The Baton and the Cross: Russia's Church from Pagans to Putin

by Lucy Ash

For more than a millennium, the Russian Orthodox Church has shown astonishing survival skills - from the Mongol yoke, to tsarist demagoguery and enlightenment, Soviet atheism, the chaotic 1990s and now two decades of Vladimir Putin.

In this provocative new book, Lucy Ash reveals how, under Putin, religion is being stripped of its spiritual content and used as a weapon to control the population in a way never seen before. Orthodox clerics and their acolytes are trying to drag Russia backwards into a new Middle Ages.

Combining historical research with vivid present-day reportage, The Baton and the Cross explores the impact the Church is having on millions of Russians' lives - from the tower blocks of Moscow and the big cities to far-flung villages in Siberia. Delving into the underbelly of politics, state security and big money, Ash shows how these forces have formed an unholy alliance with Orthodoxy.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Religion, Russia, Politics, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published November 7, 2024

Reviews

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book to read to understand the Russian Orthodox Church today, particularly its cowardly concubinage to Vladimir Putin.

Veteran journalist Lucy Ash is an unbeliever herself but she has a long-standing relationship with Russia, having reported on the country for decades. She begins the book by chronicling the beginnings of Orthodoxy in Holy Rus', namely the Christianization of Kievan Rus' in 988 AD under the rule of Vladimir the Great (the birthplace of Russian Orthodoxy being in Kievan Rus' also helps to explain Putin's ambitions to conquer Ukraine due to its symbolic value). Ash continues unfolding the history of Russian Orthodoxy, paying close attention to the Russian Church's relationship to the state. Along the way, readers encounter figures such as Nils Sorsky (c. 1433 - 1508), champion of the nestyazhateli (non-possessors) who opposed the ecclesiastical ownership of land, Patriarch Nikon of Moscow (1605 - 1681), whose ecclesiastical and liturgical reforms (which brought Russian Orthodoxy more closely in alignment with Greek Orthodoxy) were stridently rejected by the Old Believers, and the Russian statesman Konstantin Pobedonostsev (1827 - 1907), an arch-conservative official placed in charge of the Most Holy Synod. Ash also examines how the Russian Church operated during the oppressive Soviet era.

But this is not just a history of the distant past; it is also very much an exploration of Russian Christianity in the present. The two key characters in most of the book are Vladimir Putin and the current Patriarch, Kirill of Moscow but she also interviews and interacts with minor clergy and lay Russians. The Russian Church has thrived in the post-Soviet era as a hand of the state, with hundreds - even thousands - of churches and monasteries being built and the priesthood growing in number. Kirill and his clerics have vociferously promulgated traditional values and distrust of the "decadent" West yet much of the Church's funding has come from shady sources (notably the oligarchs) and corruption and hypocrisy abounds. Kirill has also been aggressively vying for dominance in the Orthodox world, not only in Ukraine but further afield, exporting Russian clergy around the world (especially pushing into Africa), and feuding with Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch. Despite the Church's power and influence in Russian society, the actual rate of regular church attendance is incredibly low, with little more than a tenth of the Russian populace participating in worship at least once a month.

Highly recommend this deeply fascinating book!

[Matthew Zajac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully-written and riveting book. It's a history of the Russian Orthodox church and its role in state power, with a particularly detailed and grisly account of the way that this church and Vladimir Putin have used each other to create the psychopathic gangster authoritarianism that now controls Russia. It's also a very personal journey, with so many fascinating accounts of the author's journeys and encounters across Russia on journalism assignments over the past 30-odd years. Lucy Ash writes with a great depth of knowledge. She really knows what she's writing about. She has taken great care to give us a highly readable, perceptive, horrifying, and even, at times, funny book and an essential aid to understanding what has been going on in Putin's Russia.

[historic_chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expertly written, compiling the complicated history of the Russian Orthodox Church and its complex relationship with the Russian state, journalist Lucy Ash presents a convincing argument on how the church has assisted in influencing and shaping the drive and ambition of Russia.

Interweaving personal reflection of memories of Russia with deep historical fact of her chosen subject, Ash presents a realistic approach to the troubled policies of Putin's Russia and the war in Ukraine and how they compare to that of the Russia of old. With a chilling frankness, Ash does not refrain from documenting the harsh realities that feature in the history of the church.

Timely and thought-provoking, The Baton and the Cross is an essential book for understanding the turbulent history of the Russian state and religion, and how it shaped its present ways.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting combination of potted history of the Orthodox Church in Russia, and its contemporary entanglement with Putin's regime. The chapter on its role in the ongoing culture wars around domestic violence and gay rights is particularly devastating.

[History Today]

Lucy Ash’s passionate The Baton and the Cross: Russia’s Church from Pagans to Putin (Icon) convinced me that Pussy Riot’s 2012 sacrilege in the Church of Christ the Saviour in Moscow was far more Christian than anything the Russian Orthodox Church has said or done over the last 80 years.

Read History Today’s Books of the Year 2024 at https://www.historytoday.com/archive/...

Donald Rayfield is author of ‘A Seditious and Sinister Tribe’: The Crimean Tatars and Their Khanate (Reaktion)

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an impressive book on the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. It lays bare the way in which it became ideology driven and assumed an essential role in Russia's war against Ukraine. I have great admiration for Lucy Ash to have put together such a detailed account.

[Bart Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complete book with some background information of the Russian Orthodox church and it’s current status. However, what I missed was a bit more neutral description of the current status from both sides. Additionally, I would have liked some information on the break between Moscow and Constantinopel on a liturgical level.

[Helen Smedley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and reviewed countless books about Russia, but few have been as engaging and topical as this one. Lucy Ash devotes the first part of the book to a run-down of Russian history with particular reference to the Orthodox Church and its relationship with the state: it was during the time of Peter the Great that the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) became an official department of state, and indeed subservient to it. The 19th century saw Orthodoxy enshrined as part of an unholy conservative trinity - Autocracy, Orthodoxy and Nationhood. After the horrors of the Communist-era persecution of the ROC, and Christians in general, which are described in detail, we are shown in the second part of the book how a version of this tripartite ideology came to be espoused by Putin, who co-opted the ROC and its leaders in his messianic quest to restore the Russian empire, the Russkiy Mir (Russian World). Collaboration with the authorities was a feature of Church life in Communist times, and indeed the author shows how innumerable clerics were active KGB informers. After the turmoil of the 1990s, Putin gradually asserted control over ROC leaders to the point where Patriarch Kirill (an important figure in this book with an entire chapter devoted to him) was described by Pope Frances as "Putin's altar boy". The account of the Putin era with regard to the ROC becomes darker as time moves on: there are descriptions of 'land grabs', materialistic enrichment, and increasing repression - women's rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights have all significantly worsened. Domestic violence is condoned by the government and the ROC. There is a patriarchy within the Patriarchate. The overall impression is of a Church that is repressive, venal and Machiavellian. Nevertheless, tribute is paid to the priests and other religious workers who have remained true to their faith, made every effort to help the disadvantaged, and defied the authorities, even if it has entailed punishment and the ending of their careers. The culmination of events is the war in Ukraine: Lucy Ash demonstates how Patriarch Kirill has become a kind of recruitment officer for the Russian army. In Ukraine itself, the situation is complicated by the existence of two Orthodox Churches with very similar names; this is confusing for the reader as well as for, probably, international observers. One is reminded of Monty Python's People's Front of Judaea and Judaean People's Front. Rather strangely, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church which is allied to the Moscow Patriarchate still retains among its flock many patriotic Ukrainians who abhor Putin's 'Special Military Operation', and regard the breakaway Orthodox Church of Ukraine as schismatic. The book is beautifully written and thoroughly researched, and given originality by means of several author interviews. Lucy Ash has a deep knowledge of Russia and the former Soviet Union and provides colour and a personal touch from her decades of journalism and even before that, from her formative teenage experiences in Russia, a country she came to love.

[Elena Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Ash's The Baton and the Cross explores the enduring relationship between religion and political power in Russia, tracing the Russian Orthodox Church's evolution across more than a millennium of dramatic historical change. From the Mongol era and tsarist rule to Soviet atheism and the contemporary political landscape, the book examines how the Church has adapted to shifting authorities and circumstances.

Combining historical research with vivid on-the-ground reporting, Ash investigates the influence of religious institutions on Russian society and their connections to politics, national identity, and state power. Her exploration of the Church's role under Vladimir Putin raises important questions about the relationship between spiritual belief, political influence, and public life.

Particularly appealing to readers of Russian history, religious studies, and international affairs, this 384-page work offers a thought-provoking perspective on the forces shaping modern Russia. It is a compelling choice for readers seeking historical context for contemporary developments and a deeper understanding of how religion can intersect with political authority.

[Iang95ify . · Rating 4 out of 5]

An even-handed of the history and present day effect of the Orthodox Church of Russia (Moscow Patriarchate). The first half of the book explains how Orthodox Christianity originated in Russia, survived many eras (from the Mongol Horde, Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Romanovs and the Soviet era). With the fall of Communism in Russia, the church began to reconstitute its strength and influence. The second half of the book deals with how the Moscow Patriarchate has evolved into an organ of the Russian state and amassed a large property empire. Ash shows how the Church has rolled back feminism and LGBT rights in Russia, that it is ruthless in cracking down on dissent and been a tool of Russian foreign policy from supporting Russia’s military adventures in Ukraine and Syria.

[Solomon Mcharo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most authors who write about Russia in the current epoch, separate Russia into three distinct governments: Tsarist Russia, Communist Russia and Post Iron Curtain Russia. This author has managed to write about all those governments as one hegemony while using the church as a backdrop to connect the current times of Putin with those of the past such as with the Tsars. You are not able to feel the stamp of Putin’s rule that is common with many authors when they write about the current rule in Russia. This book provides context about the Mongol raids on Russian territory which serves to say that Putin has avoided the trap of believing that he could obtain further territory in Eastern Europe without redefining the borders through the spilling of blood.

[Toby Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just really really amazing. The subject isn’t one that sounds like something that could be tackled by your average history enjoyer but Lucy Ash does such an excellent job of making the material so consumable. From the foundations of religion to how it is manipulated and used as a political vehicle by Putin in modern day. It shows us how many angles authoritarian and in fact any governing class can come from to manipulating its people. Lucy’s expert knowledge and personal story’s she has gathered just add that much extra to the book. The personal stories we get to read are just amazing and show that at any level you aren’t safe within the Putin republic. I’d recommend this to anyone who has a love for politics or history.

[Kurt Vorndran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really an important book given the present situation. Lucy Ash tells of both the good and bad as to the thousand year long relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the State. There are both heroes and villains throughout history, and this book leads the reader to understand the present day subservience of the ROC to Putin while also giving an understanding as to how Orthodoxy can be a source of strength and courage to those who dissent from Putin.

[Anastasiya Gorelik · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amount of detail, that fits into this amazingly researched narrative is astonishing. It’s not just the facts, it’s the emotion, the household detail , the relationship and the line that all gets back to today

[E1234 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly well researched and a fascinating topic. Only bafflingly difficult to read; I don’t know if that’s tone or structure, but it was too dense and skipped from one thing to the other without good qualification. However, learnt a lot, and I’m pleased I read!

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Gina Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can completely see why this book has been shortlisted for the British Academy book award, it ties together past and present seamlessly despite spanning 1000 years of history. Although I studied Russian history and a variety of time periods in Russian history during my undergraduate degree a do feel the relationship between the state, the church and the people is often neglected. These are brought in to the light in this book starting with the conversion to Christianity and through to the present. The chapters focusing directly on Putin’s Russia were engaging and detailed, welcomely avoided reading like a news article and instead kept a similar format to previous chapters.

Very good selection of pictures.

[Juliet]

Fascinating from start to finish.

I found The Baton and the Cross a gripping read, filled with gasp-out-loud moments. Lucy Ash scatters little gems of insight throughout, such as the story of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which took half a century to build and cost 15 million roubles—more than twice the 7 million roubles Russia received when selling Alaska to the U.S. in 1867. It was demolished in just an hour in 1931.

Ash’s journalistic skill shines as she expertly condenses the vast history of the Russian Orthodox Church and its ‘abusive codependent’ relationship with the Russian state into a compelling narrative. She makes a clear case for how the Church’s entanglement with political power has not only shaped Russia but also continues to influence its ambitions today. Not only does she provide deep historical insights, but she also includes her own personal experiences of visiting Russia, beginning at age 15. These firsthand reflections make her account even more relatable and lend a personal touch that draws the reader closer to the realities of Russian life and history.

The book vividly illustrates how the early history of the Church is vitally connected to Putin’s war in Ukraine. Since present-day Ukraine was once the heartland of the ancient Rus, with Kyiv as the mother of all Russian cities, Putin persists in seeing it not as an independent country but as "Little Russia," with sacred significance for Russian identity. This historical context provides a chilling backdrop for understanding Putin’s expansionist agenda and his use of the Russian Orthodox Church to further it. From 1500 to 1917, the Russian Empire expanded at an astonishing rate of 130 square kilometers a day, only to lose about 5.3 million square kilometers in 1991 when the Soviet Union dissolved. Putin's nostalgia for imperial Russia drives his view of the invasion of Ukraine as a mission to “return” what he considers historically Russian territory.

Ash doesn’t shy away from recounting the brutalities in the Church's history, tempered by acts of kindness from noble priests. The gruesome details of an archbishop hunted to death by dogs after being sewed into a bearskin, priests who were scalped or crucified, and the tens of thousands killed between the Russian Revolution and WWII are haunting reminders of the Church’s turbulent past. These examples surpass the estimated 3,500 early Christian martyrs thrown to the lions.

This book is a timely and accessible exploration of Russia's turbulent religious history and how it continues to shape the present. Ash connects the past to the present seamlessly, offering a fresh perspective on how Putin draws inspiration from figures like Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great. By interweaving historical context with vivid storytelling, Ash brings clarity to a crucial but often overlooked aspect of Russian power and its moral complexities. I was particularly struck by how Putin kept his advisors in the dark about the invasion, suggesting he looks more to historical figures for counsel than to those in his own administration.

Ash's work is both an eye-opening exploration of the past and a sobering reflection on the current state of Russia, offering readers a compelling lens through which to view Putin’s motivations and ambitions. It is a powerful read that’s as relevant as it is thought-provoking.