Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

luding Bishop Hermogen.# Arresting 21 of the key Initsiativniki leaders also failed to muzzle Baptist dissent. In 1969 and 1970, the Council of Prisoners’ Relatives met to hold All-Union congresses and continued to provide detailed lists of prisoners and their dependents. Beginning in 1970, the Samizdat expanded with the CPR launching a Bulletin that has been appearing at least four or The Khrushchev Campaign Against Religion 149 five times a year. Probably most aggravating to the authorities was an open letter to Prime Minister Kosygin on June 5, 1971 informing him of he existence of the Khristianin Publishing House. The CCECB explained that in 1966 they had requested permission for Bibles and other literature. When this was refused them, they had decided to produce it themselves, o Search for No Phase VII: Stalemate, 1970-75 ; si During the first half of the seventies, Baptist and Orthodox church life began to return to what might be described as normal for the Soviet Union Regular and registered church services could be held with the state keepin careful watch through its commissions, which had been established in 1966, If a local congregation began to grow, there might be harassment of believ- ers at their jobs, or atheist workers would attempt to do “personal work” with them. If the local choir presented its Christmas concert in a neighbor- ing church, the local presbyter could anticipate a fifty-ruble fine. Some- times hooligans were sent to interfere with meetings. Very little of this milder. form of persecution has ever been acknowledged officially by the AUCECB but it should be kept in mind so that the treatment of dissidents can be seen in perspective. When the CPR issued a summary statement at the end of 1970, they concluded with an appeal for prayer support from all believers and cited the well-known Russian evangelical V.F, Martsynkovski of the twenties, who had once stated: “We are writing to you from a burn- ing house, in which you also are living, only one storey higher.” AUCECB church members in private readily acknowledged this truth. At the beginning of this phase, there had been some optimism that the CCECB might finally be granted a measure of tolerance. Already in the spring of 1969 official reconciliation talks had taken place with the AUCECB leadership. After Vins and Kriuchkov were released additional talks were held in Moscow in the autumn. But by now the AUCECB had regained much of its prestige, had repented adequately in the eyes of many whereas the CCECB demanded abject repentance and refused to treat the leaders as Christian brothers.6’ Then in December 1969 local authorities granted the CCECB permission to hold an All-Union congress in the city of Tula, and it seemed as if it would be possible for two rival unions to main- tain a legal existence. The leaders were optimistic enough to send a letter to Prime Minister Kosygin asking him to instruct the rel