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

no list of sacraments that is universally recognised by various Orthodox Churches, the generally accepted list includes Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the sick. (e.g. “Tainstva, Bogosluzheniie, Ustroistvo Khrama” [Sacraments, Liturgy, Temple Settings] accessed on 01.06.2015 from https://mospat.ru/archive/page/vera-i-zhizn/bogoslujenie.html). 3° Nastol’naia Kniga Sviashchennika [Priest’s Handbook], Vol. 5, (Moscow, Izdatelstvo Moskovskoi Patriarkhii, 1986), p 9. “° Nastol’naia Kniga Sviashchennika, Vol. 5, p 7-8. 41 teaching people Christian faith and persuading them to change their lives can be done through rhetorical devices and convincing argumentation.” In 1846 professor |. K. Amphiteatrov from Kiev Theological Seminary published an extensive work on homiletics. In his book he rejected the idea that preaching was a form of rhetoric. Rather, the main task of homiletics was to define the conditions that would allow the appearance of the true sermon, thus shifting the focus from the sermon to the ‘soul of the preacher.’ In this approach, preaching is understood as embodiment of God’s energy, which is given to the preacher/priest, who then transmits it to the listeners. Thus, preaching is, first of all, the work of God, the result of God’s grace. The gift of preaching is given through priesthood.” Such an approach rejects rhetoric, since God’s Word does not need human constructs to be made more convincing.” ‘Spiritual word... can convince the obedient ones without aid of rhetoric or grammar...’ “° This approach, also known as anti-rhetorical or charismatic was prevalent in the Orthodox Church in the second half of the 19" and the beginning of the 20" century. Although there were several attempts to combine the two approaches, the task is still viewed as incomplete and requiring further work.*° Nastol’naia Kniga Sviashchennika [The Priest’s Handbook] offers the following interpretation of charismatic preaching, Apostolic preaching was not just continuation of preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was the very word of the Saviour proclaimed through the disciples. The centre of the apostles’ preaching was the testimony of the “* Olga A. Prokhvatilova, Pravoslavnaia Propoved i Molitva Kak Fenomen Sovremennoi Zvuchaschei Rechi [Orthodox Preaching and Prayer as a Phenomenon of Contemporary Speech] (Volgograd, Volgogradskii Gosudarstvennii Universitet, 1999), p 127. “ Nastol’naia Kniga Sviashchennika, Vol. 5, p 8. “3 Ibid., p 9. Cf. Prokhvatilova, Pravoslavnaia Propoved, p 127. “ Prokhvatilova, Pravoslavnaia Propoved, p 127. “© Efrem Sirin, Tvoreniia Izhe Vo Sviatikh Ottsa Nashego Efima Sirina [Creations of Our Holy Father Efim Sirin] (Moscow, 1881) Vol. 2, p 120, quoted after Prokhvatilova, Pravoslavnaia Propoved, p 127. “© Nastol’naia Kniga Sviashchennika, Vol. 5, p 9. 42 Truth, embodied in the Crucified Christ (1 C