Mikhail Morgulis


Mikhail Z. Morgulis was a Russian-language writer, editor and theologian. He was among the first Americans to broadcast sermons in Russian to millions of people living behind the Iron Curtain in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other former republics of the Soviet Union and to Russian-speaking audiences in the United States and Canada.

Personal life and education

Mikhail Morgulis was born in Kyiv, Ukraine. His father, Zinovii Morgulis, was a journalist who published in Russian and Ukrainian newspapers and journals. His mother, Lubov Sadanovska was a medical doctor.
Morgulis studied at the Naval College.He studied and graduated Kyiv University. He studied and graduated with MA from Norwich University where he was a teaching in their Russian School during summers. Also a DMin from Seminary.
In 1971 Mikhail Morgulis married Tatiana Titov. They have three children, Val, Z, and Nikola.

Career

In 1972 Morgulis won a coveted award sponsored by the Ukrainian [Union of Soviet Writers] and the Soviet [Ministry of Culture] for his collection of stories entitled It's Hope's Turn. In 1977 he emigrated from the Soviet Union, going first to Vienna and then Rome before settling in New York City. There he wrote for The New Russian Word and Russian Thought in Paris. At the same time he worked in a relief organization for Soviet immigrants. His articles and stories also appeared in the journals Continent, Time and Us, The World, The New Journal and Panorama, as well as in the literary almanacs Three Anniversaries for Andrei Sedykh and Kaleidoscope.
In the 1980s he edited two literary journals, Literary Abroad and Literary Courier, both intended to offer an opportunity for Russian-language writers and readers in exile, primarily in the United States.
In 1982, by an invitation from Slavic Gospel Association, he moved to Chicago where he helped establish the Slavic Gospel Press which published over 100 works in Russian and Ukrainian, including copies of the Bible and translations of text by C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others. Mikhail also began a series of spiritual radio broadcasts to the Soviet Union, beginning with his own literary novellas, Farewell, Cranes, and The Fate of the Clown that later appeared as audio-albums.
In 1990, he was one of the first Americans to broadcast Christian programming on Soviet television. In 1991 he visited Russia with a delegation of American spiritual leaders and they met with president of USSR Mikhail Gorbachev and other political figures. He prayed in the Kremlin and in the KGB headquarters.
Mikhail Morgulis continued his work through Christian Bridges International and founder of Spiritual Diplomacy Foundation located in North Port, Florida. He wrote and participated in an active ministry. He served as the Honorary Consul of Belarus in North Port, Florida.

Published books

  • 1989 Return to the Red Planet: 22 Days in Gorbachev's Backyard .
  • 1991 Dreams of My Life .
  • 1993 The Sermon of the Good Samaratin .
  • 1994 What is the Most Terrifying Thing? .
  • 1995 The Cross and Love .
  • 1996 Russia, between Sword and Cross. With Melissa Rose Marshall.
  • 2001 Spiritual Diplomacy: real-life stories.
  • 2005 Yearning for Paradise..
  • 2006 "Country of Mum flowers, mountains and blessings"
  • 2012 It Was a Dream .