Book Review
Walter W. Sawatsky and Peter F. Penner, eds. Mission in the Former Soviet Union.
Schwarzenfeld, Germany: Neufeld Verlag, 2005. Reviewed by Matt Miller.
Mission in the Former Soviet Union is a collection of articles adapted from presentations made at a February 2003 conference hosted by the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague. A number of mission specialists and historians gathered to discuss a variety of topics, especially issues related to the previous fifteen years of interaction between Western missionaries and local churches in the regions previously known as the USSR. Six chapters written by the editors form the core of the book. Walter Sawatsky is a leading scholar on the history of Christianity in Russia and currently serves as professor of church history and mission at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana, USA. Peter Penner has served for many years in the area of theological education and now is on the faculty of the International Baptist Theological Seminary. Sawatsky addresses the history of mission, evangelism, and inter-church relations, while Penner looks at these topics from theological and practical viewpoints. The remaining four chapters discuss Russian evangelists of the past (Marina Sergeyevna Karetnikova), German churches in Central Asia (Johannes Dyck), current restrictions on missionary visas (Mark R. Elliott), and camping ministries (Viktor Artemov).
The contributors have all personally participated in various aspects of mission in this area, so their approaches are not detached. However, the general tone of the book is far from self-congratulatory. One theme that runs through the book is voiced by Penner: “The North American pragmatism (‘whatever works’) of the last decade or more in the former Soviet Union is not consistent with the missionary God of Scripture” (13). The book provides a general survey of developments and trends and summarizes findings of other recent studies. It is more of a survey than a collection of new research; the volume’s footnotes point readers to a number of useful recent studies on mission in the former Soviet Union (FSU), including works by Russian sociologists.
The chapters touch on many of the most controversial aspects of mission in the Slavic world. Penner and Sawatsky both repeat criticisms of the CoMission project found in other publications, especially of the participants’ perceived lack of understanding of Russian culture, language, and history. Penner addresses the complex issues of partnership and financial dependency. He also discusses a variety of issues related to the explosive growth in theological education in the FSU. Sawatsky’s chapter on “Inter-Church Mission Dialogue” describes several facets of the relationship between Protestants and Orthodox in Russia. He closely examines the attitudes of the Moscow hierarchy on freedom of religion. The chapter also traces recent developments in the conflict between Rome and Moscow.
A number of fascinating stories appear in the text. For example, Sawatsky points out that the Orthodox Institute of Missiological Research in St. Petersburg translated and published Eastern Orthodox Mission Theology Today, by evangelical scholar James Stamoolis, as a textbook. Later he summarizes recent research on the origin of the recurring conviction in Russia that non-Orthodox “sectarian” believers are psychologically ill. This is followed by a useful review of the history of the term “sect.”
This reviewer was pleased to see the appearance of a volume which addresses so many significant questions. However, if a sequel appears, it would be strengthened by the inclusion of more specific evidence (both positive and negative) in discussions of controversial issues with fewer overly broad generalizations. Also welcome would be more studies which compare evangelical mission in the FSU to other parts of the world—many similarities exist, of course. Sawatsky points out a few parallels between the spread of the gospel in the Russian empire and on the continent of Africa during the same period. He also notes the vital roles played by ordinary, unnamed people during the first centuries of Christianity and its first decades in Ukraine and Russia. It would be useful to compare the development of short-term ministry projects in this area with those in other parts of the world, especially since 1990 marked both the rapid advance of work in the FSU and a surge in short-term projects around the world. These studies must include the wider context of the recent increase in the number of Western young people traveling, studying, and serving abroad. F
Matt Miller, a Ph.D. candidate in Russian history at the University of Minesota, works in Moscow with the Evangelical Free Church.