A comparison of the evangelical movement in Russia in the 1920s and the 1990s

This thesis is devoted to a comparative study of the evangelical movement in the
territory of the former Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1990s. The possibility to compare
the two periods is due to their common historical trends of liberalization in government
policy in relation to religious organizations, as well as the nature of the evangelical
movement at this time. The thesis is to identify and analyse three key trends in the
development of the evangelical movement inherent in both periods, such as the desire of
the cultural establishment in the East Slavic society under the domination of other
religious or ideological systems; the dynamic development of relations with the state;
and the development of church structure and solving of church matters. In the study, the
author argues that the gospel spiritual awakening in the 1920s and 1990s is directly
related to the temporary decline in the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church, which
treated religious minorities as competitors as well as the weakness of the state ideology.
However, even after an active spiritual awakening the evangelical movement remained
a minority and covered no more than two percent of the population. The author explores
the relationship between evangelical churches and the state, which in both historical
periods was undergoing transition and crisis. A significant difference which was found
in the relationship for the two study periods is shown. The research investigates the
particular church development and explains the reasons for the differences and
similarities in the nature of church life and ministry of the evangelical movement in the
1920s and 1990s.