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Grok summary:
### Overview
"The Bolshevik Persecution of Christianity" is a 1924 book by Captain Francis McCullagh, an Irish journalist, war correspondent, and author of works like "With the Cossacks" (1906), "The Fall of Abdul Hamid" (1910), and "A Prisoner of the Reds" (1921). Published by John Murray in London, it draws on McCullagh's firsthand experiences in Soviet Russia, including his expulsion in 1923 after witnessing key events. The book argues that Bolshevism represents an implacable, diabolical hostility to all forms of Christianity, comparing it to a volcanic force that constantly erupts against religion despite surface changes in Soviet policy. McCullagh portrays the persecution as not just violent but increasingly subtle and insidious, aiming to subvert and control churches from within rather than outright destroy them. He emphasizes the Bolsheviks' creation of a "Red Church" to undermine the Russian Orthodox Church, the suppression of Catholic and Protestant groups, and the broader goal of eradicating religious influence to establish a materialistic, atheistic state. The narrative is anti-communist, highlighting the contrast between Christian individualism and Bolshevik collectivism, and warns of the global implications for Christianity.
The book was written amid the early Soviet era's anti-religious campaigns (1917–1920s), including the 1922 seizure of church valuables under the pretext of famine relief, the arrest of clergy, and show trials. McCullagh, who was in Moscow during the 1923 trial of Catholic leaders, uses eyewitness accounts, Bolshevik docuмents, and interviews to support his claims. It includes prefaces (to the first and second editions), a postscript on recent developments (e.g., Anglican Bishop Herbert Bury's 1923 visit to Moscow and Vatican-Soviet tensions), illustrations (e.g., of Archbishop Cieplak and anti-religious processions), appendices (e.g., on Bolshevik laws and the Treaty of Riga), a glossary, and an index. At 448 pages, it's structured in three parts, blending reportage, analysis, and polemic.
### Structure and Chapter Summaries
The book is divided into three main parts, focusing on the Orthodox Church (as the primary target), Catholic relations with the Kremlin, and the broader state of Christianity in Russia.
#### Prefaces and Postscript
- **Preface to the First Edition (September 1923)**: McCullagh explains Bolshevism's unchanging anti-Christian core, likening it to Antichrist. He details his methodology, including verifying names and docuмents, and notes the book's independence from any organization.
- **Preface to the Second Edition**: Emphasizes the ongoing, evolving persecution.
- **Postscript**: Updates on 1923 events, such as Bishop Bury's warm reception by Patriarch Tikhon (implying Anglican-Orthodox rapprochement), a Papal Encyclical praising a Uniat martyr, and Soviet obstruction of Vatican relief efforts. McCullagh warns of the Russian Church's critical state, with 84 bishops and over 1,000 priests expelled.
#### Part I: Russia (Focus on the Orthodox Church)
This section details the Bolshevik assault on the Russian Orthodox Church, portraying it as a demonic possession of ecclesiastical machinery.
- **Chapter I: The Attack on the Russian Church**: Describes how Bolsheviks seized church administration, using the 1921–1922 famine to confiscate valuables (e.g., gold, silver, and jewels from churches). Patriarch Tikhon initially agreed to donate non-consecrated items but resisted broader seizures, leading to conflict. McCullagh argues this enabled Bolsheviks to portray the church as anti-people.
- **Chapter II: A More Detailed Account of the Facts Set Forth in the Preceding Chapter**: Expands on the seizure decree, resistance by clergy, and resulting arrests/massacres.
- **Chapter III: The Founding of the Red Church**: Covers the creation of the "Living Church" or "Red Church" (a pro-Soviet splinter group) to replace the traditional hierarchy.
- **Chapter IV: Preparing for the Red Congress**: Discusses propaganda and purges leading to the 1923 Sobor (church council).
- **Chapter V: The Red Congress**: Eyewitness account of the May 1923 congress in Moscow, where Bolshevik-backed delegates blessed communism and deposed Patriarch Tikhon.
- **Chapter VI: The Old Church and the New**: Contrasts the authentic Orthodox Church (isolated and persecuted) with the state-controlled "new" church, predicting millions might defect due to ignorance.
#### Part II: Rome (Focus on Catholic Persecution)
This part shifts to Catholic-Soviet relations, centering on the 1923 trial of Archbishop Jan Cieplak and 14 other Catholic clergy in Moscow, which McCullagh attended.
- **Chapter I: The Vatican and the Kremlin**: Explores Vatican relief efforts (e.g., Cardinal Gasparri's offer to match seized valuables' value) and failed negotiations.
- **Chapter II: The Prisoners, Judges, and Others**: Profiles defendants (e.g., Cieplak, Monsignor Konstantin Budkiewicz), judges (Bolshevik officials), and witnesses.
- **Chapter III: The Statement of Accusation**: Analyzes charges of counter-revolution, espionage, and resisting Soviet laws (e.g., teaching religion to youth, violating the Treaty of Riga).
- **Chapters IV–VIII: The Cieplak Trial (Day-by-Day)**: Detailed transcripts and observations. Day 1: Opening arguments. Day 2: Witness testimonies. Day 3: Interrogations. Day 4: Defenses. Last Day: Verdicts. McCullagh highlights the trial's farce, with biased proceedings and anti-religious rhetoric.
- **Chapter IX: The Sentences, and After**: Cieplak and Budkiewicz sentenced to death (Budkiewicz executed; Cieplak commuted and expelled). Others imprisoned. McCullagh notes international outrage.
#### Part III: The Present Position of the Christian Churches in Russia
- **Chapter I: The Orthodox Church**: Discusses Patriarch Tikhon's isolation, expulsions, and the "Red Church's" growing influence.
- **Chapter II: The Protestant Churches**: Covers suppression of Baptists, Lutherans, and others through arrests and property seizures.
- **Chapter III: The Catholic Church**: Details ongoing arrests, seminary closures, and Vatican mission challenges.
#### Appendices
Include Bolshevik newspaper excerpts on the Cieplak trial, Soviet civil/criminal laws, sentences, the 1921 Treaty of Riga (on Polish-Soviet borders and religious freedoms), Vatican-Kremlin relations, trial tickets, church lists in Petrograd/Moscow, anti-religious seminaries, and a Bolshevik pamphlet.
### Key Facts and Themes
- **Persecution Tactics**: Bolsheviks used famine relief as a pretext for seizures (1922 decree), trials for propaganda, and infiltration to create compliant "reformed" churches. McCullagh estimates thousands of clergy killed or imprisoned by 1923.
- **Cieplak Trial (March 21–25, 1923)**: A pivotal event; McCullagh was one of few Western witnesses. Charges stemmed from resisting decrees banning religious education and allying with Poland. Budkiewicz's execution (shot in the Lubyanka prison on Easter 1923) symbolized martyrdom.
- **Broader Impact**: By 1923, the Orthodox Church was split, with the "Living Church" controlling administration. Catholics faced espionage accusations due to Polish ties. Protestants were targeted for "bourgeois" influences.
- **Author's Perspective**: McCullagh, a Catholic, sees Bolshevism as anti-Christian Antichrist, but praises Orthodox resilience. He critiques Western naivety toward Soviet recognition.
- **Historical Context**: Based on McCullagh's 1922–1923 travels, including imprisonment. The book influenced Western views on Soviet atheism during the NEP era.
The book has been reprinted (e.g., 2023 editions) and is valued in historical studies of Soviet anti-religious policies, though criticized for its polemical tone. It's available on archives like Internet Archive.
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Topic: The Bolshevik Persecution of Christianity-McCullagh (Read 590 times)