Anyone who is vigilant toward news coming out of Russia can see the long list of political assassinations, particularly meted out against critics of Russia’s Caucasian policies. But as long as the state is ‘strong’ (whatever hollow meaning that term might accrue in an autocracy like today’s Russia) the church should remain smugly silent? Why does the Russian church remain silent when its prophetic voice could save the country – the souls of those living in it – from perdition in idol-worship and violent xenophobia?