#162 // Dr. David Deavel | Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Warning To The West

#162 // Dr. David Deavel | Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Warning To The West

From Orthodoxy by Andy Schmitt

January 28, 2026 · 1h 22m · Episode 162

About this episode

Andy Schmitt interviews Dr. David Deavel about Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's life, legacy, and warnings to the West.

In this episode I talked with Dr. David Deavel from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. He is the Associate Professor of Theology and is the author and editor of several books including a book called Solzhenitsyn and American Culture. We discussed the contents of his book and the life and legacy of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. We talked about why Russian culture — their music, literature, and art — is so rich while their political history is not. We discussed Solzhenitsyn’s time in the Gulags and how he learned of the evil of Communism. We also talked about his 1978 speech at Harvard in which he gives a warning to America and where the West is headed. I hope you enjoy!

People in this episode

Guest: Dr David Deavel

Topics covered

  • Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
  • Russian culture
  • Communism
  • Gulags
  • Harvard speech

Keywords

  • theology
  • American culture
  • political history

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Solzhenitsyn and American Culture

Books & works: Solzhenitsyn and American Culture

Places: Houston, Gulags, America

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