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4/1/2014 Christians in Ukraine: Ecumenism in the Trenches | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and views

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CWRArchive:Analysis

ChristiansinUkraine:EcumenismintheTrenchesMarch 04, 2014

TheconflictbetweenthestateandthesocietyinUkrainehasledtoasignificant,andpositive,shiftinperspectiveamongOrthodox,Catholics,andProtestantsFr.CyrilHovorun

ThereligiousmapofUkraineontheeveoftheproteststhatbeganinNovember2013lookedlikeamosaicofmilitarycamps.Thetroopsdidnotconductactivemaneuversnoropenlyattackeachother.Theyjuststayedintheirtranches,whiletheirgeneralsoccasionallymetontheneutralgroundtoimitatenegotiationsontruce,whichnoneofthemreallywanted.Thesituationchanged,however,whenthecivilprotestsbeganinNovember2013atthecentralsquareofKiev,theMaidanofIndependence.ThecivilawakeningurgedtheUkrainianchurchestoreconsidertheirrelationshiptoeachother.ThisfollowedthereconsiderationoftheirrelationshipwiththeUkrainianstateandthesociety.ThecommonfightforrestorationofsocialjusticeandlateronagainsttheaggressionofRussiaprovidetheUkrainianChurchesachanceforreconciliation.

Statistics

Ukraineisreligiouslydiverse.NooneChurchhasamonopoly.ThelargestistheUkrainianOrthodoxChurch(UOC)incommunionwiththePatriarchateofMoscow.

Accordingtotheofficialstatistics1,inJanuary2013ithad12,485registeredcommunities.ThisistheonlyUkrainianchurchrecognisedbythefellowshipoftheOrthodoxChurchesworldwide.For22yearsthePrimateofthisChurchwasMetropolitanofKievVolodymyrSabodan.Inrecentmonths,however,hishealthconditionhasdramaticallydeteriorated.ForthisreasononFebruary24,theSynodofthisChurchelectedasLocumTenensoftheKievanSeeMetropolitanOnufry.

ThesecondlargestChurchisthePatriarchateofKiev(UOCKP),whichwasfoundedin1992bytheformerexarchofUkraineFilaretDenisenko,whowasanathematisedforthisbythePatriarchateofMoscow.ThisChurch,accordingtothesamestatistics,counted4,536registeredcommunitiesinthebeginningof2013.

ThethirdistheUkrainianAutocephalousOrthodoxChurch(UAOC)with1,205registeredcommunities.ItoriginatesfromtheAutocephalousmovementthatstartedin1918,thenmovedintotheemigration,mostlyCanadaandtheUS,andafterUkrainebecame

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4/1/2014 Christians in Ukraine: Ecumenism in the Trenches | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and views

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movedintotheemigration,mostlyCanadaandtheUS,andafterUkrainebecameindependent,returnedtoitsmotherlandasaUAOC.

ThereisalsoaUkrainianGreekCatholicChurch(UGCC),aCatholicChurchsuiiuris,whichfollowstheeasternrite.InJanuary2013,thisChurchcounted3,734registeredcommunities,mostlyinthewesternUkrainianregionofGalicia.Itneverthelessdevelopedadistinctsocialteachingandhasapowerfulvoicerecognisedthroughoutthewholecountry.TherestoftheUkrainianChurches,includingtheRomanCatholicChurchwith919communities,actpubliclymostlythroughtheAllUkrainianCounciloftheChurchesandReligiousOrganisations.ThisCouncilisthemosteffectiveplatformofcooperationbetweendifferentreligiousgroupsinUkraine,includingJewishandMuslimcommunities.

Civilawakening

AllmajorUkrainianChurches,includingtheGreekCatholicChurch,belongtotheeasternChristiantradition.Accordingtothistradition,theChurchgivesprioritytorelationswiththestate,andnotsomuchwiththesociety.TheMaidan,however,urgedtheUkrainian

ChurchestobeginrealisingthattheunilateralrelationshipoftheChurchwiththestateisinsufficient.Thereexistsasociety,whichhasitsownintereststhatcanbeverydifferentfromthestate.

InUkraine,thesocietyopposedthekleptocraticandviolentstateandarticulateditsownagenda.UnderthepressureoftheconflictbetweenthestateandthesocietyinUkraine,theChurchesrealisedthatsocietyisdistinctfromthestateandequallyimportantforthem,ifnotmoreimportant.Theyhadtochoosebetweenthetwo,andallofthemeventuallychosethesideofthesociety.Someofthemearlier,liketheGreekCatholicChurch,andsomelater,liketheUkrainianOrthodoxChurchinunitywiththeMoscowPatriarchate.

TheUkrainianChurchesdiscoveredforthemselvesthesocietywithitsdistinctagendaowingtotheMaidan.WhydidtheMaidanbecomeapowerthatmadetheUkrainianChurcheschangetheirorientationfromthestatetothesociety?TheMaidanwasacommunity,whichcanbeinterpretedasaclassicinstanceofthecivilsociety.Thiscommunityunderstooditselfonthebasisofsharedvalues,includingdignity,honesty,nonviolence,solidarity,andreadinessforselfsacrifice.CivilsocietyintheformdemonstratedbytheMaidancanhardlybefoundeveninthemodernEurope,whereforthemostpartpeoplenowadaysareunitedonthebasisofcommoninterests,butnotcommonvalues.

TheUkrainianssawhowtheEuropeanpoliticiansbetrayedtheEuropeanMaidan,buttheUkrainiansdidnotbetraythevaluesthatEurope,historically,stoodfor.TheChurchesrealisedhowclosethesevaluesaretothevaluesofChristianity,includingaltruism,readinessforselfsacrifice,andsolidarity.TheMaidanpushedtheChurchestoriseabovethestatusquothatdominatedtheirrelationshipwiththestateforyears,andtotakethesideofthesocietyinitsstrugglewiththeviolentregime.

ThecommoneffortoftheUkrainianChurchesinaddressingtheissuesofsocialjusticeandhumandignityraisedbytheMaidangaveacluetothesolutionofanotherproblemthathasbeenplaguingtheChurchesinUkrainesincethecountrysindependence:theecclesialschisms.TheOrthodoxChurchesinUkrainearedividednotforecclesialortheologicalreasons,butforsocialandpoliticalones.ThesocialdivideintheUkrainiansocietyistherealreasonoftheschisms.Byhelpingbridgingthisdivide,theChurcheshelpthemselvestheythuspaveawaytoreconciliationandtheovercomingofschism.

Condemnationofintervention

EvenmorethedividedChurchesbecameunitedindealingwiththechallenges,whichUkrainefacedimmediatelyafterthevictoryoftheMaidan,ofseparatismintheeastandsouthofthecountry,andRussianmilitaryaggression.They'vebeganactingnotwithseparateefforts,asoftenhappenedduringtheprotestsattheMaidanbutwithmore

unity.TheychosetheplatformoftheAllUkrainianCounciloftheChurchesandReligiousOrganisationstovoicetheirconcerns.First,onFebruary22,2014thesamedaythatPresidentYanukovychwaseffectivelyoustedthemembersoftheCouncil,presidedoverbytherepresentativeoftheOUCMetropolitanAntony,signedastatement

concerningthethreatofseparatism.2OnFebruary25,themembersoftheCouncilmetwiththespeakeroftheUkrainianParliamentandtheactingPresidentofthecountry,OlexandrTurchynov,whoisaBaptistpastor.Afterthismeeting,themembersofthe

Councilissuedastatement,whichconfirmedlegitimacyofthenewgovernmentinKiev.3

4/1/2014 Christians in Ukraine: Ecumenism in the Trenches | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and views

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ThevoiceoftheChurchesbecameparticularlystrongandunifiedintheircondemnationoftheRussianaggressionagainstUkraine.ArelevantstatementwaspromulgatedonMarch2,thedayaftertheUpperChamberoftheRussianParliamentgaveitspermissiontoPresidentPutinfordeploymentoftheRussiantroopsinUkraine:

OnMarch1,2014theRussianFederationSovietoftheFederationoftheFederalSobranieonrequestofthePresidentofRussiahasgivenitspermissiontoemployRussiantroopsinUkraine.ThemilitaryengagementofanothercountryontheterritoryofUkraineisathreatnotonlyforourcountrybutalsoforpeaceandstabilityontheEuropeancontinentingeneral.

WecalltheauthoritiesofRussiatogiveupthemilitaryoranyotherinterferenceintointernalaffairsofUkrainethatarenotprovidedbytheinternationallawandbilateralagreements.TheRussianauthoritiesoughttorealizetheirresponsibilitybeforeGodandmankindforpossibleirrecoverableconsequencesofthemilitaryconflictontheUkrainianland.

TheUkrainianpeoplehavefriendly,fraternalfeelingstowardtheRussianpeople.CitizensofUkrainedonotwishtoenflamehostility.WewanttocontinuetobuildfraternalrelationswithRussiaasasovereign,independentcountry.

OnceagainwetestifytotherecognitionofthelegitimacyofthestateauthoritiesformedbytheVerkhovnaRada(Parliament)ofUkraineandtheofficialsappointedbytheactingPresidentOleksandrTurchynovandtheGovernmentofUkraine.

WeappealtotheinternationalcommunitywiththerequesttodoallthethingspossibletokeeppeaceinUkraineandkeeptheterritorialintegrity,sovereigntyandinviolabilityofthebordersoftheUkrainianstate.UnderminingofpeaceandstabilityinUkrainethreatenstoruinallthemodernsystemoftheworldsafety.ThereforeallthemeasuresshouldbeusedtokeepUkrainefromwarresultingfromtheemploymentoftheforeigntroops.

ChurchesandreligiouscommunitiesofUkrainearewiththeUkrainiannation.We

callalltomoreferventprayersforourMotherland.4

TheUkrainianOrthodoxChurchinconnectionwiththeMoscowPatriarchatehasspecialtieswiththeRussianecclesialandpoliticalleadership.Therefore,ithasmorepossibilitiesthantherestoftheUkrainianChurchestoinfluenceRussia.ThisChurchwashesitantinsupportingtheprotestsagainsttheregimeofYanukovych,anduntilthatregimefellittriedtoremainneutral.

AfterthefalloftheYanukovychregime,however,thisChurchbecamemoreactiveinsupportingtheaspirationsofthesociety.ItoffereditsmediationwithRussiabeyondthestatementoftheAllUkrainianCounciloftheChurchesandReligiousOrganisations.TheLocumTenensoftheChurch,MetropolitanOnufrysentalettertothePatriarchof

MoscowKirill5andPresidentofRussiaVladimirPutincallingonthemtoavoidamilitaryconflictwithUkraineandtopreservetheterritorialintegrityofthecountry.InhislettertoPresidentPutin,MetropolitanOnufry,inparticular,said:

TodayoursufferingMotherland,whichweallequallyloveandwishitpeaceandprosperity,facedoneofthebiggestchallengesinitshistory.Afteralonginternalcrisisandlossoflife,anewseriouscauseforconcernbecamethefactthattheFederationCounciloftheFederalAssemblyoftheRussianFederationempoweredyouwiththerighttousetheArmedForcesofRussiainUkraine.Verylittleseparatesusfromslippingintotheabyss.Itwilltakemorethanadecadetogetoutofthere.

DuringthevisitofHisHolinessPatriarchKirilltoCrimea,heutteredwisewordsthatthetwofleetsofthefraternalpeoplesshouldneverlookateachotherthroughthesightsofguns.

Lordjudgedyoutoleadagreatcountry.KnowingyouasanOrthodoxChristian,Iaskyou:stophumansuffering,preventdivisionoftheUkrainianstateandofourholyChurch.

TheofficialrhetorictodayisfarfrombeingabletocalmdownthepeopleofGod,bothlivingonthepeninsulaandinallotherpartsofUkraine.Acarelesswordcanleadtounpredictableconsequences,andGodforbidturnintoadisaster.Iurgeyouasaguardianofthelawsofthegreatcountrytostandinthewayofdivision,topreventbloodshedandfratricideofthepeopleswhocamefromthesamebaptismalfontof

Dnieper.6

4/1/2014 Christians in Ukraine: Ecumenism in the Trenches | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and views

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Dnieper.6

ThePatriarchKirillansweredtheappealofMetropolitanOnufryonthesameday.Heinparticularpromisedtodoeverythingpossibletoconvinceallthoseinwhosehandsisthe

power,thattheyshouldnotallowthedeathofinnocentpeople.7

AnanswerhasnotyetbeenreceivedfromMr.Putinasofthiswriting.

Dialogue

ThesynodoftheUkrainianOrthodoxChurchthatwasconvenedimmediatelyafterthechangeofthegovernmentandwhichelectedaLocumTenens,madeanotherimportantdecision:itsetupacommissiononthedialoguewiththePatriarchateofKiev.Thiswasaboldstep,giventhatpreviouslyanyattempttoproceedtoanofficialdialoguewasblocked.

ThisisanindicationthatthereligiousmapofUkrainecanchange.TheChurcheswillnotbelookingateachotherfromthetrenchesthroughthesightofguns.NowthattheyfindthemselvesinthesametrenchesfightingtheoccupationofUkraine,theyfeelthattheyhavebecomebrothersinarms.Hopefully,onedaytheywillfindthattheyarealsobrothersinChrist.Todaythisdayhasbecomecloseasneverbefore.

Endnotes:

1ThedataprovidedbytheDepartmentofthereligiousandnationalaffairsoftheMinistryofCultureofUkraine.Availableonhttp://risu.org.ua/ua/index/resourses/statistics/ukr2013/51768/[accessedFebruary2,2014].

2PublishedonthewebsiteoftheAllUkrainianCounciloftheChurchesandReligiousOrganizations:http://vrciro.org.ua/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=218&Itemid=1[accessedFebruary3,2014].

3PublishedonthewebsiteoftheAllUkrainianCounciloftheChurchesandReligiousOrganizations:http://vrciro.org.ua/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219&Itemid=1[accessedFebruary3,2014].

4PublishedonthewebsiteoftheAllUkrainianCounciloftheChurchesandReligiousOrganizations:http://vrciro.org.ua/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=220&Itemid=1EnglishtranslationbytheInstituteofReligiousFreedominUkraine:http://www.irf.in.ua/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=387%3A1&catid=34%3Aua&Itemid=61[accessedFebruary2,2014].

5PublishedinthewebsiteoftheUkrainianOrthodoxChurch:http://news.church.ua/2014/03/01/misceblyustitelkijivskojimitropolichojikafedrinadislavlistsvyatishomupatriarxukirilu/[accessedFebruary3,2014].

6PublishedinthewebsiteoftheUkrainianOrthodoxChurch:http://news.church.ua/2014/03/02/misceblyustitelkijivskojimitropolichojikafedrinadislav

listprezidenturosijskojifederacijivvputinu/[accessedFebruary3,2014].

7PublishedinthewebsiteoftheMoscowPatriarchate:http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/3588256.html[accessedFebruary3,2014].

AbouttheAuthorFr.CyrilHovorun

Fr.CyrilHovorunisapriestoftheRussianOrthodoxChurch(MoscowPatriarchate),andcurrentlyaresearcheratYaleUniversity.From2007to2009hewasChairmanoftheDepartmentofExternalChurchRelationsoftheUkrainianOrthodoxChurchandinitiatedthefirstattemptsatdialoguewiththenonrecognizedOrthodoxChurchesinUkraine.HehasparticipatedinofficialCatholicOrthodoxdialogue,andisalsoamemberoftheStIrenaeusgroup,whichconstitutesanunofficialdialoguebetweentheOrthodoxandCatholictheologians.From2009to2012,hewasthefirstdeputychairmanoftheEducationalCommitteeoftheRussianOrthodoxChurch.HeistheauthorofWill,Action,andFreedom:ChristologicalControversiesintheSeventhCentury(Brill,2008).

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(Brill,2008).

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danser10 a month agoThis is the real path of all religion build peace and love!

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jb1111 a month ago danser10But even Christ cast the money changers from the Temple !!

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Qoheleth a month ago jb1111O well said! The churches do not want Russia running overthem but they don't mind the US/EU/IMF/ as presented by theCIA and George Soros and his billions stirring the pot. Thesame paid agitators from Egypt were spotted in Kiev. VictoriaNuland, number 3 in the state dept. stated publicly that the UShas spent over 5 Billion dollars in an attempt to get U. to jointhe EU. In addition, a full 3 weeks before the ousting of Yanuk.,who was Constitutionally elected, she was recorded in aconversation with the US Ambassador to Uk in which theywere discussing who would take over the post. Really? Thisarticle sounds like it was written by American Bishops whoeither don't really know what is going on or choose to ignore it.

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J R Johnson 22 days ago QohelethThank you so much; you are quite correct in what yousay.

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Malachi O'Conghaile 22 days ago QohelethThank you Qoheleth for these balancing points to thearticle. I am surprised that someone of Fr Cyril'sposition and contacts should overlook the influence ofthe USA and EU in the lead up to the "peaceful"protests at the Maidan. Is he also aware that the EU andRussia are investigating the sniper shooting at Maidan,which killed both police and protesters alike? Evidenceof these shootings has allegedly left a trail to the new"peaceful" coalition government...I pray that the wholetruth will come to light.

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4/1/2014 Christians in Ukraine: Ecumenism in the Trenches | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and views

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