Spiritual Diplomacy is a revolutionary concept that first came into being in 1991, when Mikhail Morgulis, a prominent Russian writer and theologian, first prayed in the Kremlin. Spiritual Diplomacy has been growing in importance to the present day, when global uncertainty and national anxiety underscore the great need for spiritual cooperation and healing. The goal of Spiritual Diplomacy consists of helping to eliminate conflicts between and within countries with the help of the vast unutilized resources of love found in the Bible and other traditional Holy books. Spiritual Diplomacy strives to build a bridge between countries, people, churches, and souls with a view to minimize conflicts between countries. The ultimate purpose of Spiritual Diplomacy is to achieve global harmony between nations.
This new era of Spiritual Diplomacy dawned in 1991, when Mikhail Morgulis, for the first time in the history of U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations, organized an official invitation and then headed a group of American Christians on their visit to the Soviet Union, where they met with the country’s leaders. In an action of unprecedented scope, this delegation of 18 Christians from the United States, including Mikhail himself, visited Moscow and was able to meet with top officials at the Council of Ministers, the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet (Parliament), the Ministry of Defense, the Academy of Science, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Journalists’ Union. The climax of their trip was a meeting in the Kremlin with Mikhail Gorbachev, who was then the President of the U.S.S.R.
In a moving ceremony, official prayers in the name of Jesus Christ were conducted at the KGB Headquarters and in the Kremlin for the first time in history. One of the KGB generals broke down in tears during the service. His photograph, captioned General’s tears, appeared in many newspapers at the time. The press called the event “a spiritual breakthrough in the Iron Curtain.” Right after the service, Mikhail Gorbachev said: “We needed all of this so much before, and we still need it.” There is no question that we need it now, in the first decade of the 21st century, more than ever.
For Mikhail Morgulis, this was only the beginning. After the groundbreaking event, Mikhail, along with his friends and colleagues, met and prayed together with many notable figures, including, once again, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Leonid Kuchma (President of Ukraine), Chairmen of the Parliaments of Russia and Ukraine, Aleksandr Lukashenko (President of Belarus), and the President of the Muslim country of Kyrgyzstan. Prayer meetings were also held with leading politicians, writers, scientists, sports figures, and physicians. The group also brought prayer to children living in orphanages, as well as to prison inmates, felons, and murderers.
One of the principal ways by which Spiritual Diplomacy works towards achieving its goals is through personal meetings with political leaders of countries. One such goal is to improve the relationship between the U.S. and Belarus. At the same time, Spiritual Diplomacy also wants to improve the relationship between Belarusian believers and their government. As a result of several personal meetings with the President of Belarus and his assistants, the President signed a new law releasing all Belarusian religious institutions from property taxes.
The activities of Spiritual Diplomacy are by no means limited to personal meetings with different heads of state. Spiritual Diplomacy works through a multitude of channels – such as culture, sports, and the arts – to build bridges between countries in conflict.
One recent example of such a project is the creation of the first Christian ballet in the world Martin Luther. The unforgettable performance is the result of active collaboration between Spiritual Diplomacy and the dancers of Dmitriy Bugaev’s Ballet Theater. Spiritual Diplomacy helped write the libretto for the ballet. This new cultural event, which premiered at the famous Aleksanterin Theater in Helsinki, attracted thousands of viewers from Russia and other Baltic countries. Through the universal language of dance, flexibility, and gestures, the evangelical message of love and Spiritual Diplomacy found its way into the viewers’ hearts. Many atheists and former communists felt the need to review their relationship with the Creator. This ballet connected people that spoke different languages with the help of a single spiritual idea – love for Jesus. Soon this ballet will be shown to thousands of American viewers.
Another example of Spiritual Diplomacy’s action is through sport. Together with the American organization Sportspower International, Spiritual Diplomacy arranged for a game in Belarus between the veterans of the NBA and the national basketball team of Belarus. The two games were held at sports palaces in Minsk and Gomel. Ten million people in Belarus and thirty million in Russia watched these games on live television. At the opening of the games, Mikhail Morgulis said that they came not only to win in sports, but also to win human hearts with the love of Christ and to prove that millions of Americans love and respect the Belarusian people. Millions of people found out that America is a friend to Belarus and that American Christians pray about Belarus. Through friendly competition, a team of basketball players made loud and clear what professional diplomats could not accomplish for over 10 years.
Mikhail Morgulis once said to the Helsiki Commision at the U.S. Congress that everyone wants people to be free and happy. The methods Spiritual Diplomacy uses to achieve this goal are different. “We don’t punish or force people. We try to change the hearts of the leaders of these countries with love and respect. By changing the hearts of the leaders we change the situations in these countries.”
As the former prime minister of Israel Ariel Sharon put it, “Spiritual Diplomacy is the one last realistic chance to find peace on this earth.” Leaders of the Palestine Authority agreed that Spiritual Diplomacy proposes a practical way for reaching peace and understanding. In his presentation in front of the Knesset and the Palestinian leaders, Mikhail said that Spiritual Diplomacy will not make them love each other right away, but will teach tolerance. The flowers of love will have a chance to blossom on the roots of tolerance.
If you or your organization is interested in working with Spiritual Diplomacy to end conflicts within and between countries with the help of love, you may contact us
by phone: 630-417-0306,
by e-mail: bridgeUSA@aol.com or markbazalev@mail.ru, or
by mail: P. O. Box 67, Ashford, CT 06278.