Solzhenitsyn buried at Moscow monastery
Pastor Ivanilo, my colleague, invited us on the outreach ministry team to revisit the impact and the prophetic musings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. So I engage this huge figure in the century before.
For those of you born after 1990 when Solzhenitsyn was back in Russia, I found a quick overview of his life on a YouTube tribute (here). You can also watch how the Russian media viewed their countrymen (here). In the report they summarize Solzhenitsyn's belief that one must revert from a socialist, dictatorial government to an authoritarian model based on Russian Christian traditions. As I quote from the Russian broadcast, Solzhenitsyn said, "The only salvation is to return to the virtues of religion and moral values."
As I took an hour to reflect on his writings and listen to his words, I discover a prophetic voice--one that renounces immorality and greed; one who idolizes morality and restraint. He warned of out of control capitalism where wrong is viewed as right as long as you make money--cf. Enron, et.al. He denounced the decadence of western society--cf. the remarks of Muslims who are wary of our society's Hollywood mores exported to the world. You can read a contemporary review from a conservative rant by William F. Buckley Jr. here.
I find Solzhnitsyn a great thinker who spoke into the world and where both sides of the world in his time: socialism and capitalism fired upon him. In fact, I think today his words cut deeper into the capitalistic excesses of our culture today. Thanks pastor Ivanildo for redirecting me to consider again a great prophetic voice in our culture today.
Pastor Ivanilo, my colleague, invited us on the outreach ministry team to revisit the impact and the prophetic musings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. So I engage this huge figure in the century before.
For those of you born after 1990 when Solzhenitsyn was back in Russia, I found a quick overview of his life on a YouTube tribute (here). You can also watch how the Russian media viewed their countrymen (here). In the report they summarize Solzhenitsyn's belief that one must revert from a socialist, dictatorial government to an authoritarian model based on Russian Christian traditions. As I quote from the Russian broadcast, Solzhenitsyn said, "The only salvation is to return to the virtues of religion and moral values."
As I took an hour to reflect on his writings and listen to his words, I discover a prophetic voice--one that renounces immorality and greed; one who idolizes morality and restraint. He warned of out of control capitalism where wrong is viewed as right as long as you make money--cf. Enron, et.al. He denounced the decadence of western society--cf. the remarks of Muslims who are wary of our society's Hollywood mores exported to the world. You can read a contemporary review from a conservative rant by William F. Buckley Jr. here.
I find Solzhnitsyn a great thinker who spoke into the world and where both sides of the world in his time: socialism and capitalism fired upon him. In fact, I think today his words cut deeper into the capitalistic excesses of our culture today. Thanks pastor Ivanildo for redirecting me to consider again a great prophetic voice in our culture today.
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