Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

not all con- gregations were on their list and that they were still discovering groups of believers about whom they had had no information so far. Karev then turned to a discussion of the spiritual condition of the | 912 Soviet Evangelicals Since World War HT] churches. The major spiritual illness in the churches was discord among believers. Karev identified seven causes for discord. There was disorder in the churches because believers were dissatisfied. Some argued over sec- ondary questions. Others showed insufficient respect for each other and for the work. Too many demonstrated a love of power. There was conflict be- cause some wanted to baptize new believers immediately the way Philip baptized the eunuch, while others argued for a probation period. Some churches also practiced re-baptism. Additional problem questions were ex- communication procedures, with some churches much too hasty in excom- municating. Still another unsolved problem concerned the marriage and di- vorce of persons who had subsequently become believers. The two major changes that Karev emphasized in his report dealt directly with his concern for the spiritual condition of the church. The congress debated the brief confession of faith written by I. V. Kargel in 1918, although Karev stressed that this would be provisional until a more detailed confession of faith could be worked out. The second major proposal involved new changes in the AUCECB statute. Karev emphasized that these changes focused primarily on trying to lighten the work of the senior presbyter, to make it more productive and more democratic. AUCECE foreign relations continued to be a vital activity but at this congress Karev emphasized the goals of this foreign activity rather than try- ing to show that the AUCECB was widely respected. Karev claimed that the great majority of Christian churches abroad had departed from the ideals and structure of early Christianity and declared that “our Evangel- ical-Baptist church represents the only example of this apostolic Christianity in the entire world.’ That meant, therefore, that the AUCECB representatives “must be fulfilments of the ideals of this apostolic Chris- tianity, and their mission must be to witness about the Christianity of apos- tolic days which has been forgotten in the West.”37 In defense of their in- volvement with the ecumenical movement, Karev emphasized that the task of the Christian was to be light and salt in the world, including among other Christians, Initsiationiki Concerns Thoroughly Discussed Many, of course, came to hear what Karev would say about the Init- siationiki. Karev once again sought to balance his remarks with comments about unity with Pentecostals and with Mennonites. He spoke in particu- larly friendly fashion about the Pentecostals, whose spiritual ancestors in the second century of Christianity had “saved Christianity from spiritual death iS Pag cl