68 Comments

How sad, but how prophetic, that these people have little knowledge of God’s requirements of his people. Putin’s narcissistic brain simply will lead him into the fiery furnace in the end but he will be alone.

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Mar 14, 2022Liked by Diana Butler Bass

This posting from "Public Orthodoxy" is an interesting read. It covers much of the historical ground that Dr. Bass covers in her essay (though I think Dr. Bass' is clearer read) and includes a "Declaration of Orthodoxy."

https://publicorthodoxy.org/2022/03/13/a-declaration-on-the-russian-world-russkii-mir-teaching/

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Interesting background that I was not aware of. Thanks.

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Diana - may we reprint this article in the April Episcopal Journal? Solange De Santis, editor www.episcopaljournal.com

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Thanks for this excellent article about Orthodoxy in Ukraine and Moscow. I didn't realize that the US evangelicals and the Trump team were so strongly allied with Putin. For shame!

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Thanks for this powerfully insightful piece! Have a great time at Hyde Park UMC (my former congregation) on Sunday! I'll be tuning in online.

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Excellent piece. It sparked some heated discussion in the Mimetic Theory Facebook group that I admin. How would you respond to the claim (not made by me) that your piece is "conspiracy theory"--i.e. as one very loud commenter has said, "an attempt to use the current crisis as an opportunity to attack certain groups have nothing to do with it but nonetheless happen to be on the author's enemy list, viz., evangelicals and traditional Catholics"?

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Thanks. This is very helpful. I've been to Russia twice. First when it was a part of the USSR and later when it was just Russia. I watched Putin on Easter Eve on TV. He seemed so pleased to be a part of that amazing service.

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Putin, like the little boy left in the room with chocolates on the plate in front of him was told that if he could be patient and not eat the chocolates he would be rewarded with many more, but Putin a mere human with material desires succumbed to his desires and is now eating the chocolates:

Putin shows that he is no Saint.

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Dear Diana, I am the editor of Episcopal Journal (www.episcopaljournal.com), a print/digital publication that serves Episcopalians. May we have permission to re-print this article? Events may well change between now and our March 21 print date, but I wanted to reach out ahead of time. Please contact me at solange@solangedesantis.com or 917 379 2260. Thank you, Solange De Santis.

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Religion legitimizing political/social system is necessary and cheaper than force. Buy-in with faith. Male god and male dominance. Male social control.

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Thank you for this important and use-filled article. The excellent book, "UNHOLY," by Sarah Posner, first enlightened me as to the truly unholy alliance between White American "Christians" and Putin and Victor Orban and other autocrats who wish to move to an exclusive and judgmental form of unchristlike faith and power.

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Just saw Charlie Pierce's FB post with excerpts from your article. It's going viral!

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Thank you for this incredible information. This really brings forward the believed "spiritual" forces behind the ugly zeal of Vladimir Putin. I will ponder, share and pray to take in and understand the content of your writing. The idea of Kyiv as Jerusalem never occurred to me. The St. Vladimir connection really blows my mind and my spirit. Blesssings

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With Russian tanks flooding into Ukraine, paratroopers outside the major cities and inaccurate Russian rockets raining down somewhat at random on civilian and military targets, what now? Will this "crusade" end in Russian enslavement of the Ukraine again? What an unholy "holy war" this is. God damn this aggression and bloodshed.

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