www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Books Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, "Between Heaven and Russia"

I am in the process of reading:

"Between Heaven and Russia: Religious Conversion and Political Apostasy in Appalachia"
 Orthodox Christianity and Comtemporary Thought

Author: Sarah Riccardi- Swartz

Published by: Fordham University Press

Has anyone on the Byzantine Forum read this book? I would be very interested in hearing opinions on it. 

The book is written as a sociological study of a ROCOR community and a Monastery in rural West Virginia. It is non- fiction/ research. The names of people and towns are pseudonyms to keep them anonymous, but with little effort, real identities become evident. 

It is a fascinating and a very timely study, and has everything to do with current events both here and in Russia.......Simply fascinating. 

The following summary is lifted from Fordham University Press:

"How is religious conversion transforming American democracy? In one corner of Appalachia, a group of American citizens has embraced the Russian Orthodox Church and through it Putin’s New Russia. Historically a minority immigrant faith in the United States, Russian Orthodoxy is attracting Americans who look to Russian religion and politics for answers to Western secularism and the loss of traditional family values in the face of accelerating progressivism. This ethnography highlights an intentional community of converts who are exemplary of much broader networks of Russian Orthodox converts in the United States. These converts sought and found a conservatism more authentic than Christian American Republicanism and a nationalism unburdened by the broken promises of American exceptionalism. Ultimately, both converts and the Church that welcomes them deploy the subversive act of adopting the ideals and faith of a foreign power for larger, transnational political ends.

Offering insights into this rarely considered religious world, including its far-right political roots that nourish the embrace of Putin’s Russia, this ethnography shows how religious conversion is tied to larger issues of social politics, allegiance, (anti)democracy, and citizenship. These conversions offer us a window onto both global politics and foreign affairs, while also allowing us to see how particular U.S. communities are grappling with social transformations in the twenty-first century. With broad implications for our understanding of both conservative Christianity and right-wing politics, as well as contemporary Russian–American relations, this book provides insight in the growing constellations of far-right conservatism. While Russian Orthodox converts are more likely to form the moral minority rather than the moral majority, they are an important gauge for understanding the powerful philosophical shifts occurring in the current political climate in the United States and what they might mean for the future of American values, ideals, and democracy."

Thanks, .....Hutsul

I noticed this a while back and it looked interesting...but not interesting enough to buy it. Maybe if my library ever gets a copy I'll read it. The reviews on Amazon are pretty mixed. Some of them suggest that there is an underlying political agenda (perhaps somewhat reinforced by the author's position as "an affiliate faculty member in the women's, gender, and sexuality studies program") which I'm just not interested in spending money on and time with.

Well, that is your prerogative of course.
Fordham University is a top notch Jesuit, Catholic University, and its' Press is the oldest Catholic Press in the U.S. They are renowned for publishing scholarly research. I think they would recognize" agendas."

In my opinion, this book is too timely and revealing to sweep under the rug. I still hope for objective comments on it, Hutsul

OK, so I am not that surprised about lack of comments concerning this book. For one thing, it is relatively new. Additionally, it was written as a research book, which means that it is mostly recieved in specific, scholarly circles. In short, it is not necessarily written for popular consumption. That said, I feel compelled, as the OP, to share a few of my own thoughts about it-  before this thread is bumped down and belongs " to the ages." 

The book's author is an Orthodox Christian. She published this research  through the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University. She is currently a faculty member who teaches Religious Studies and Anthropology at a reputable University. I do not know her, but I believe her to be  sincere and credible. She can be seen on several on- line utube interviews and presentations. Her book is based upon personal interaction with two ROCOR communities in Appalachia. She lived, worshipped and worked with them for some time. Nothing in her book is second-hand heresay. Finally, her book is presented as a research project, adhering to standard research proceedures,  including what I believe to be- objectivity. Her reflections and conclusions, of course, can't help but be subjective and her own.

The book, in my opinion, represents a warning, both politically and spiritually. The political warning concerns far-right ideologies that, if they spread, could undermine American democratic ideals. I don't think this Forum is the place to discuss the book's political implications.  The spiritual concern, however, may be very pertinent to this Forum.

In a nut shell, " Between Heaven and Russia" raises serious questions about the attraction of far-right and/or radicalized right-wing Americans to Russian Orthodoxy, the majority of whom are not ethnically Russian or even remotely Slavic. Many of these converts share these ideas:

- Russian Orthodoxy is an older, therefore truer, religion
- They view Western culture as decadent and find the ROC confirming that
- They perceive traditional values as " under attack" from leftists and liberals
- They have a nostalgia for a lost, great past, (mythical and mostly imaginary)
- They blur the boundaries of Church and State

So far, a little alarming....................but they also view:

- modern ideas as anti- Christian, especially in education
- ecumenism as " westernizing" and therefore heretical
- minority rights, especially gender rights, as threatening and evil
- Democracy as becoming too inclusive, ( a real irony)
-current events as the beginning of the " End Times"/ a fascination with apocalyptic ideas
-actual news as fake news and revel in conspiracy theories

But those, one might say, have always been basic postures of extreme Christian Nationalists............but some also find in Russian Orthodoxy......

The hope for a monarch, a secular leader, that will restore the morals of their exclusive Christianity as civil laws. This monarch they view as a re-emergent Tsar, a new Nicholas II or Peter the Great, that would replace failed democracy. The hope is for an earthly Kingdom- on their terms. In short, the hope is for a Russkiy Mir, here, there and everywhere. Some of these converts even view Putin as salvific.

To me, this book warns against a political Christianity, specifically, a political Orthodoxy, highjacked away from Gospel teachings. A "Reactive Orthodoxy", as the author terms it, that promises stability in the face of change- even if that stability is established through earthly, authoritarian means. 

 Ultimately, this book is a call to genuinely ask ourselves " what it really means to be Orthodox" and to be on guard against any compromise to it's true meaning.

In all fairness, there are reviewers that find fault with this book. These reviews can be found with a little " Googling". Of the negative reviews, some claim the author's conclusions are based upon too small of a sampling of ROCOR converts. These, I find, may have some credence. The one's claiming the author has "agendas", I ignore- knowing that she is examining the issues as an Orthodox believer herself. I find no reason to doubt her motivation or integrity.

If you come across this book, check it out. Otherwise, this thread can now "belong to the ages"............Hutsul

Thanks for taking the trouble.

This is a thought provoking summary. I found myself doing a rating of the topics: agree/disagree/maybe or 10-0 like/dislike. It's hard to appraise labels "far-right and/or radicalized right-wing" since they inherently imply a prior judgement: If that is what they are then what they're doing must be wrong or detrimental.

The bottom line, be it far-right or far-left, radicalized right-wing or radicalized left-wing, is whether the Church will do its job and evangelize or be evangelized.

Well, all jargon aside, this book reports that , recently, an anti- democratic element seems to be attracted to ROCOR, interpreting that church's world view as close to it's own. Whether they are mistaken in this or not, one must ask "why is this happening?"

And one must trust that ROCOR knows how to catechize its converts, and continues living its foundational ideals.

That said, one cannot help but consider the reunification of 2007, between ROCOR and ROC(MP), as a contributing factor to this story (a reunification largely orchestrated through the efforts of Mr. Putin)...........mho