Towards Understanding of the Practice of Proclamation: The Core Element of Russian Baptist Worship, Timofey Cheprasov, 2015

of the role of preaching in forming, preserving and passing on the ecclesial identity of Russian Baptist communities can only be found, when preaching is placed within the cultural, historical, and theological contexts of baptistic communities in Russia. This research has revealed that, although preaching is generally perceived as a tool for inspirational or educational use in local churches, it has a far more complex nature in shaping various areas of church life and practice. My hope is that this work will contribute to further development of how preaching is taught and practiced in Russia’s educational institutions and, subsequently, in local Baptist communities. Conclusion Let me draw a conclusion now. Although the purpose of this dissertation was not meant to be a development of a new homiletical method, the concluding chapter presented some practical comments and suggestions, related to the future development of this practice in Russian Baptist churches. The argument of Chapter 8 was that preaching, being a powerful practice, requires a community of interpreters, as well as a cluster of practices of reading the Bible within the community, in order to nullify its destructive potential. Therefore, | have suggested that it might be possible to draw some positive lessons from the formative period of the Russian baptistic movement, when preaching was seen as a communal practice, requiring its participants to actively participate in the process of biblical interpretation. Such communal involvement in the discovery of biblical narrative, and its application to the lives of individual Christians and the whole congregations, resulted in a formation of clearly defined ecclesial identity, despite the resistance of various oppressive forces that were present in the culture. Thus, in light of today’s crisis of identity that can be “7 McClendon, Ethics, pp 35-36. 237 observed in local churches, such reference to the practice, still present (the phenomenon of multiple preaching) and, moreover, occupying the central part of the church life, may lead to a rediscovery of the communal nature of biblical interpretation, thus restoring the lost critical edge for people’s perception of the sermons, and the subsequent growth of quality preaching (both in its style and content). Whilst hoping that the current study might be of immediate assistance for local churches, its focus, first of all, must be seen in the theological educational institutions. However, when addressing the nature and place of contemporary theological education in Russia, it is impossible not to address the existing tensions in the relationship between the Church and the University. The leadership of the Baptist Union in the post-Soviet era made numerous attempts to develop preaching (and other ministries) in churches by offering educational opportunities and supporting the appearance of countless educational institutions all around