Rehearsal of the apocalypse: Christians of the post-Soviet regions about covid-19

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has confronted the global religious community with the need to review the traditions and practices that have developed over the centuries. It has clearly shown that apocalyptic literature and its ideas are closely related to the context of this crisis. The former Soviet regions are no exception to this tendency. The connection between Covid-19 and the Revelation of John has become a point of discussion in different kinds of media. The purpose of this article is to analyze the representative views of various Christian confessions within the post-Soviet region. The intention is to identify an appropriate hermeneutical paradigm. There are four basic hermeneutical schools of interpretation of the apocalypse - the preterist, historicist, idealist and futurist. What is emphasized in the experience of post-Soviet Christians is the idealistic and/or futuristic. Covid-19 is perceived as a rehearsal of the apocalypse.