[St. Pachomius Library]

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov


XIX/XX Centuries
Ivan Pavlov is remembered for explaining animal behaviour in terms of conditioned automatic reflexes, a theory which greatly appealed to the Soviet dictatorship when applied to human beings. It is perhaps surprising then that Pavlov (the son of a priest and himself originally educated for the priesthood) was not only an Orthodox believer but an outspoken confessor in time of persecution who used his international fame and his good standing with the regime to protect other Christians.

Norman Hugh Redington

1

Return to St Pachomius Library.