Red Herring: Mikhail Gorbachev's Not-Quite Conversion | Christianity Today

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Christianity Today, April (Web-only), 2008 |

Speaking Out

Red Herring: Mikhail Gorbachev's Not-Quite Conversion

Asking whether the former Soviet leader is a Christian has a long history.

Paul Kengor | posted 4/04/2008 08:28AM

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I suspect that Gorbachev was attracted to Francis because of their mutual connection to nature and the environment. That seems to be the draw — one oddly capable of dropping the man to his knees in prayerful silence for 30 minutes. Francis himself would have been perplexed.

For now, Mikhail Gorbachev appears, still, to be seeking and preaching a kind of green humanism. A pessimist would call him deeply confused; an optimist would say he is still on a journey. A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church sides with the latter, saying, "In Italy he spoke in emotional terms, rather than in terms of faith. He is still on his way to Christianity." I will hope — and pray — that he gets there.

Paul Kengor is author of God and Ronald Reagan: A Spiritual Life (HarperCollins, 2004) and The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism (HarperPerennial, 2007). He is professor of political science at Grove City College.

Related Elsewhere:

Christianity Today reviewed God and Ronald Reagan and interviewed Kengor about Reagan's faith. Books & Culture also reviewed the book.

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April (Web-only) 2008, Vol. 52

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Vernie Walker

Posted: April 09, 2008 11:32 PM


It's exciting to think that he might have become a christian

Jim	Posted: April 06, 2008 6:23 AM


How about an article on many angels can dance on he head of a pin. Now that would be really interesting!

Bruce

Posted: April 05, 2008 4:33 PM


Let's join our hearts in praying for this man. He may be on the road to faith. His statement to the Russian press sounds like something I might have said right before my conversion to my friends.

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