Deacon Andrei Kuraev (1963- ), Professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, one of the most popular preachers in Russia
Moscow, 29 October 2008 (Interfax):
Deacon Andrei Kuraev, a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, thinks that people should use the events surrounding the economic crisis as a means to grow spiritually. “Under the pressures that come with a crisis, people break down, but, this can lead to a cleansing, as they can come to an understanding of what is real and what is rubbish. It is possible for people to become better after undergoing such a test”, Fr Andrei said to our Interfax-Religion correspondent on Wednesday during an interview.
In his opinion, the main thing in a time of economic crisis is “to retain one’s humane impulses, and not make up such excuses as ’such extraordinary economic conditions force me to be especially stingy’”. He thinks that this applies with special force to employers. “Let them moderate their thirst for profits and limit their appetite, but, they should not make people redundant, for this shall leave them without bread. It is better to cut back on oysters during lunch than to cut back your workers’ pay-packets”, Fr Andrei emphasised. He gave a quote from the Holy Scripture, “Alms given to the poor are a loan to the Lord, and He shall render reward for every good deed”. “Repeatedly, I have seen these words proven correct and true by my own experience”, Fr Andrei noted.
As a case in point, he told of an event that happened to him last week. In St Petersburg, where he flew to take part in a television programme, the producers reimbursed him for the price of the ticket. He met two young seminarians from Piter (like saying “da Big Apple” for New York: editor’s note) who “looked like hungry sparrows. I gave each of them 1,000 roubles (37 USD. 29 euros. 23 UK pounds) and caught a flight from St Petersburg to Kiev. In Kiev, an unknown man approached me and said, ‘Oh, Fr Andrei, I am so glad to see you! I want to help you get by in this financial crisis’. He gave me 2,000 dollars (53,917 roubles. 1,558 euros. 1,224 UK pounds)”, Deacon Andrei said. “Sometimes, if I find myself in a tight squeeze financially and I find a needy seminarian, I give him the money he needs, then, I look up to Heaven and say, ‘Lord, did you see that? You owe me a small debt’”, Fr Andrei joked.
Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=27129 (in Russian)
Editor’s Note:
Vintage 100 percent pure Deacon Andrei, to be sure! Nevertheless, there is a point to be made. If you make someone redundant these days, you condemn them to poverty. If you can cut back on luxuries so that your employees have the means to support to their families, this is a Christian duty, not an option. How many American employers shall go against Deacon Andrei’s advice? All too many, I am afraid… and the worst ones shall be “born agains”, just you wait and see!
Isn’t he delightful? Thanks for posting this. I do wish my Russian were better (or, that I didn’t only have a miserable smattering of it) so as to have better access to Fr Andrei’s writings and sermons.
Incidentally, the quote from the Holy Scriptures that Fr Andrei offered comes from Proverbs 19:17.
Comment by Esteban Vázquez — Wednesday, 29 October 2008 @ 17:30