Here’s a reported story worth re-telling. The year was 1930.
Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin was one of the most powerful leaders of the Bolshevik Revolution.
He stood before a large crowd in Kiev with a commanding air of absolute confidence. He had just finished addressing the huge assembly on the subject of Atheism.
A Russian intellectual, Bukharin was the editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (meaning ‘Truth’) and was a member of the Politburo. His celebrated works on economics and political science were huge sellers.
But as this political power-house spoke, he attacked and scoffed at Christianity at every turn.
Upon completing his hour-long speech, he proudly felt that he had successfully decimated Christianity.
“Are there any questions?” Bukharin demanded.
A deafening silence filled the auditorium. Then one solitary man stood. All eyes were on him.
The crowd waited with bated breath, anticipating what he might say in the intimidating presence of Nikolai Bukharin.
To their surprise, he gave his irrefutable rebuttal with a single cry:
“KHRISTOS VOSKRES!”
(pronounced “HristOs voskrEse”)
“CHRIST IS RISEN!”
As he shouted the well-known Russian Orthodox greeting, the crowd arose as one man; and the response was deafening:
“VOISTINU VOSKRES!”
(pronounced “V0-eee-stinu VoskreSe)
“HE IS RISEN INDEED!”
End of argument.
