Russian Messianism: Third Rome, Revolution, Communism and After


by Peter J S Duncan
Department of Social Sciences,
School of Slavonic and East European Studies,
University College London
London: Routledge, 2000. xiv, 235 pp., hb. ISBN 0415152054

You can preview it and search inside here.
http://books.google.com/books?id=XsVXiES_c9AC

I know this topic was mentioned on another discussion but I can't find it, sorry. However, for those who are interested check out this book.

The author examines the origins of Russian messianism with the monk Philofei's letter of 1511 to the Moscow Prince Vasily III.Philofei developed the idea of Moscow as the Third Rome, and the sixteenth and seventeenth century myth of 'Holy Rus' as the land of the ever suffering Russian people. The latter myth has been constantly reinforced by various invasions and other catastrophes and has thus acquired a broad popular resonance
Messianism is presented by the author as 'the proposition or belief that a given group is in some way chosen for a purpose. Closely linked to this is the view that the great suffering endured by the group will lead somehow to the redemption of the group itself and possibly of all humanity.' (p. 1).

Thus, Russia’s redemption through suffering and is central in the popular myth of Holy Rus. Theologically, Moscow is presented as the “Third Rome” because the first Rome fell into schism, Constantinople fell to the Moslems, and thus the title is passed to Moscow at that time the only Christian Orthodox state. Also, Moscow preserved the pure Orthodox faith. Moscow thus, has a responsibility to the rest of the world.
However, the theme of the book is the development of contemporary Russian nationalism not theology and deals mostly with our own era.

The section dealing with persecution of the Orthodox Church during the Krushchev era is frightening. Amazing that the church survived at all.

How broadly did he research?

This may be something I'd like to read.

Terry

Well, Terry, it depends on your interest. The author deals mostly with the communist and post-communist aspects of Russian nationalism and the Russian messiah complex. There is no theology involved, which I think would have added to his first chapter in which he introuces the Moscow the Third Rome ideology.
Then he jumps to Tsar Nicolas 1 and his chauvinist/ nationalist policies, adding the influence of slavophilsm. Here I think he should have addd more on Khomiakov and Soloviev. After these 2 small chapters the rest of the book deals with communism and post-communism.

The author's writing style is very formal. The book actually reads like a doctoral disertation. I have a master's in East European history, but even I found I had to pause to look up a few of the figures mentioned. What I mean he mentions historical figures and Russian/communist figues by name without any background. The reader is assumed to have a grounding already.

What I would advise you do is go to the internet site here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=XsVXiES_c9AC

You actually can read portions online, the Table of Contents and the index. If that site doesn't work for you go to Amazon and see if you can read portions online. Then once you have a taste of it you can decide if you want to buy it.

Or as we call Pittsburgh, the New New New Rome.