Overview

This lucidly written biography of Aleksandr Men examines the familial and social context from which Men developed as a Russian Orthodox priest. Wallace Daniel presents a different picture of Russia and the Orthodox Church than the stereotypes found in much of the popular literature. Men offered an alternative to the prescribed ways of thinking imposed by the state and the church. Growing up during the darkest, most oppressive years in the history of the former Soviet Union, he became a parish priest who eschewed fear, who followed Christ's command ""to love thy neighbor as thyself,"" and who attracted large, diverse groups of people in Russian society. How he accomplished those tasks and with what ultimate results are the main themes of this story. Conflict and controversy marked every stage of Men's priesthood. His parish in the vicinity of Moscow attracted the attention of the KGB, especially as it became a haven for members of the intelligentsia. He endured repeated attacks from ultraconservative, anti-Semitic circles inside the Orthodox Church. Fr. Men represented the spiritual vision of an open, non-authoritarian Christianity, and his lectures were extremely popular. He was murdered on September 9, 1990. For years, his work was unavailable in most church bookstores in Russia, and his teachings were excoriated by some both within and outside the church. But his books continue to offer hope to many throughout the world-they have sold millions of copies and are testimony to his continuing relevance and enduring significance. This important biography will appeal to scholars and general readers interested in religion, politics, and global affairs.

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Reviews

This is an accessible, clearly written, sympathetic treatment of an important but largely forgotten or ignored figure in modern Russian Orthodoxy. Patrick Lally Michelson, co-editor of Thinking Orthodox in Modern Russia Wallace Daniel s book is one of the best ever on the Russian Orthodox Church in the communist period. It is much more than a biography: in its way, it is also a history of the Russian Church from the 1950s to the collapse of communism in the days of Mikhail Gorbachev. Michael Bourdeaux, founder and president of the Keston Institute

Wallace Daniel's Russia's Uncommon Prophet provides an authoritative, accessible, and highly sympathetic English-language biography of Aleksandr Men * Journal of Church and State * Russia's Uncommon Prophet weaves together Men''s intellectual journey with his biography and makes a valuable contribution to the history of religion in Russia and also to our understanding of late Soviet society. * Canadian Slavonic Papers * Russia's Uncommon Prophet is especially valuable for the way it places Fr Men within the context of Soviet history and the political changes of perestroika under Gorbachev, a period when Fr Men was able to fulfil his gifts as a missionary and writer. * Church Times * Daniel vindicates Men against his detractors, but this is no hagiography. Rather it is a portrait of a uniquely gifted man and a paean of praise to the possibility, even in the most difficult of circumstances, of a truly human life, lived to the full and crowned with martyrdom. * Journal of Ecclesiastical History * This biography of Father Aleksandr Men' is an excellent contribution to the study of Russian religious thought and the history of religious experience in the Soviet period. It is also a great addition to the growing library of biographies of individuals, who have had an exceptional spiritual influence in their lifetimes and beyond. Historians, philosophers, and theologians will find Daniel's insightful exploration of Aleksandr Men's life, ministry, and thought worthy of their consideration. * Modern Greek Studies Yearbook * The thorough treatment of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and Daniel's insights into religious life make the book a must-read for historians specializing in the Soviet Union. * History: Reviews of New Books * This magisterial biography portrays Father Aleksandr Men (1935-90) as a most uncommon cleric. Daniel has written a powerful and timely book that will, like Men himself, endure. * The Russian Review *

This is an accessible, clearly written, sympathetic treatment of an important but largely forgotten or ignored figure in modern Russian Orthodoxy. Patrick Lally Michelson, co-editor of <i>Thinking Orthodox in Modern Russia</i> Wallace Daniel s book is one of the best ever on the Russian Orthodox Church in the communist period. It is much more than a biography: in its way, it is also a history of the Russian Church from the 1950s to the collapse of communism in the days of Mikhail Gorbachev. Michael Bourdeaux, founder and president of the Keston Institute

<i>Russia s Uncommon Prophet</i> is especially valuable for the way it places Fr Men within the context of Soviet history and the political changes of perestroika under Gorbachev, a period when Fr Men was able to fulfil his gifts as a missionary and writer. <i>Church Times</i> This is an accessible, clearly written, sympathetic treatment of an important but largely forgotten or ignored figure in modern Russian Orthodoxy. Patrick Lally Michelson, coeditor of <i>Thinking Orthodox in Modern Russia</i> Wallace Daniel s book is one of the best ever on the Russian Orthodox Church in the communist period. It is much more than a biography: in its way, it is also a history of the Russian Church from the 1950s to the collapse of communism in the days of Mikhail Gorbachev. Michael Bourdeaux, founder and president of the Keston Institute <i>Russia s Uncommon Prophet</i> is a magnificent, rich, careful study of Fr. Alexander Men, his life and writings, and the complex historical, ecclesial, and intellectual contexts that shaped him and his work. While there have been other books about him, Wallace Daniel s labor of research and love here is without parallel; it is, in fact, incomparably valuable. It is likely to become the standard work on Fr. Men for many years to come, in any language. <i>Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe</i>

Author Information

Wallace L. Daniel is Distinguished University Professor of History at Mercer University. He is the co-editor of Perspectives on Church-State Relations in Russia and the author of The Orthodox Church and Civil Society in Russia, as well as many articles on Russian economic, social, and religious history.

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