Evangelicals and Baptists between 1905 and 1929: The Ministry of Compassion

Abstract

This is a review of a book on the social activity of Evangelicals and Baptists in Russia and the USSR between 1905 and 1929, which was referred to as the compassionate ministry. The author singles out three patterns of compassionate ministry (mutual help as part of a strategy of survival during the period of persecution, ministry to the destitute in order to increase their influence, and Christian economic communities as a means of achieving the economic independence of the religious community), describes the diversity of the religious group, shows the complexity of the social and political context, defines the ministry’s main objectives, draws conclusions, and informs the reader of further research areas. According to the author, the compassionate ministry was voluntary, was aimed at the expansion of faith, and should be considered an important marker of Evangelical and Baptist identity.