Journal of European Baptist Studies, 2017

97, but the Board under the leadership of a succession of chairs, took the development as a positive and important thing for the European Baptist community and embraced the opportunity with open arms. Leadership of the Board over this period rested with four people in succession who had every confidence in the Directorate of IBTS and encouraged them to proceed to develop the programme, recognising that extra work ensued for those involved. This attitude of support proved vital in the wider domain of the EBF, as though the doctoral programme fulfilled the aspirations of Sadler and Nordenhaug, it was, perhaps, beyond the remit envisaged by the EBF Council in 1997. Each year the Chair of the Board would report on the success of the doctoral programme to the EBF Council and ensure the backing of the Council for the ongoing support and recruitment of students. To these individuals who chaired the Board of Trustees during this momentous period thanks are also due: The Revd Johnny Jonsson (Sweden) The Revd Dr Emanuel Wieser (Austria) 22 Journal of European Baptist Studies 17:1 (2017) The Revd Dr Ruth M. B. Gouldboume (United Kingdom) The Revd Dr John D. Weaver (United Kingdom) Conclusion Whether the University lawyers made a mistake, or whether it was the confidence in IBTS demonstrated by Professor D. P. Davies may never be known. An answer may lie deep in the archives of the Registry of the University of Wales. Yet, the opportunity was taken and an astonishingly productive period ensued, with thirty people now serving the church in its life and mission throughout the world. IBTSC continues with a Master’s programme validated by the University of Manchester which is accepted by the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, as an entry to the doctoral programme of that University. Supervisory teams made up of Professors from the University and designated staff of IBTSC continue to offer the opportunity to baptistic scholars and others to gain a qualification which opens up a world of possibilities to serve the people of God in their mission. Acknowledgement I am grateful to my friends and colleagues, the Revd Dr Lina Toth, the Revd Dr Parush R. Parushev, and the Revd Dr Ian M. Randall for their help in the writing of this article. Any errors within the article are mine, but it could not have been written without their support, corrections, and reflections. The Revd Dr Keith G. Jones served as Rector at IBTS from 1998-2013. Prokhorov, Eastern Christian Self-Identification 23 Eastern Christian Self-Identification of Soviet Baptists in the 1960s-1980s Constantine Prokhorov Introduction In the postwar years, the USSR strictly adhered to a policy of isolationism, protecting from Western countries by the ‘Iron Curtain’. In addition to the numerous political, economic, historical, cultural, and other consequences, this situation contributed to the formation of so-called ‘late’ Soviet Baptists