“I Knew about God, but I Didn’t Know That I’m A Believer”: Narratives about Coming to Belief in an Atheist Country
“I Knew about God, but I Didn’t Know That I’m A Believer”: Narratives about Coming to Belief in an Atheist Country
Author(s): Nadezhda Beliakova, Vera KliuevaSubject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Civil Society, Politics and religion, History of Communism, Sociology of Religion
Published by: Latvijas Universitātes Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts
Keywords: religion in the Soviet Union; religious community; Protestants; Baptists; Pentecostals; spiritual quest;
Summary/Abstract: The article describes the spiritual quest of evangelical Christians during the Soviet period. The published memoirs and biographical interviews of the believers, who had an experience of religious life during the Soviet period, are the sources for the analysis. Important factors, which enabled the spiritual quest, are emphasized: the extreme life conditions, inner crisis; familiarizing with believers; the problem of choice between denominations; conflict with the external environment; the feeling of Divine influence.
Journal: Religiski-filozofiski raksti
- Issue Year: XXXI/2021
- Issue No: 3
- Page Range: 69-90
- Page Count: 22
- Language: English