shalt read thy problem...carefully.
2. Whatsoever thou doest to one side of thy equation, do ye also to the other.
3. Thou must use thy "common sense", else thou wilt have flagpoles 9,000 feet high. Yea, even fathers younger than sons.
4. Thou shalt ignore the teachings of false prophets to do all thy work in thy head.
5. When thou knowest not, thou shalt look it up; and if thy search still elude thee, thou shalt ask thy All-Knowing Teacher.
6. Thou shalt master each step before putting thy heavy foot down on the next.
7. Thy correct answer does not prove that thou hast worked thy problem correctly. This argument convincest none, least of all thy Teacher.
8. Thou shalt first see that thou hast copied thy problem correctly, before bearing false witness that the answer book lieth.
9. Thou shalt look back even unto thy youth and remember thy arithmetic.
10. Thou shalt learn, read, write, speak, and listen correctly in the language of mathematics, and verily A's and B's shall follow thee even unto graduation.

"Ukraine is game to you!?"

So, I saw this Seinfeld clip and it made me laugh -- I quoted it multiple times the other day.

Watch what you say about Ukraine -- Ukrainians are very proud of their country!

Enjoy. :)

Kramer and Newman are on a subway car, the Risk board sits on their laps.

Newman: Are you sure you know where the impound yard is?

Kramer: Oh, stop stalling. Come on.

Newman: I can't think, there's all this noise.

Kramer: Or is it because I've built a stronghold around Greenland? I've driven you out of Western Europe and I've left you teetering on the brink of complete annihilation.

Newman: I'm not beaten yet. I still have armies in the Ukraine.

This comment perks up the ears of a nearby passenger (who is Ukrainian).

Kramer: Ha ha, the Ukraine. Do you know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's time to put the hurt on the Ukraine.

Ukrainian: I come from Ukraine. You not say Ukraine weak.

Kramer: Yeah, well we're playing a game here, pal.

Ukrainian: Ukraine is game to you?! Howabout I take your little board and smash it!!

The Ukrainian pounds the game board, destroying it and sending army pieces flying.

US Independence Day update

Hi everyone,

Just over a month remains until I leave the States to head to Ukraine, and I wanted to give you all an update!

Last week was Nazarene General Assembly, and I was able to go over some more details with the missionaries that are currently in Ukraine, as well as to ask Dana packing questions. :)

I will be teaching Geometry, Algebra II, and 7th grade Bible. My housing location has not been set in stone yet (it will be one of two locations), but "the key to missions is flexibility," right? :P Either way, my rent will be no greater than $400/month.

Currently, God has provided (by way of local churches and individuals) about $3,000 to cover my expenses. However, in the next 5 1/2 weeks, I need $2,000-$3,000 more. KCA does not pay its teachers a salary, and I don't receive any other kind of monetary compensation. To contribute online via online check or credit card, visit http://web.nazarene.org/goto/ukrainejh.

Before I go, I will be speaking in just a few more churches, and that list can be found at ukrainejh.blogspot.com. If you are interested in scheduling me for a Sunday service or some other date, let me know!

My blog will also include updates from time to time while I am in Ukraine, and most likely a few more before I go. Feel free to keep checking it for updates!

Current prayer requests:
~Academic preparation, as this is my first teaching job and I also need to review geometry.
~Spiritual preparation, for ministry to my students and openness to learn from God.
~Personal preparation, in terms of getting ready to go
~Financial preparation, for raising the needed support

Supply needs
~another suitcase. My qualifications: large, durable, with wheels. If you have one you are willing to donate, please let me know!
~a good wireless router (this is a want, not a need, so it would be nice to have in my apartment)

Thanks so much for your support!

In Christ,

Jessica