Sowing the Seeds of Faith: A Case Study of an American Missionary in the Russian North

Abstract

Since early 1990s foreign missionaries have eagerly visited the Russian Federation to disseminate God’s word among the subjects of the formerly atheist state. Different Protestant denominations have been among the most successful in gathering followers. However, the Russian Orthodox Church and its supporters have not welcomed the evangelising work of Protestant missionaries. The present article aims to examine some aspects of the development of this relatively new religious diversity at the grass-roots level by analysing the role of an American missionary in forming an evangelical congregation in a small rural community in the Republic of Komi. Drawing on fieldwork materials, I intend to discuss both the missionary’s perspective and the local response to his presence.