MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE?

     The collapse of the communist system and the fall of the Soviet Union have put an end to the rule of state atheism. Alongside the nationalistic revival of many peoples of the former USSR, the Church stepped onto the path of renovation. But this process is coming through some complications in Russia. It is somehow connected with the deliverance of the entire nation from a social sort of a very heavy ailment. In the current situation it so happens that religion . has become a fashion, on the other hand, in the absence of objective comprehension of Christianity people have just taken to viewing the Church as a mystical, ethereal power that obviously caused many different sectarians to appear on the scene. On many points, it was somehow predetermined by unwillingness of the Christian pastors and clergy on the whole to wage a large scale missionary campaign, to restore genuine forms of Christian community and to be- come the mortal leader in the post Soviet territory.

     Under these circumstances Assyrian community of the former USSR met a much bigger challenge. As they were largely separated from their own Church and due to the atheistic propaganda during 80 years their minds were in a turmoil. Only quite a few Assyrians really know something of the Assyrian Church of the East or equally of the Chaldean Church of the East as well. For many of them belief and faith are just limited to some specific rituals and holidays to observe, namely baptizing, wedding, mourning and more Christian traditional dates. All the things are just reduced to a mere sitting at the festive dinner table which was equally typical of the Soviet period as well. No word is to be said here of some; spiritual gain or something.

      Restoration of the spiritual activity amidst Assyrians above requires all some preliminary missionary work, or elementary education in the vein of Christian morals as it comes out in Ten Commandments and Sinai famous handouts. In the absence of  national public institutions which Assyrians could ultimately trust the role of Church in both public and spiritual life has to increase considerably. On the other hand, the requirements to the Church should increase in proportion. Moral revival of the nation in the post Soviet time span accounts for great national efforts in the educational and spiritual fields primarily of children and youth. The mentality of older generations can hardly be changed so fast. The spiritual health of the entire nation is dependent upon formation of moral grounds in new generations who will be free of stereotypes of the former Soviet life so much implanted in views and in modus vivendi of the previous generations. Youth must be taught in the spirit of truest Christian and traditionally national values as well in order to counter act alcohol and drug addiction, crimes, and consequently to curb all the evils in the long run.

     The community of the Holy Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East was registered . due to efforts only by 20 or 30 Assyrian believers in Moscow. Enthusiasm of two or three activists was the prerequisite for the erection of this Church although its construction is going very slow with difficulty. At the same time our priests have been trying to teach Assyrians to the sermon for three years already. Alas, achievements are quite few and not very promising as they look. So why do people show just a slight interest in the Church? And why is it the nation which is considered to be one of the most religious in Russia?

     To live up to the regulation of the Church one should at least know it well and yet possess the cultural spirit as well. For this purpose there is a need for versatile Church activity in various fields. And above all, they should do it in the field of religious education, missionary and social work, clerical charity and' other pursuits which meet spiritual calls of the man. The principle 'Church for Church's sake' puts a threat not only to it as it might be turned into a house for the few believers. Besides, the rest of the parish might easily be found disappointed. Many educators said of it al- ready. One of the most prominent Russian philosophers Vladimir Solovyov once warmed that 'Christian people just need traditional institutions, forms and formulas like a living organism of a high order need a skeleton but the skeleton alone contains no living body at all. The high order organ- ism cannot exist without bones, but when arteries begin to petrify or the heart's valve fails, then it obviously is a sign of death to come'.

     In the previous issue of the Bulletin we said about the reverend Benyamin Bet Jadgar, a priest from the Chaldean Catholic Church in Georgian Republic whose mission and education work has always been distinguished. A flow of letters from the grateful parish is coming to our editorial office as well as to the chief editor of 'Kala Atturaya' radio program Rabbi Marona Arsanis. The well known Assyrian writer and physician Juliet Bet Kaplan gives the following account of the situation in Georgian Republic' «Dear Marona.  I haven't been able to listen to your program as we have been cut off electrically. The last time I did, it was the interview with the singer E. Agassi. It always amazes me just how you do interviews. It looks like you are sitting at home for a nice friendly talk.

     Last winter we were cut off gas, so we had to use gasoline. As you know, it is 1,5 more expensive than bread, but our salaries could buy us only bread, you know.

     Twice I did enjoy some aid from Our Church. Although I am a believer, but not worshipper. But I started going to attend the Church mainly due to the new priest Benyamin. He gathered people very close around his personality. What else he does? Everything. He teaches the Assyrian language to the young and to the old every- where in Kanda, Gardabani, Tbilisi. On holidays his Church is always full of people Citizen of Tbilisi Margarita V. Juhanova recollects, «Via the Assyrian radio 'Kala Atturaya' I should like to express enormous gratitude to priest Benyamin of America who teaches our children to .the Assyrian language and educates the youth and the adults alike. A roundly educated man himself, talented and easy to deal with, he has stayed among us a year or so. A charming character, very likeable, knowledgeable in a variety of languages, history, music. People are fond him as they like to be with him very much. He sings in the Church, and he does it very well. So he set up a choir of boys and girls in the Church. It is a great pleasure to learn from this man the history of our nation which he knows so well. Thanks to the energy of this young patriot we can come together and socialize.

     Many thanks to you for what you do in your radio programs and also to priest Benyamin a great son of a great people the one who does his best for its glory».

     The work of missionaries in the modern society could well be very effective rather than virtually unknown rituals which are still closed to the heart of every Christian so far but must be given once and for all in order to make Church a synonym of faith. In propagation of kind morality amidst the untrained parish the missionary must be open for a dialogue as well. Moreover, he should call everybody to build a dialogue or dispute around important themes just in at- tempt to put aside what might be in the way of a spiritual revival. And yet nobody will be allowed to use in the spiritual sphere notoriously known struggle beneath the car- pet aimed at gaining some 'political influence" when the man becomes just a vehicle to achieve a goal, but never a goal to be reached by Heavenly word. Unfortunately this sort of influence has been pursued by the Bulletin's chief editor Mr. R. T. Bidjamov who assumed the role of the main adviser and ideologist alike for the service of the priests of the Middle East who do not seem to be aware of things in Moscow.

Dr. S. Osipov