Living Faithfully in an Unjust World: Compassionate Care in Russia PDF
Preview Living Faithfully in an Unjust World: Compassionate Care in Russia
Living Faithfully in an Unjust World The publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Ahmanson Foundation Humanities Endowment Fund of the University of California Press Foundation. Living Faithfully in an Unjust World compassionate care in russia Melissa L. Caldwell u n i v e r s i t y o f c a l i f o r n i a p r e s s University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. University of California Press Oakland, California © 2017 by The Regents of the University of California Cataloguing-in-Publication Data is on fi le at the Library of Congress isbn (cloth): 978-0-520-28583-5 isbn (paper): 978-0-520-28584-2 isbn (epub): 978-0-520-96121-0 Manufactured in the United States of America 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For Mikaela, whose empathy knows no bounds Contents List of Illustrations ix Preface xi Note on Transliteration xviii 1. Compasion 1 2. Faith in a Secular Humanism 38 3. Practical Love 65 4. Developing Faith in a More Civil Society 91 5. Living a Life of Service 123 6. The Business of Being Kind 156 7. The Defi cits of Generosity 193 8. Conclusion: Precarious Faith 223 Notes 231 References 241 Index 255 I llustrations 1. Titled “Compassion” and dedicated to a stray dog that lived in Moscow’s Mendeleevskaia metro station, this sculpture promotes compassion for all homeless animals. 2 2. The caption to this billboard reads “I see with my heart.” It appeared on busy Moscow streets in 2009 as part of the city’s promotion of compassion as a civic virtue and activity. 13 3. The value of friendship as an essential component of social service is evident in this billboard promoting volunteer opportunities working with disabled persons through the “Best Buddies” organization. 83 4. This banner hanging outside a Russian Orthodox church encourages people “To love your neighbor as yourself ” as part of cultivating a “Holy Russia.” 87 5. Promising “emergency social assistance,” this advertisement for the Russian Orthodox Church’s charitable organization Miloserdie announces that “We are searching for volunteers (good-hearted people).” 137 6. Journalists from an international news agency interview a staf member with a faith-based social services program about the organization’s human rights activities. 142 ix
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