Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

r a transla- tion see Appendix. 40. Kahle, p. 171. 41. BV, 1/45, p. 34. 42, Ibid. The problematic excommunication question was ignored as pre- sumably no longer relevant. Also the conflict between Moscow or Leningrad, as headquarters had been settled by a forced move to Moscow in 1931. 43. Hans Hebly, Protestants in Russia (Belfast: Christian Journals Ltd., 1976) described the union as a federation of congregations but his thinking is colored by the nature of the later union with the Mennonites (pp. 105 and 124); cf. Kahle. Fragen der Einheit im Bunde der Evangeliumschristen-Baptisten in der Sowjetunion,” Kyrios (1968, No. 3/4), p. 164. 44. The other three council members were: N. A. Levindanto, F. G. Patkovskii, and A. L. Andreev. Durasoff (p. 106) speculates that the backroom re- placement of Orlov with Zhidkov as chairman indicates that the latter was “ possibly the Soviet government's choice.” Although possible, considering Orlov’s demotion in 1954, more likely, ara: the general record of both men, is the fact that since 1931 Zhidkov had been the elected president of the Evangelical Christian Union and already earlier was Prokhanov’s designated successor. During Zhidkov’s imprisonment Orlov had assumed whatever presidential functions were still possible but not the title. Orlov in 1944 was elected president or chairman of the congress sessions, which is technically distinct from chairmanship of the council. In essence the council od for chan but had expressed its appreciation for Orlov’s lifesaver role during the interim by electing him president of the congress and hav- ing him deliver the report on the past decade as the most knowledgeable person present. : 45. Supra, Chap. 1, p. 42. This confirmation of Andreev’s role in th i anes parallel to that of the Orthodox Metropolitan Nikolai (cf, Fletcher, aaine p. 46. BV, 3/47, pp. 20-22 and obit. 1/49, p. 56. 47, BV, 1/46, p. 39. ee 48. Ibid., p. 5. 49. At 1/47, pp. nee Fifteen persons worked in the Moscow office and 70 senior workers served as plenipotentiaries or senior presbyters of regions, republi - pest. They had received 12,000 letters in 1946 and dispatched 8,000 Paster etters. 50. Waldemar Gutsche, Westliche Quellen des Russischen Stundi (Kassel: Oncken Verlag, 1956), p. 120. In Novosibirsk, f ii had vuisedaloal Sea bi Mone vosibirsk, for example, Patkovskii had ot ’ oe Rushbrooke, 1945” file, BWA Archives, Washington, D.C. ; 1 102 : Soviet Evangelicals Since World War Il an ibid A year later on July 26, 1946, Lewis wrote to us beookes Lae lenty of evidence that there has been no real change of policy of the ee as to [i ligious liberty. There has been a little relaxation in some things, but t ae . z i much persecution of religion in many parts of Russia with the fu pantie hs : e . viet Government. When I refer to such matters I usually hold re abou nine tenths of what I know, simply