Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

nd much money. In international religious circles they have gained in respect and 126 Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II even though they, like the Orthodox, have never raised a prophetic voice of criticism against the policies of their own government, their arguments for peace are acknowledged to have merit. Although the public image is that of zealous peace activists, the AUCECB leadership has been criticized by its constituency for its heavy peace emphasis. At the 1969 congress, for example, this emerged through complaints about the pages of Bratskii Vestnik being wasted on uninterest- ing communiqués about peace.* Church leaders have acknowledged in private conversation that they attended a peace conference because they were ordered to and have often expressed concern about how to explain their presence to the church members back home who want to trust them but wonder. Other evangelicals not in the AUCECB are not involved in the peace movement. They have always regarded the peace movement as an aspect of Soviet foreign policy and feel that the AUCECB has compromised. itself by consorting with all manner of religious and state officials at such conferences. Actually the role of the Russian Baptists in the peace movement has been minimal. It might best be described as passively allowing the Or- thodox Church to take the lead, merely demonstrating support with its presence. Russian Baptists have had some success by urging Baptists and other evangelicals abroad to increase their peace emphasis and to secure their attendance at international peace gatherings.®° In the latest Soviet propaganda assault, Russian Baptists wrote letters to their Baptist brother, President Carter of the United States, urging him in forceful language not to order production of the neutron bomb.°*° But involvement in the peace movement also has its dangers. Russian Baptist contacts with the historic peace churches have increased, forcing a new confrontation with the unwelcome subject of pacifism. Many peace conferences have also exposed them to a theology of social action that they dare not act upon. , It is unfortunate that the history of Russian evangelicals’ witness for peace has been so contradictory. Peace is a major world concern and must be taken seriously. Yet peace without pacifism appears to be a contradic- tion, at least according to Anabaptist theology to which the Russian Baptists were heavily indebted. Peace without self-criticism of one’s own society and government can scarcely be considered genuine. True peace requires ac- ijon, especially moral action, and a multiplicity of conferences is a poor sub- stitute. Considerations of expediency still’ play a major role in the Soviet evangelical peace offensive. Will the foreign churchmen with whom they _ Preaching and Peace ; 127 share these concerns have the courage to maintain a stance of moral in- tegrity? Notes to