Missionary Work Research Articles

Mission Possible: Blogging Russian Orthodox Priests

The present paper dwells on the modern phenomenon of the clergy going online and exploring new audiences. The empirical study conducted by the author concerned the activities of popular Russian-speaking Orthodox bloggers whose heightening media presence is aimed at digital missionary work and catechism. The research was organized in accordance with the theoretical framework of the concept of communicative figurations that was coined by Andreas Hepp. This constructivist approach implies that mediatization blurs the borders between previously disentangled actors and encourages the growth of their interactions and, thus, a tighter social reality. To embody a communi-cative figurations-oriented study, the author lays down methodological foundations that are able to express the nature of personal practices and the reflections on them. For this purpose, the methods used consisted of case studies, expert and field interviews, and online text analysis. The findings can be set out in the following manner. Online media activity and social networking allow greater transparency and a wider audience. Despite stereotype and politicized doxa, the online demand for a specific niche of purely catechetic Orthodox priest blogging has existed for a decade and a half. Over the years, media practices of missionary work, catechism, and preaching have been formed, mainly on such social networks as VK.com, LiveJournal and Instagram, and on YouTube channels. This dynamic has been growing: priest blogs have acquired the audiences of tens of thousands of subscribers. This is because priests use contemporary language when addressing the public for the purpose of missionary work and catechism. They attract an audience of the Russian-speaking network of actors that is diverse in age, gender, and country of residence. Seeing and aiming beyond the conservative confines of an offline parish and church, blogging priests have the opportunity to create their own audience – to reach out to a particular generation, choose the style and content of a sermon or testimony of faith. In turn, the audiences choose priest bloggers according to their interests and the preferred methods of religious participation. Orthodox blogger priests strive to consolidate their efforts, to promote various forms of testimony of faith in the digital space. The central direct consequence of the mediatization of catechism and missionary practices is the promotion of a new image of the priest and a new version of priest–layman interaction, both contributing to a new church construct.

Modern missionary work and Chinese women’s literacy: Amy Moore in China 1930–1949

ABSTRACT This article analyses the early work of the Australian missionary Amy Moore, who worked for the China Inland Mission for twenty years. Moore aimed to develop local Christian women leaders who would contribute to China’s spiritual and moral evolution, under the continuing guidance of the colonialism of the European powers. Moore was critical of much of the colonial interventions of Britain and others, but she did not consider that China had yet reached a state of spiritual and cultural maturity, particularly in its treatment of women. Her plan was to improve adult women’s literacy, combining her evangelical passion with influences from international movements for women’s emancipation, and campaigns to improve the condition of Chinese women. Moore’s work was also framed by international and progressive changes in the world mission movement in the interwar years. At the same time Moore responded to modernising changes within contemporary China. Improvements in health, education, and gendered relations for rural women influenced missionary women’s work. Moore shared many life experiences as young woman with Chinese colleagues and friends, yet always the bonds of affection and emotion were cut through by colonial and racial divides.

Spreading the word of God and Benga: the Presbyterian Church in Corisco Bay

ABSTRACT Since its inception, the Presbyterian Church aimed to bring God’s word to the people in the native language of those they wished to convert, and that is the task it brought with determination to Corisco Bay in Equatorial Guinea. This article draws on historical documents of the Presbyterian Church in the USA, publications by Presbyterian reverends in the Corisco Mission from the nineteenth century, and fieldwork notes and interviews. I use these resources to first contextualize the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Corisco Bay. Then, I explore the linguistic work of Presbyterian missionaries in the selection of Benga as the language of translation of the Bible. And, finally, I highlight the fundamental role that the American Bible Society played – thanks to their massive printing of the Holy Scriptures in Benga – in the spread and maintenance of the language, not only in Corisco but in the region more broadly.

MISSION OF THE THESSALONIKI BROTHERS AS THE EXAMPLE OF THE INCULTURATION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN THE TEACHING OF JOHN PAUL II

The purpose of the article is to show the teaching of St. John Paul II on the Thessaloniki Brothers and their missionary ministry in the dimension of faith inculturation. Constantine (826–869) and Michael (c. 815–885), i.e. Saints Cyril and Methodius – were brothers who came from Thessaloniki, Greece, and are figures who still continue to arouse a great interest because of their contribution to the evangelization of some Slavic people and their cultural development through the creation of the alphabet, a written language in which they were able to learn about the Christian faith and the heritage of ancient Greece and Byzantium. The two Brothers are revered by both Orthodox Christians and Catholics because of their missionary ministry. It was carried out in unity with both the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which they belonged to, and Rome, as the popes gave their blessing and support to their ministry and the methods they used to preach the Gospel to the Slavs. Saint John Paul II, from the beginning of his pontificate, referred to the figures of Cyril and Methodius, emphasizing their ability to adapt their mission work to the mentality of the Slavs. He also declared them co-patrons of Europe that should breathe with „two lungs” – the western and eastern.The article is divided into three parts. In the first part, we learn about the historical background of their missionary expeditions. The second part presents the development of Cyrillo-Methodian thought in the teaching of John Paul II. The final part includes the Slavic Pope’s statements on the merits of the Holy Brothers for the spread of the Gospel among the Slavs and for the development of their culture.

Миссионерская работа Ханты-Мансийской митрополии в поселениях Ханты-Мансийского автономного округа – Югры в 2016-2022 гг. (на примере Югорской епархии)

The study is devoted to determining the main areas of the missionary work of the Khanty-Mansi Metropolia in the settlements of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra in 2016-2022, using the example of the Beloyarsk and the Berezovsk deaneries of the Yugra diocese. The paper describes the functions, the results of educational and missionary activities of the Yugra diocese in urban and rural settlements of the district, including in national settlements where representatives of indigenous peoples (Khanty, Mansi) live. The main areas of the anti-sectarian activity of the Yugra diocese in the settlements of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra are revealed. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that, using the example of territorial church structural divisions and on the basis of documents introduced for the first time into scientific use, the modern experience of the missionary activity of the Khanty-Mansi Metropolia of the Russian Orthodox Church in the territory classified as the regions of the Far North is characterized. The study has shown that in modern conditions, when it comes to the forms and methods of missionary work, their targeted orientation – internal and external missions – is clearly distinguished. It is noted that in regional church divisions, especially in territories remote from direct transport links with difficult natural and climatic conditions, where the deaneries of the Khanty-Mansi Metropolia perform missionary work, the “mission of presence” is relevant and in demand.

Русская православная церковь и практика духовного воздействия на преступников в условиях Югорского Севера в конце XVI – начале XX в.

The aim of the research is to characterize the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in the penal institutions of the Yugra North region and the role of local priests in preventing crimes from the late 16th to the early 20th century. The first area of this activity was the work with prisoners, as the North region of Western Siberia was the place for exiling of both state and criminal offenders. The second area was the work with indigenous people, as the missionary work was not aimed only at christening but also at preventing religious crimes (return to paganism, shamanism, non-attendance of the church, etc.). The article identifies the stages and specific features of this church activity, which were influenced by the arctic climate and the nomadic lifestyle of the indigenous population. The research also examines the impact of the Russian criminal legislation and the Penitentiary Reform of 1879, which aimed to humanize the conditions of imprisonment, on the church’s policies in Yugra. The novelty of this study lies in the absence of previous publications on this topic and the use of a new approach to analyze the archived materials: the author utilizes statistical data from the State Archive of the Tyumen Region in Tobolsk to understand the ROC’s position on religious crimes committed by the indigenous peoples of the North. The research concludes that the ROC’s activities in the penitentiary field underwent significant changes during the late 19th and the early 20th century. Providing spiritual assistance to convicts for their reformation became a regular occurrence, while religious crimes committed by the indigenous peoples of the North remained unpunished. This situation was influenced by the overall processes happening within the Russian Empire, including the emergence of social contradictions and imminent revolutionary events. The state had to react to these circumstances by weakening control over outdated legislation and adopting new normative acts. In these conditions, the ROC’s efforts to prevent crimes aligned not only with Russia’s penitentiary policy but also with the political course as a whole. Despite the challenges associated with living and working in the Arctic North, the priests of Yugra fulfilled state tasks. Overall, the ROC’s activities in preventing religious crimes reflected the complex socio-political processes occurring within Russian society. These contradictions ultimately led to the Revolution of 1917, and with the establishment of “scientific atheism” as part of the state ideology, the concept of “religious crime” was abolished, and spiritual activities by priests in places of confinement were prohibited.

Spiritual thirdspace and silent faith: reading the parallax between Buddhism and Christianity in the movie <em>Silence</em> (2016)

Scorsese’s movie Silence (2016) can be (re)contextualized to state that Jesuit priests Ferreira and Rodrigues found spiritual ‘Thirdspace’ when their missionary work was violently suppressed during Edo Japan. To survive the banal violence, suffering and pain and counter the psychological breakdown incurred by the Buddhist inquisitor, the priests seek an alternative, spiritual assimilation and dissimilation entity that paradoxically juxtaposes with the denouncement of faith (fumi-e) and identifies with God’s silence that preserves it. At this point, a Heideggerian ‘out-of-joint’ situation is experienced, reaching Christianity’s true meaning: God-forsaken man is left to decide in existential freewill how to continue his faith under challenging circumstances. The ‘Thirdspace’ identified here differs from Catholic and Christian beliefs, practices and Buddhist doctrinal rituals and occurs when Rodrigues silently preserves his faith, like his mentor Ferreira. This silent faith becomes the indestructibly true, epistemological element. There is higher semiotic significance when Rodrigues’ suppressed Christian soul symbolically returns through his wife, who places the Cross in his hands, establishing a transcendental connection that traverses both religions’ limits and boundaries. Despite the two religions’ ‘un-meeting’ spiritual contradictions, the wife’s act suggests man’s ability to help each other towards mutual, spiritual destinies. When Europe sees Christianity as a missionary endeavour, and its experience of Japanese cruelty culminates, a ‘shift in perspective against its background’ occurs that never returns gaze; the priests never look back at European origin after their ‘roots were cut’. This transposition of locations that prevents a returning gaze is the parallax that re-establishes true Christian faith in both priests.

The American Southern Baptist Mission and Maps of Yorùbáland: The Evolution of a Cartographic Style

ABSTRACT The Southern Baptist cartographic style portraying Yorùbáland in the mid-nineteenth century shifted the graphic appearance of this geographical space. This paper asserts that this graphic appearance reflects the evangelical thought of spreading the gospel and marked a very significant transition in the visual portrayal of West-Central Africa. Employing an historical-stylistic analysis, this paper examines the Christian missionary contribution to the appearance of the Yorùbá landscape in nineteenth-century maps. The Southern Baptist missionary maps of the 1850s, resulting from evangelical discourses and missionary work, highlighted geographical features that gave a new landscape identity to Yorùbáland. The map design of this ethno-territorial space emphasises an evangelical concern for well-populated regions. Hence, this study highlights the role of missionary maps in the distinctive visual expression of an ethnic territory in West African geography.

Reflection and Exploration on Museum Propaganda and Education from the Perspective of Internet

Under the current circumstances, museums can use new resources such as WeChat and microblog to promote various daily activities. Compared with the traditional propaganda and education model, the new method based on the Internet has many obvious advantages. It can be seen that museums are now facing new opportunities in the development of mission work. Therefore, in order to simplify the mission process of museums and improve their impact, it is necessary to integrate Internet tools closely.

Optimising stochastic task allocation and scheduling plans for mission workers subject to learning-forgetting, fatigue-recovery, and stress-recovery effects

This study addresses the stochastic bi-objective task allocation and scheduling problems for mission workers subject to the complex (and joint) effect of learning-forgetting, fatigue-recovery, and stress-recovery processes. The mission consists of work-rest cycles with different types of tasks. Some task types are repetitive, not necessarily back-to-back, with some predecessors for other task types. The workers are multi-skilled, whose experience, learning, fatigue, and stress levels are updated, affecting their performance dynamically. A Markov Decision Process (MDP) is applied to formulate this stochastic problem, considering speed and accuracy as two measures of workforce performance. A decision could be “to repeat a task of a certain type” or “take a rest break till another worker becomes available”. The developed MDP model finds the optimal task allocation and work-break schedule for workers by minimising the sum of the tasks’ completion times and maximising their quality. Completion time is a continuous variable, and the quality index is a binary random variable, i.e., high or moderate, having a continuous probability of occurrence. The model is of a general form with a potential application in similar settings. The paper used the Sequential Greedy Assignment (SGA) and the Monte-Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) to solve the problem with their results compared. Numerical results with those from a sensitivity analysis are discussed.

The Antagonist Forces of Mission Work: A Critical Review

Some of the best things in life that have to do with soul winning, evangelism and missions, are now sounding so unappealing to this our contemporary world. It seems that contemporary Christians have underrated their values, perhaps we may need to take stock of what are really important, in this journey of our Christianity. It is time to learn to walk in the spirit by obeying the word of God that says, we should reach out to the outermost world. There is a great need for individual Christian participation in the operation of rescuing the masses of humanity that are trapped in sins. Christian should not be deceived, the devil is not happy at their decision to oblige the reaching-out and even to carry out the Lord’s commands. Satan using different schemes to manipulate issues in the life of men to gain control of them and then dominate the total affairs of their lives by intimidating its own living system into them, that which is totally against the will of God for man.

Agrarian policy of the Russian Empire in the Kazakh steppe through the prism of Orthodox missionary work

The article is devoted to the consideration of the Russian state agrarian policy in the Kazakh steppe, as well as reveals the influence of the Tatar sedentary agricultural practices and everyday culture on the Kazakhs, moving towards a settled way of life. The paper studies the investigated archival and ethnographic sources, describing the process of changing the everyday culture of the Kazakhs in the process of transition to a settled way of life. The study presents that during the transition to agriculture that happened to last the whole 19th century, the Kazakhs transformed their way of life not to Russian model, but to the Tatar one. Under the influence of Tatar Muslim culture, the Kazakhs strengthened their Islamic identity and, despite the efforts of Orthodox missionary work, for the most part remained Muslims.

Огляд джерел до історії францисканських місій на Русі в ХІІІ – першій третині XV ст.

The purpose of the article is the historical and archeographic analysis of the main group of written sources for the study of Franciscan missions in Rus` in the 13th – the fi rst third of the 15th century. Th e research methodology involves the application of the principles of scientifi c objectivity and historicism, a civilizational approach and non-legalism, which made it possible to study the problem without ideological or religious bias. During the studies, general scientifi c methods were used: logical, structural, classifi cation, statistics, as well as special meth- ods of historical science: comparative, systematic, chronological. Th e scientifi c novelty consists in the source-scientifi c analysis of a group of written monuments in order to reproduce as fully as possible the missionary activity of the Order of Friars Minor (lat. Ordo Fratrum Minorum, hereinaft er – OFM), refl ected in the political, social, economic and cultural life of Rus` in the 13th – the fi rst third of the 15th centuries . Conclusions. Th e source base of the research consists of a complex of various types, mostly published documents, which will require a comprehensive critical analysis in the future. Th e main body of sources of the proposed topic are archival and published documents, conventionally divided into act and narrative. Most of the act materials were published in archeographic publications of the 18th – 21st centuries. Th ese are mainly documents of a church and secular nature, narratives of minorites and “non-minorites” origin. Among descriptive sources, numerous Franciscan annals, chronicles, geographical, biographical and hagiographical works should be singled out, on the pages of which information about Rus` came through the empirical experience of the authors or people close to them. A signifi cant number of sources from the 16th to the 17th century, which oft en leaned towards the “tradi- tion of the order,” should be critically examined. Despite the considerable number of diverse archeographical publications outlined in this source-based review, it is worth noting that similar studies on the history of Franciscan missionary work in Rus` of the 13th – the fi rst third of the 15th centuries. need constant heuristic attention and critical analysis, taking into account the well-known “traditions” and “legends” of the order.

Tambaram, 1938: Christianity's shift to the Global South

The World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in 1910 was followed in 1928 by a Conference in Jerusalem. Jerusalem emphasised ‘the younger churches’, the term then used for the churches that had resulted from missionary work. This article examines the International Missionary Council's conference of 1938, held at the Madras Christian College, Tambaram, near Madras. It had over 470 participants from 70 nations. A feature of great significance was that participants from what we now call the Global South were in the majority. This aspect has been noted, but not explored in detail. A book that was produced for the Conference, Evangelism for the World Today, edited by John Mott, which included many contributors from the Global South, has received virtually no coverage. This article examines Mott's neglected book, the role of Africans at Tambaram, the voices of women and the ongoing influence of the Conference.

ASTRAKHAN BROTHERHOOD OF SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS: TO THE HISTORY OF CREATION

This article examines the process of organizing the Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church in the Astrakhan governorate at the end of the XIX century. The border regions of the country, to which the Astrakhan governorate belonged, were distinguished by confessional heterogeneity. In the region beginning from the XVII century, a significant percentage of the population was made by Old Believers, schismatics, sectarians of various kinds appeared here. Such a state in the region persisted in the XIX century, which was overlaid by new trends in the secularization of society, the spread of atheistic ideas. The intensification of schismatic and sectarian movements in the second half of the XIX century required expanding and deepening the missionary activity on the part of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Astrakhan governorate. For this purpose, the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius was established in the region, officially called the “Astrakhan Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church”.
 
 The main purpose of the presented research is a retrospective and problem-chronological analysis of the main stages in the formation of the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Astrakhan governorate at the end of the XIX century.
 
 Materials and methods. Based on the analysis of the reports of Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church and the diocesan papers using historical-genetic, retrospective, problem-chronological methods, the main institutionalisation stages of Cyril and Methodius Society, created to help the diocese for missionary work in the region, are considered.
 
 Study results. Based on the analysis of the source materials in the periodical press and accounting documents, the main milestones in institutionalisation of Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church at the end of the XIX century in the Astrakhan governorate are investigated. The main reasons and factors that predetermined the need to create the Orthodox Brotherhood are considered, among which the prevalence of Molokanism teachings, schismatics and various religious sects in the Astrakhan Region was predominant. The need to activate the missionary activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in the region for the Orthodox-Christian education of local residents is emphasized. The first steps in the formation of Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood are considered, starting with the opening of a Brotherhood for conducting missionary conversations with Molokans in the town of Tsarev in Astrakhan governorate, the center of concentration of Molokans. The activity of Astrakhan Holy Trinity Brotherhood at the cathedral as an intermediate link in the formation of Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood is studied. The factors of the growth of the Trinity Brotherhood into an organized structure of Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church are analyzed.
 
 Conclusion. Having passed through several stages of its evolvement, Astrakhan Cyril and Methodius Society became an organized socio-Orthodox structure to help the diocese in missionary activities.

CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS IN THE CONFESSIONAL STRUCTURE OF KAZAN GOVERNORATE IN THE XVIII–XIX CENTURIES

Studying the history of ethno-cultural interactions in a multiethnic society is of scientific and practical interest.
 
 The purpose of the study is to examine the historical conditions and factors of the penetration and spread of Catholics and Protestants in the Kazan governorate in the XVIII–XIX centuries, to analyze the features of social and intercultural communications.
 
 Materials and methods. The article is based on the analysis of literary and documentary materials. The main sources of research were archival documents, legal acts, materials of censuses, periodicals. Theoretical generalizations and conclusions are made using the chronological, typological methods, institutional and cultural-anthropological approaches.
 
 Study results. Catholics and Protestants penetrated the Kazan governorate in the XVIII–XIX centuries from the countries of Western Europe. The historical conditions of their resettlement were the development of the Russian Empire, the development of new territories, the need for qualified personnel in various spheres of state and public activity. The reasons for the relocation were due to wars, social movements, as well as voluntary departure of foreigners to the Russian regions for the purpose of employment, temporary or permanent residence. Catholics, represented mainly by Poles, more often adhered to religious traditions, while Protestants, due to greater simplicity of their cult, less ritualism, simplified apologetics, more actively interacted with the Orthodox population, exerting a certain influence on it. Western Christians had a high social status, were employed in government, military service, in the fields of science and education, healthcare, trade, etc. Despite their relative small number, Catholics and Protestants have left a noticeable mark on the history and culture of the multi-ethnic region. The interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and other traditional confessions with Catholicism and Protestantism was carried out on the basis of Russian legislation, which regulated their religious and social activities, prohibited missionary work among Russian subjects.
 
 Conclusions. During the period under review, the religious diversity of Kazan governorate was supplemented by Western Christian confessions and denominations, making it even more mosaic. Resettlement of Catholics and Protestants was caused by political, economic, socio-cultural reasons. The dynamics of the quantitative and qualitative composition of Western Christians depended on the historical conditions in Europe and Russia. Tsarism supported resettlement of foreigners, created the legal basis for their residence and professional activity, respected freedom of religion, but forbade converting Russian citizens into their faith. The results of the study make a definite contribution to the study of ethno–confessional processes in Kazan governorate in the XVIII-XIX centuries, enabling to better understand the nature of modern ethno-cultural communications in polyethnic regions of Russia.

Ghana to Become a Majority Muslim Nation by 2096: A Critical Examination of Ghana’s 2000, 2010, 2021 Censuses and its Implications for Christian Missions

This study analysed Ghana’s demographic patterns as shown by the 2000, 2010, and 2021 censuses and considered how these trends may affect Christian missions. According to the analysis, Ghana’s Muslim population has been steadily increasing over time, and by the year 2096, it may have a Muslim majority. Christian mission organisations working in Ghana must reevaluate their methods and approaches in order to effectively interact with and minister to a shifting religious landscape as a result of this probable demographic upheaval. The study also investigated the probable effects of a Muslim majority in Ghana and discussed the consequences for Christian missionary work, emphasising the need for cultural sensitivity, interfaith communication, and contextualised approaches to engage with the diverse religious beliefs and practices of Ghanaians. This study further examined what this demographic trend suggests and its implication for evangelism and intentional Christlike disciple making if a reversal is to be envisaged. The thesis statement of the paper is that Islam in Ghana unlike Christianity is witnessing steady growth, and the Church is enjoined by her calling to make Christlike disciples for her future survival. This article belongs to the field of missiology. It employed a transdisciplinary approach that incorporated statistical hermeneutics, hermeneutics of comparative theology, history of religion and demography to interpret quantitative results and determine their place and meaning in the religious landscape and their implications for Christian Mission. Keywords: Christian mission, Islamic growth, population census, Disciple-Making.

De eeuwigheidsdimensie van het heil. Een verkenning vanuit de praktijk van missionaire pioniers

To what extent is the traditional doctrine of salvation applicable and relevant to missionary communication in a secularized, Western context? This article explores experiences and insights from three missionary pioneers in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands,with a particular eye on the ‘eternity dimension’ of salvation. While people feel uneasy with a classical understanding of predestination, atonement, and regeneration, new aspects of transcendence or eternity can be discovered in missionary situations. Both a secular audience and missionary workers need an awareness of God’s eternal choice and his faithfulness as the foundation for our response to the Gospel. The interaction between systematic-theological reflection and practical experience leads to mutualenrichment, and deepens our understanding of God’s unconditional love and grace in Christ

Виртуальное посольство: новые технологии представительства и влияния (осмысляя американский опыт)

This article analyzes the American experience of creating and operating a virtual embassy in Iran. We consider theissue through the prism of the development of new information technologies and their applicability in the fields offoreign policy and diplomacy. In the Russian expert environment, this topic has not received due attention and reflection,although it could become an independent direction in academic study. Most importantly, the virtual embassycould offer a quick and relatively inexpensive solution to very specific challenges—both on a temporary and permanentbasis—in the practical part of current foreign policy.For Russia, the experience of implementing and managing such a technological unit could be applied in severaldifferent areas, united by the impossibility or difficulty of carrying out activities through traditional diplomaticchannels in a particular political and geographical area. One of the most suitable locations for the application of suchefforts is the polity of Kosovo, where the work of the Russian diplomatic mission is not being carried out for formalreasons that are understandable but lag behind the rapidly changing conditions of international life. As a result,there is a risk that future work in the region will need to start from scratch or even make up lost ground. But this isjust one, and the most obvious, example of the need to virtualize a diplomatic mission. The current crisis has revealedthe contours of much larger areas that are now inaccessible to Moscowʼs traditional diplomatic activity but requireconstant attention and systematic work. An alternative could be a virtual space—as a launching pad for dialogue andthen transformed into complementary and reinforcing tools of presence and influence. The successful experience ofRussian media abroad speaks for the high potential and good chances of these new directions.

The Legacy of Hildegard Prozell

Hildegard Prozell (1869–1948) was the first female missionary from the territory of Latvia (then the Russian Empire), who went to India to serve through Leipzig Mission. During her thirteen-year ministry there she established multiple schools for girls, was the school principal, developed zenana mission work in Mayavaram, and trained Bible women in India. Because of her ministry, a female mission support association was established in Riga, as well as mission nights and conferences. Her writing gave people back home a window to sharing the Good News to children in Eastern India.