Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

some dialogue between East and West could take place. After the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 led to the un- pleasant ouster of Hromadka and his associates, the CPC fell under the dominance of the Soviet authorities and Western churchmen broke with it.85 Russian Baptists continue to attend CPC assemblies, have been elected to the working committee and some of the commissions, but their influence has been negligible. Russian church involvement in the peace offensive, including Russian Baptist involvement, has continued to the present. In the process many Preaching.and Peace . 125 words have been said or written, innumerable delegates have been sent abroad to conferences, and unknown sums of money have been donated to the Soviet Peace Fund. This activity has achieved some positive results, In recent years governments from both “camps” have acknowledged the value of the role played by nongovernmental organizations (including churches) to the causes of human rights, peace, and development.% The many seminars have also influenced the thinking of the Russian delegates. Through them they were forced to learn about the extent of Soviet defense spending and to consider other evidence that Soviet foreign policy is not al- ways peaceful. They, like Western participants, are now much more so- phisticated in recognizing the complexity of achieving world peace with jus- tice. Soviet Baptists earnestly wish for peace and in this sense the leaders represent the concerns of the constituency. Yet the motivation for their in- volvement remains enigmatic. In a posthumous article, Alexander Karev, who as general secretary had been the chief activist in the AUCECB peace offensive, identified a nine-point peace program they were pursuing. The program was as follows: 1. All AUCECB churches pray for peace. 2. To preach sermons from time to time to teach believers the im- portance of peace on earth both for the blessing of the kingdom of God and for the happiness of mankind. __, 3: To devote a special section to peace in Bratskii Vestnik entitled Christian Voice in Defense of Peace.” 4. AUCECB representatives participate in conferences dedicated to peace both in the USSR and abroad. 5. To participate through its representatives in the work of the Soviet committee to defend peace. 6. The AUCECB conducts extensive correspondence with many churches in the world, appealing to them for active participation in building peace and friendship between nations. 7. In personal encounters with Christian workers from various coun- tries to strive to touch upon the peace questions, as well as other questions. 8. AUCECB representatives sometimes give addresses on radio on peace questions, mo Welcoming the peace program adopted by the 12th Baptist World Alliance congress in Tokyo, 1970, the AUCEGB will participate zealously in carrying it out.87 This is a broad-scale program involving considerable effort a