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Life for Christians in the former Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) existed as a socialist/communist state from 1922-1991, when it was one of the world's most ethnically diverse countries, made up of over 200 distinct ethnic groups. With a population of nearly 300 million, it was the third most populous nation after China and India. All union republics became independent countries during the last two years of communist, ending 70 years of sometimes brutal repression of religion. The Soviet Era (1922-1991)Lenin
Despite all his religious reforms during his seven years in power, Lenin concluded, "We have separated the church from the state, but we have not yet separated the people from religion." Stalin
A massive nationwide attack on every form of religion saw tens of thousands of churches closed down. All religious activities except worship within registered, state-controlled churches were banned. Any known church leaders were sent to prison or labour camp, tortured or even killed. Ordinary believers, too, were singled out for punishment and annihilation. According to Soviet historians, 40 million Soviet citizens suffered from the Stalin terror. Approximately 20 million people vanished in labour camps, many of whom were Christian believers. KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev took power in 1954. For 11 years he continued the Stalin legacy, focusing particularly on instructing school children and students in atheistic philosophy and rooting out religious belief amongst the young. He closed down two-thirds of the remaining Russian Orthodox Churches, most of the remaining monasteries and all theological colleges. Evangelicals, Baptists and Pentecostal believers came under particular pressure. One agitator summed up the general policy: "The responsibility of every communist is to be a militant atheist, an active fighter for the purity of Soviet ideology, for the complete eradication of religious prejudices." BrezhnevKhrushchev was ousted from power in 1964 and succeeded by Leonid Brezhnev. Brezhnev continued the campaign of destruction of the church not just through direct attacks, but via manipulation and continued infiltration of her leadership. Christians active in evangelism or children's work were particularly targeted. An article from the Kommunist Tadzhikistana newspaper, dated 23 March 1972, describes the situation: "Two opposed ideologies, two opposed views of life, two opposed moralities, they are as incompatible as freedom and slavery, as light and darkness. One of them brings man happiness, the other puts fetters on his heart and mind, trying to persuade him that he is only God's slave..." GorbachevIn 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev came to power and by 1987 he had introduced political and economic reforms – now known as Perestroika – literally 'restructuring'. He also instituted the concept of Glasnost, which made the Soviet leadership much more open to scrutiny and public debate. It also allowed greater freedom of information and speech for the media and ordinary citizens.
Unfortunately for him, Gorbachev's reforms were significant factors in his own demise. However, during his time in power the situation for Christians improved dramatically:
Post communist legacyOf course the legacy left by 70 years of communist rule meant that life for Christian believers was still not easy. True freedom of speech was still limited and Bible shortages remained, with an estimated 6.5 million Bibles available in the country for upward of 60 million Christian believers. The five worst obstacles obstructing change were:
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The Soviet revolution was ushered in by the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin following a bloody civil war that saw the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and his family in 1917. Lenin's new socialist state confiscated church property, land and assets. Many Russian Orthodox Church leaders were murdered or simply 'disappeared'. Hundreds of Roman Catholic Churches were forcibly closed, although Baptist and Pentecostal congregation actually grew from 150,000 to 700,000. 
When Lenin died in 1924 he was succeeded by Joseph Stalin, who did all he could to destroy Christianity until his death in March 1953. 
These reforms led to demands for free elections in many Eastern European countries and by the end of 1989 communism had collapsed in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Romania. In 1990, East and West Germany were reunited for the first time since 1945 and free elections were held in Bulgaria. In 1991, Gorbachev's government was overthrown. The Soviet Union was disbanded and replaced by 15 independent nations. After more than 40 years, the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States had come to an end.
