Religion: Screwtape II

Shackling the Russian Church

A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all," wrote the demon scribe in expounding the fine points of satanic strategy in C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters. Screwtape would have enjoyed comparing notes with officials from the Soviet Union's State Council on Religious Affairs. At least so it would seem from an extraordinary Soviet study now circulating in the West. The secret report, reputedly written in 1975 by Council Deputy Chairman Vasili Furov, assessed the condition of the still enormous Russian Orthodox Church for the Communist Party Central Committee. In striking contrast to...

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