The Russians' Secret: What Christians Today Would Survive Persecution?

By Serguei V Petrov, Peter Hoover, Serguei V. Petrov

Martyrdom in early Christian times, already appealed to believers intent on doing great things for Christ. The early Christians venerated martyrs, the dates of whose executions grew into a calendar of saints, and wearing a martyrs' halo is still extremely popular. But martyr's halos do not come in the mail. A great amount of persecution faced by Christians today results not from what they believe, but from what they own, and from where they come. Missionaries in poor countries lose their possessions, and sometimes their lives, because people associate them with foreign wealth. Other "martyrs" lose their lives in political conflict. But does having our vehicles and cameras stolen, our children kidnapped, or being killed for political "correctness," assure that we have "witnessed for Jesus" (martyr means witness, Rev. 6:9, 12:17, and 19:10)? Real martyrs for Christ do not wear halos. They only carry crosses. Most people, even Christians, quickly discredit and forget these martyrs. Real martyrs suffer persecution, not like "great heroes of the faith" but like eccentrics and fools. Ordinary people usually consider them fanatics. Does that disappoint or alarm you? Do not worry. Reading this book about Russia's "underground" believers will assure you that if you are a typical Western Christian you will never face persecution. You will never have to be a real martyr for Christ. Only if you are not typical-if you choose to be a "weed that floats upstream"-you may want to know the secret by which Russian Christianity survived through a thousand years of suffering. "True to the spirit of Russia's believers, this work gives a colorful and detailed description of faith 'underground.' But what makes it unique is the author's penetration of the soul of Russian belief - in so many ways dissimilar to Western belief in God." -Leonid Maslennikov, Russian professor, James Madison University "Westerners have become increasingly aware of the Russian people's deep roots in Eastern Orthodoxy. The Russians' Secret introduces us to 'another' side of Russian Christianity not as well known in the West, the 'little traditions' of sectarian mystical, and evangelical faith that have always existed alongside the official Orthodox church. This book, written for the general reader, offers a sweeping and detailed view of those radical Christian movements without stooping to superficiality." - William Rushby, member, Rockingham Meeting of Conservative Friends and independent scholar.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1502567601
• ISBN13: 9781502567604
• Release Date: October 2014
• Publisher: Createspace
• Length: 234 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"