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**Marat** · 12-29-2008, 07:26 AM

There was the final programme this evening on Russian television in a series aimed at finding the Greatest Russian. A panel of experts gave opinions and the public voted. The winner was St Alexander Nevsky. However, Stalin came third. The presenter did say that it was indicative that Russians had voted for a saint because Russia is unthinkable without saints and Orthodoxy. God, he said, loves Holy Russia, the only country that is called 'holy'; but Russia must in turn love God.

This journalist sounds a little nationalistic and not so objective ... God does love Russia but He also loves other Orthodox countries and also calls them 'holy' ... countries like Greece, the Balkan countries and not to forget even Jerusalem are 'holy' ...

We mustn't forget that Russia (not the people but political Russia) was NOT always thought of as primarily Orthodox nor would Saint pop-into ones mind when speaking about it ... this is a change in attitude achieved successfully through a very good marketing campaign by the Russian Church and the change in political circumstances since World War II ... and good for Russia I say but we must not forget that it wasnt always the perceived case!

There was a time and not so long ago that you could open any Russian Encyclopedia and under "Christ" you would find Him listed as mythology ...

It is interesting to see since the death of the Tsar and Communism how much Russia wants to embrace and change its image with regards to Christianity ... it wants to be the leading authority/image of Orthodoxy and so does America ...

I wonder how this shift is going to shape Orthodoxy in the next 10-20 years and if any of these social changes are eschatological in their nature (ie. Could we clearly find them prophecied in the Scripture) ...

We are living in interesting times .. and Russia certainly is going to play a big role in Orthodoxy! Amen to that.

12-29-2008, 07:26 AM	#3
Marat Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 440 Senior Member	There was the final programme this evening on Russian television in a series aimed at finding the Greatest Russian. A panel of experts gave opinions and the public voted. The winner was St Alexander Nevsky. However, Stalin came third. The presenter did say that it was indicative that Russians had voted for a saint because Russia is unthinkable without saints and Orthodoxy. God, he said, loves Holy Russia, the only country that is called 'holy'; but Russia must in turn love God. This journalist sounds a little nationalistic and not so objective ... God does love Russia but He also loves other Orthodox countries and also calls them 'holy' ... countries like Greece, the Balkan countries and not to forget even Jerusalem are 'holy' ... We mustn't forget that Russia (not the people but political Russia) was NOT always thought of as primarily Orthodox nor would Saint pop-into ones mind when speaking about it ... this is a change in attitude achieved successfully through a very good marketing campaign by the Russian Church and the change in political circumstances since World War II ... and good for Russia I say but we must not forget that it wasnt always the perceived case! There was a time and not so long ago that you could open any Russian Encyclopedia and under "Christ" you would find Him listed as mythology ... It is interesting to see since the death of the Tsar and Communism how much Russia wants to embrace and change its image with regards to Christianity ... it wants to be the leading authority/image of Orthodoxy and so does America ... I wonder how this shift is going to shape Orthodoxy in the next 10-20 years and if any of these social changes are eschatological in their nature (ie. Could we clearly find them prophecied in the Scripture) ... We are living in interesting times .. and Russia certainly is going to play a big role in Orthodoxy! Amen to that.
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