Through The Seams Of The Iron Curtain: Clandestine Ngo Support To Christian Religious Minorities In Communist-Controlled Eastern Europe, Central Europe, And Russia, 1960-1989
Abstract
In the same Cold War context in which the CIAs Book Program covertly sent Western literature behind the Iron Curtain into the Communist world, Christian missionaries also used covert (and some overt) methods to smuggle Bibles to the Underground Churches of the Eastern Bloc. This thesis describes the main smuggling routes and locations and consolidates several privately published, first-hand accounts of retired Bible smugglers, with academic works providing additional insight. It follows the timeline of events leading to the greatest expansion of smuggling operations in the 1960s through the 1980s, and it examines the methods, effects, extent of success, and motives for smuggling this contrabandBibleswhich many Soviets considered dangerous to the stability of Communism. After outlining the activity in individual Eastern Bloc nations, this thesis draws parallels between Ashutosh Varshneys use of the theories of instrumental and value rationality and the internal motivations that drove most Bible smugglers to their workeven in the face of great personal loss. Finally, this work draws a connection between the covert actions of the Underground Church and Bible smugglers and the Soviet and satellite governments loss of legitimacy in line with Sabrina Ramets assertions in Social Currents in Eastern Europe.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1065504
Entities
People
- Joseph A. Schneider
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School