Truce - History of the Christian Church

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastIn Russia during the Soviet era, hundred of posters and magazine covers were printed to encourage people to abandon their faith. They were state-sponsored and designed to be interpreted even by people who could not read. This propaganda clearly tied anti-Christian sentiment to the United States.In his new book, Godless Utopia, Roland Elliott Brown collected a number of these images and provided commentary on their meaning.What does it mean that we call the United States a Christian nation? What does it mean when presidents like Ronald Reagan merge their faith with the US? How does that impact our witness? These are questions we'll continue exploring throughout this series.Donate a little to help the show on either Patreon or PaypalHelpful links: You can view images from the book here. Please note that some of these images may not be appropriate for all eyes. Watch the whole "evil empire" speech here. Article about Ruth Snyder, the first woman to be sent to the electric chair Roland's article about Soviet propaganda (see page 18) Mobituaries podcast episode about lynching and D.W. Griffith's film "Birth of a Nation" Topics covered: What did soviet propaganda look like? How did Stalin use the Orthodox church to fight in WWII? What was Ronald Reagan's "evil empire" speech? Is it okay for US Presidents to speak at Christian events? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastHow strong was the soviet mythology? Strong enough to make a young boy turn in his own parents. At least... that's what the communist government of Russia wanted their people to believe. They created a myth around a boy named Pavlik Morozov who they deemed Pioneer 1.Select Sources: https://www.britannica.com/topic/collectivization https://www.rbth.com/history/329601-demon-or-hero-morozov https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/1450370/Squalid-truth-of-Stalins-little-martyr-killed-for-informing-on-his-father.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastVladimir Prokhnevskiy moved to the United States as a Christian refugee from Ukraine. He and his family left that country after enduring oppression from their governments. He spoke with Chris about what it was like to live in such poverty, how his father was threatened with work in Chernobyl, and how a shoebox from Operation Christmas Child impacted his life.Vladimir and his twin brother own Ukramedia, a company that teaches people to make motion graphics. You can watch this video about their lives and work.It was a thrill to talk with Vladimir. Please consider supporting this show so that we can continue to make these episodes.You can donate via our Patreon or Paypal pages or at trucepodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastAfter the fall of the Romanov dynasty, Russia fell into the hands of the Bolshevik political party. They led the country into one of the darkest chapters in world history when religious people and dissidents were targeted, imprisoned, and murdered. This history is hard to hear but important for us to know.Our special guest this episode is Felix Corley of www.forum18.org.In this episode, we discuss why Vladimir Lenin persecuted Christians and how Joseph Stalin instituted a policy of fear in the Soviet Union.Helpful Links: Forum 18 Article about the poem "First They Came" The Gulag Archipelago by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn An interesting article about former Soviet countries Topics discussed: Why did Vladimir Lenin hate Christians? Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia Persecution of Muslims in Russia How many people did Joseph Stalin kill? Nikita Khrushchev Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastWhen the Russian tsars fell, they left a power vacuum. Who would rule Russia after the Romanov dynasty? The Bolshevik's rose to power, led by Vladimir Lenin. Lenin immediately began persecuting anybody he didn't like.In this episode, we'll examine the dark realities behind the Russian revolution: how it started with good intentions but ended with the death of millions. We'll also see how a culture of fear and suspicion held the nation captive.Our guests today are Professor Barbara Engel (author of "Russia in World History"), and Roland Elliott Brown (author of "Godless Utopia").This is part of our series examining how the rise of communism in Russia impacted the Christian church. Check out the rest of season three for more information. We're working hard to make Truce the best Christian podcast on the market. Please rate and review the show!FACT CHECK NOTICE:Genghis Khan, who I did not mention in the episode, is in the running for having murdered the most people in history. I discovered this fact after the episode had been completed. Sorry!Topics covered: How did Vladimir Lenin come to power? How did Stalin come to power? How many people did Stalin kill? (20-25 million) Is communism bad? What was the Soviet Union? How did the Soviet Union begin? Who were the Bolsheviks? Why do some people like Stalin? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastWhat is the difference between communism and socialism? They get used interchangeably in our culture, but do they really mean the same thing?In this episode, we'll give a textbook definition of each and then see how those ideas change in the wild. Our guests today are my friend Brian Faehnrich, Professor Barbara Engel (author of "Russia in World History"), and Roland Elliott Brown (author of "Godless Utopia").The basic difference between communism and socialism is where the profit goes: In communism, the profits go to the government In socialism, the profits can go to the people Also, communism is inherently atheistic, in keeping with the vision of Karl Marx.Topic Covered: What is the difference between communism and socialism? Who was Karl Marx? Who invented communism? What was the first communist country? (Russia) How did Vladimir Lenin rise to power? Does communism work? Is communism a utopian idea? What did Karl Marx have against the Christian church? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcast"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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastChristmas 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.Subscribe to Truce so you'll get every new episode as it is released!Donate here to keep Truce going!Herring Under Fur Coat: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. Other Sources Russian Christmas blog post - Dividing My Time Jennifer Eremeeva blog post - Is This Christmas? Britannica article on the Julian Calendar Topics Discussed: Why is the Orthodox church on a different calendar? What are the differences between the Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar? What is Christmas like in Russia? What unique dish should I make for Christmas? Russian food Why did Pope Gregory establish the Gregorian calendar? Who created the Julian calendar? Russian history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastMerry Christmas! As a bonus, we are featuring some stories from the Christian Podcasters Association Christmas Episode Exchange. Each person in the group was allowed to submit a 5-minute mini-episode on the theme of Christmas. I've collected a few of them here and some more will be on our Patreon page for people who donate a little each month to keep Truce going. You can access the Truce Patreon page and for those extra stories.Here are the submissions in order of appearance:1) Truce Podcast – Christmas BoleroChris Staronhttp://www.trucepodcast.comhttp://www.twitter.com/trucepodcasthttp://www.facebook.com/trucepodcast2) The Road Home To You PodcastBrandy Goebel – Every Home Needs a Gnomehttp://theroadhometoyou.libsyn.com/https://www.facebook.com/groups/166024570692834/3) Biblical Chilihttps://biblicalchili.podbean.com/https://www.facebook.com/BiblicalChili/http://www.twitter.com/BiblicalChili4) Raising Kids on Your Kneeshttps://raisingkidsonyourknees.org/https://www.instagram.com/raisingkidsonyourknees/http://www.facebook.com/raisingkidsonyourkneeshttp://www.twitter.com/prayingforkids5) Letters from Home PodcastMargaret Glesener and her family sharing their Christmas tradition of sharing.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/letters-from-home/id1444502295https://www.instagram.com/lettersfromhomepodcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Become a patron of the show and help me make even more great episodes! Donate by visiting www.patreon.com/trucepodcastRasputin - the rogue monk who changed the face of the world. Or did he?Grigory Rasputin was a wandering monk from Siberia. A peasant. A long-haired man with a family. Through a series of connections with powerful people, he became the right-hand man of Nicholas II, the Russian tsar. Some claimed that he had the power to heal. He was also a known philanderer.Rumors of his relationship with the tsarina ran rampant. He, a peasant, may have influenced military decisions in WWI. The man was everywhere all at once--until he was brutally murdered in Petersburg one dark night. They tried cyanide and nothing happened. The shot him, and he fled. Who was this mystery man? What was his impact on Russia? On the Christian church? Listen to this special episode to find out!Our goal is to become the best Christian podcast out there. We can only do that with your financial support. You can donate on Patreon and Paypal. Every little bit helps! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices