It will be snowing on the day I leave Minnesota, but most of the places I am traveling to in Russia this time have already been under snow for weeks.
I will, however, catch a taste of the wet and gloomy, “Dostoyevsky style” of late fall in St. Petersburg, before moving to the all-white and frosty Central Siberia and Northern Urals. I am still trying to avoid Moscow with its tight quarantine restrictions. I will only be changing trains and planes in this, the only transportation hub for the whole country. Most of my audiences in the middle of the fall semester will naturally be students and teachers in public schools and state universities.
I will be teaching on two new topics this year, while the country is celebrating the 350th Anniversary of Peter the Great: “Religious and Secular in Public Education” and “Social Liberty vs. Freedom in Christ.” I will make sure the clear message of the Gospel is presented in both of them to my academic and professional audiences. About half of my events will take place in, or will be set up by, churches and seminaries – Orthodox and Evangelical. Or, at least, this is how the schedule looks as of 36 hours before departure.
My prayer is that the Lord will honor my efforts to set them all up… and also to correct my plans where necessary according to His divine providence. I will as always, covet your prayers.
