On the charisma, civility, and practical goodness of "modern" Christianity in post-Soviet Lithuania

Abstract

This article examines The Word of Faith, one of the largest congregations of "modern" charismatic Christians in post-Soviet Lithuania. The ethnographic focus is on the church's extensive network of trust, altruistic exchange, and sociability, known as bendravimas. These networks are theorized as a kind of civil society that allows its members to claim "ethical distinction" and enables them to take a critical stance toward the surrounding social milieu, perceived to be in moral disarray. The Word of Faith is discussed in relation to the national Catholic Church (its principal religious rival) and vis-à-vis broader Lithuanian society. The article suggests that it is concrete everyday practices deemed to be moral and civil, rather than abstract Christian precepts, that motivate Word of Faith believers to be "good people." It is also argued that such practices constitute important means for engendering and reproducing the charisma of this "modern" evangelical congregation.

Evangelical transformation: Learning the three‐dimensional perception of reality

“…Ukraine, on the contrary, applied some of the most pluralistic religious politics compared to other previous Soviet states (Lyubashchenko, 2010; Plokhy, 2002; Wanner, 2004, 2007). Not only is there no state religion in the country but the Ukrainian government also did not make alliances with any major religious denomination, despite the fact that this was common practice in former Soviet republics (Lankauskas, 2008; Plokhy, 2002; Wanner, 2007). This religious pluralism, together with the fall of the Iron Curtain, opened new possibilities for believers and functioned as an impetus for rapid changes within Ukrainian Baptist communities.…”