Shtundists
Encyclopedia
The Shtundists are any of several Evangelical Protestant groups in the former Soviet Union
and its successor states. More specifically, the term refers to sectarian Christian groups that emerged among Ukrainian and Russian peasants in southern regions of the Russian Empire
(present day Ukraine
) in the second half of the 19th century. Unlike Russian Spiritual Christian
sects, the Shtundists were heavily influenced by German Baptists, Pietists and Mennonites that settled in the southern parts of the Russian Empire.
The word Shtundist is derived from the German word "hour", in reference to the practice of setting aside an hour for bible study. The term was originally used in a derogatory sense, but has also been adopted by many adherents to this tradition.
Another self-denomination is the name Evangelical Christians which first appeared in 1909 when several Shtundist groups, led by the engineer Ivan Prokhanov and mostly rooted in the Pietist tradition, formed a nationwide association in St Petersburg, the All-Russian Evangelical Christian Union. These evangelical groups came under pressure in Soviet times, with many adherents being incarcerated or deported. Conditions changed somewhat during the late 1940s, when most evangelical, Baptist and Pentecostalist groups were led - with some pressure from the Soviet state - to form the Association of Evangelical Christian Baptists , which was later also joined by Mennonites. In Russia, the Evangelical Christian Baptists still form the largest Protestant denomination with about 80,000 adherents.
During the late 20th century, Shtundism also extended its influence to Germany
when many former Soviet citizens of German origin
emigrated there and set up parish
es and gospel halls, mostly referring to themselves as "Evangeliumschristen" ("Gospel Christians").
The Shtundists helped hide many Jews in the Ukraine from the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and its successor states. More specifically, the term refers to sectarian Christian groups that emerged among Ukrainian and Russian peasants in southern regions of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(present day Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) in the second half of the 19th century. Unlike Russian Spiritual Christian
Spiritual Christianity
Spiritual Christianity is a type of religious thought among the sectarianism of Russian Orthodoxy, with followers called spiritual Christians ....
sects, the Shtundists were heavily influenced by German Baptists, Pietists and Mennonites that settled in the southern parts of the Russian Empire.
The word Shtundist is derived from the German word "hour", in reference to the practice of setting aside an hour for bible study. The term was originally used in a derogatory sense, but has also been adopted by many adherents to this tradition.
Another self-denomination is the name Evangelical Christians which first appeared in 1909 when several Shtundist groups, led by the engineer Ivan Prokhanov and mostly rooted in the Pietist tradition, formed a nationwide association in St Petersburg, the All-Russian Evangelical Christian Union. These evangelical groups came under pressure in Soviet times, with many adherents being incarcerated or deported. Conditions changed somewhat during the late 1940s, when most evangelical, Baptist and Pentecostalist groups were led - with some pressure from the Soviet state - to form the Association of Evangelical Christian Baptists , which was later also joined by Mennonites. In Russia, the Evangelical Christian Baptists still form the largest Protestant denomination with about 80,000 adherents.
During the late 20th century, Shtundism also extended its influence to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
when many former Soviet citizens of German origin
History of Germans in Russia and the Soviet Union
The German minority in Russia and the Soviet Union was created from several sources and in several waves. The 1914 census puts the number of Germans living in Russian Empire at 2,416,290. In 1989, the German population of the Soviet Union was roughly 2 million. In the 2002 Russian census, 597,212...
emigrated there and set up parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es and gospel halls, mostly referring to themselves as "Evangeliumschristen" ("Gospel Christians").
The Shtundists helped hide many Jews in the Ukraine from the Nazis during the Holocaust.