{"product_id":"the-battle-for-the-russian-orthodox-church","title":"THE BATTLE FOR THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis  book  is  a  collection  of  articles  written  during  the  last  twenty-five-odd years  on  the  crisis  enveloping  the  Russian  Orthodox  Church.  As  the  Soviet Union  began  to  collapse  in  1989-1990,  its  faithful  ecclesiastical  slave,  the Sovietised  Moscow  Patriarchate  (MP),  also  began  to  break  up.  The  Catacomb or  True  Orthodox  Church,  which  had  always refused to recognise  Soviet  power or  its  ÒSoviet  churchÓ,  emerged from the underground, and the Russian Church Abroad  (ROCOR)  created  parishes  on  Russian  soil  into  which  both ÒcatacombniksÓ  and  former  members  of  the  patriarchate  entered.  It  was  a  time of  great  hope  for  the  resurrection  of  Russian  Orthodoxy.  Tragically,  those  hopes have  not  been  fulfilled.  From  the  mid-1990s,  and  especially  since  KGB  colonel PutinÕs  arrival  at  the  height  of  power  in  2000,  the  MP  has  recovered  its  position in  society  while  its  opponents  have  warred  amongst  themselves  and fragmented.  Most  recently,  the  Russian  Church  Abroad  led  by  Metropolitan Laurus  has  joined  the  MP,  thereby  betraying  the  Orthodox  Faith  and  the ecclesiastical  course  of  the  Russian  Church  Abroad  throughout  its  history. These  essays  reflect  that  process  by  one  who  participated  in  it  both  inside  and outside Russia. Since  writing  these  essays,  I  have  changed  my  attitude  towards  some  of  the church  figures  mentioned  in  them.  However,  I  have  decided  to  make  only minor  editorial  changes  to  the  texts,  insofar  as  I  believe  the  arguments  set  out in them  remain valid. Although  the  picture  here  drawn  may  be  depressing,  the  purpose  of  this book  is  constructive.  It  is  hoped  and  believed  that  by  studying  recent  history, we,  the  True  Orthodox  Christians  of  Russia  may  repent  of  our  sins  and  learn from  our  mistakes  and  unite  again  on  a  firm  basis  of  faith  and  love.  Then, through  the  prayers  of  the  Holy  New  Martyrs  and  Confessors,  Holy  Russia  will rise  again  from  the  ashes  of  the  present  neo-Soviet  catastrophe,  to  the  glory  of Christ  and  the salvation of very  many  throughout  the world!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksWholesale","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44276135755937,"sku":"uft3358","price":70.35,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0462\/1120\/3233\/files\/q7dzzd-front-shortedge-384.jpg?v=1714097371","url":"https:\/\/bookswholesale.myshopify.com\/products\/the-battle-for-the-russian-orthodox-church","provider":"BooksWholesale","version":"1.0","type":"link"}