“We did our best, but it turned out as it always does”.
Kind of a dark statement, no? It is a popular Russian phrase that kind of encapsulates the spirit of Russian history. People who try hard to make a change, but that change is not exactly great. In this episode of the Truce Podcast, we spoke with Jennifer Eremeeva, author of the excellent book, “Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia” about the history of the Russian Christian church.
Christianity came to Russia by sword point. It started out as a pagan culture, heavily influenced by the Vikings. When Vladimir, ruler of ancient Moscow, wanted some of the treasures of the Byzantine empire, he had a couple of options. He could invade and capture them, or he could make a trade deal. He tried both, but it didn’t quite work out. As part of the peace deal, the Byzantine empire offered him a bride and trade if he converted to Christianity. So he did. Then Vladimir forced his kingdom to convert to Christianity or face death.
This means that Russian held on to their pagan ancestry and co-mingled it with their new Christian faith.
But that’s not the end of the journey! Their shared faith became a bonding opportunity when the Mongols invaded. The church was their hub, the thing that connected them to all of the disconnected parts of Russia.
After the Mongols left, things settled down for a bit. Until the Orthodox church showed up. You see, when the Byzantine empire fell to Muslim forces, the Orthodox church needed a new home. So Ivan brought them to Moscow. Now Moscow is home to one of the largest branches of Christianity in the world – the Russian Orthodox church.
From sword point to housing one of the largest branches of the faith, Russia has a varied history with Christianity. Listen to this episode to get the full story.
Sources and links:
Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia – book by Jennifer Eremeeva
Stephen Mansfield interview featured in this episode
Five Minute Bible Hour video about the Orthodox Church
Topic Discussed:
How did the Russian Orthodox church begin?
Who was Prince Vladimir?
When did the Mongols enter Russia?
Who was Ivan the Great?
Why is the Russian church associated with paganism?
What is a good primer on Russian history?
The fall of the Byzantine Empire
How did Moscow become the capital of Russia?
Why do we like dark jokes?
Church history
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Christmas and New Years can be a stressful time for us. But what if you had to celebrate two Christmas’ and two Years’? Our special guest Jennifer Eremeeva (author of Have Personality Disorder Will Rule Russia) is an American married to a Russian. Each year they have the potential of four holidays in less than a month. But why?
The confusion has to do with a discrepancy in calendars. It turns out that the old Julian calendar, which is used by the Russian Orthodox Church, is several days different than the Gregorian calendar that we use. This has to do with an old disagreement between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
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Boiled veggies. Beets really do stain eveything else!
Follow my journey as I make Herring Under Fur Coat!
Herring Under Fur Coat Recipe:
This recipe is pretty simple, but it may take a few hours to make so do this one in advance.
Ingredients:
1 jar of mayonnaise (squeeze-able is easiest)
3 medium size beats (peeled)
4-5 carrots (peeled)
1 large potato (peeled)
1 jar of pickled herring
1 bag of grated cheddar cheese
1 bunch of fresh green onions
1 jar of pickles
Cooking Instructions:
Peel the beats, carrots, and potato then put them on boil for an hour. Yes, it will look like blood and the beats will dye the other veggies.
While the vegetables are boiling, open the pickled herring (if in a jar). Remove any bones. Dice. Keep refrigerated until it is used.
After the vegetables are boiled, grate each of them separately with the small holes.
On a pie plate make a mound with the potato. Spread it out to the edges of your plate.
Cover the potato with the following layers: mayo, pickled herring, green onions, mayo, carrots, mayo, pickles, beats, mayo, grated cheese.
Place the whole thing in the refrigerator and let it sit for 2-3 hours before consuming. Overnight is okay too. The whole thing will turn a light pink color.
Serve it like any other dip with veggies, crackers, or tortilla chips.
