Софійське Братство – громадська організація
Part of the “Thoughts Aloud” mini-series created jointly by the “Sofia Brotherhood” and the German foundation Renovabis, within the project “Contemporary Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Breaking Myths
A good question – what should theology be like? And should there even be theology? That’s a different question. Another question: is theology actually a form of thinking? At least, contemporary theology.
Archpriest Volodymyr Melnychuk, Ecumenical Patriarchate, Member of the Brotherhood of St. Sophia The feast day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul illustrates an important
The Ukrainian church crisis has reached such a dead end that it seems it can no longer be resolved without external intervention. And such intervention exists – but, by a strange twist, it looks more like pouring gasoline on a fire than wise and influential mediation.
My name is Mykola, and I am a Ukrainian of Orthodox confession. I present myself this way because for some time now I no longer identify exclusively with either of Ukraine’s two main jurisdictions – I recognize both and partake in the Sacraments of both.
When someone wants to build a house on new land, they first consult specialists. They test the soil, check for underground waters. Without that, a solid foundation cannot be poured.
In a world that changes by the minute, where information flows endlessly and challenges press harder than ever, society expects the Church to offer more than spiritual care—it demands a clear prophetic stance.
In The Little Prince, Saint-Exupéry wrote, “We are responsible for those we have tamed.”
Sometimes we must at least try to remove the stain ourselves—but in collaboration with God, for the path of repentance and holiness is a shared journey.
In the 20th century, Ukrainian Orthodoxy repeatedly embarked on the path of independence from the Moscow religious center.
Shame. Shame before children, parents, relatives, loved ones, and all reasonable Orthodox believers. This is the emotion nesting in my soul now.
I begin my day with the words: “Lord, let me live through this day without stepping away from Your commandments, without offending my neighbor.”
Modern-day Ukraine is not only a battlefield for territorial integrity — it is also an arena of competing internal spiritual identities. Amid unprecedented challenges, when each day brings new trials, society expects unity, support, and moral leadership from its religious institutions.
Sometimes we think of sin as just a system failure, an error we can correct on our own — while in reality, it wounds our will.
I must admit, it’s a very difficult question to answer, because we are working from the foundations of canon law and ecclesiastical governance established in the 8th century.
In today’s Ukrainian reality, this phrase sounds almost like a challenge. Many people immediately equate the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate with political loyalty to the aggressor state.
Today, my barber told me he wanted to become a sommelier. His friend said to him, “Zhenia, that’s very risky — you’ll end up drinking only expensive wine.” It’s the same with myths. I teach the theory of myth and understand how dangerous it is to use the word “myth” as a synonym for prejudice.
Glory to God to all! In this post, I would like to share my perspective on the current issue within our UOC-MP.
I want to remind us that the real division isn’t between communities of the so-called Ohienko and Brianchaninov traditions – it runs deeper.
Once, I left… I ran away like the last coward—without saying goodbye, without explaining anything.
The Sophia Brotherhood is a civic organization. It is not some imitation of a Church, not a new ecclesiastical structure, not a sect.
Can one truly feel ashamed of the Church? Of course not—after all, we know the Church to be holy, and therefore sinless. We can only ever take pride in it and rejoice that we know it and freely belong to it.
It’s important to highlight the current tendency: many have begun to treat the simultaneous existence of two or more Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine not as a temporary anomaly, but as a legitimate, permanent state.
That’s a very important question — about worldview and the capacity to overcome it. For me, the formula is: “For a person, it is impossible; but for God, all things are possible.”
Why do parishioners remain in the UOC-MP? Despite the horrors of the Russian invasion, which has shifted from a war of attrition to a war of extermination.
“Do I really need autocephaly if all I want is to pray?” This question seems as naïve as saying, “I go to church for God, not the priest,” “the main thing is to be a good person,” or “God is in my heart.”
The thing is, bishops never act unilaterally. Yes, we can meet for coffee. But these things do not get implemented simply by gathering together and deciding something. For what purpose are we forming this?
After a sleepless night from Monday into Tuesday, June 17, when Kyiv endured one of its most massive missile attacks, and the sorrow of the following morning, residents of the capital were confronted with yet another challenge—this time, a theological one.
In seeking a meta-level and a meta-language, first of all, we shouldn’t fear the existence of multiple meta-languages.
“For me, a Church that reads not only the Gospel, but also the news.” Encountering the topic, I began to gather arguments, but quickly realized: a Church that reads the Gospel alone already suffices for me.
The resonance of the events surrounding the Chernivtsi cathedral remains strong. What we witnessed shocked many and stirred intense emotions.
What is a person to do in a situation of inter-jurisdictional dialogue or conflict? For me, everything begins with subjectivity. And if someone doesn’t understand what jurisdiction they belong to, then they have a religious question.
The past five years have proven extremely difficult for Orthodoxy in Ukraine. These years have revealed the depth of our crisis.
I’ll share from my own experience. At our Stavropegia platform, representatives from all Orthodox jurisdictions come and communicate freely. We never announce who attends or when—they know they can speak openly, including with me.
Amid the modern context of war and the struggle for freedom, Ukraine is undergoing not only political and military renewal, but also spiritual rebirth. This is especially true for the Orthodox Church, which increasingly understands its mission to stand with the people and serve both truth and unity.
In Ukraine, as is well known, three types of media deal with religious topics: secular, jurisdictional (that is, church) media, and extra-jurisdictional religious media.
Many assume nationalism necessarily involves hatred, that it’s always “against something or someone.” But that’s not accurate. Working with century-old sources, we noted that while some claimed Ukrainian nationalism was a negative form, Ukrainians themselves rejected that—they negated the “minus”.
What is “jurisdiction”? A good question. Given that I wrote my doctoral thesis on canonical law and my mindset is not philosophical but one grounded in legal principles, I must admit that the current situation sometimes leaves me completely bewildered.
It is difficult to find words to describe the events that occurred yesterday, June 17, 2025, at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi. The clash between believers of two Orthodox jurisdictions— the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU)—shocked all who long for unity and healing within the Church in Ukraine.
I have observed a very encouraging trend. At least today, I saw people not only reflecting (and not only the clergy, but also the laity), but also beginning to admit that not everything is perfect in our Church.
The religious situation in Ukraine has always been within the sphere of scholarly and practical interest of researchers of religion, as well as religious, political, and state actors. In identifying the regularities of its development, experts mainly focus on quantitative and qualitative indicators of the religiosity of society, on the areas and scale of the spread of particular religions, on changes in the beliefs of individuals and their communities, and so on.
This article is a logical continuation and supplement to the previous study, “Grace-lessness or Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit”, which examined the legitimacy of the actions of the Ecumenical Patriarch concerning the annulment of the anathema imposed on Metropolitan Filaret and the acceptance of the clergy of the UOC KP and UAOC in their existing rank.
This presentation was delivered on April 29, 2025, during the Round Table “Contemporary Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Debunking Myths for the Sake of Reconciliation and Social Consolidation
I would like to begin my presentation by referring to the paper “Faith in the ‘One Church’: Myth or Reality?” presented by Dr. Sergiy Bortnyk, Professor of Theology at the Kyiv Theological Academy, during the webinar “Myths and Prejudices that Hinder the Unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.”
In Ukraine, religious topics are covered by three types of media: secular, jurisdictional (i.e., church-affiliated), and non-jurisdictional religious outlets. This creates two axes of contrast: between jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional religious media (both being specialized), and between secular and religious media.
Shortly after the Thessaloniki Book Festival 2025, reviews were published on a website dedicated to books, including the following excerpt, accompanied by a photo of me from the exhibition space — naturally, I was unaware of this.
It is usually accepted to defend the corporate interests of the community you belong to; this is called “corporate solidarity.” People also say: “Don’t air your dirty laundry in public.”
Dear friends, I am glad to be among this close circle of people who are trying to comprehend the situation and find ways out of the crisis. The problems of the UOC and OCU have already been discussed, and moving to a meta-level has been noted as a unique opportunity to overcome the crisis of jurisdictional confrontation.
Before proposing “strategies for coexistence” — that is, plans for the future — I would like to briefly outline the current situation. To do this, I would like to share some figures from a survey by the Razumkov Center, published after its latest poll in October 2024.
If there’s one thing the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) can’t be denied, it’s their ability to treat almost any event — even one hardly deserving it — as a celebration.
In the classical understanding, the media is meant to reflect what exists, as seen from the outside — a neutral gaze. The principle of the mirror: it is not the mirror’s fault if the image is unappealing.
For over two decades, I have been involved with the Conference of European Churches (CEC), an ecumenical organization that unites Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican churches. This organization provides a platform for dialogue on various issues facing churches and societies in Europe, helping to formulate and address these problems.
So… the miracle didn’t happen. Today’s meeting and consultation of UOC bishops ended in yet another disappointment.
Media play an extremely important role in the process of consolidating Ukrainian Orthodoxy. This process has been under discussion for quite some time, even since my years in Kyiv—or earlier.
Within the Orthodox environment, certain historical church myths have become widespread. I believe history influences the present, and the divisions we now experience—including jurisdictional ones—are the result of historical events and persistent historical myths.
Speculation is growing in the public sphere about the possible convocation of a Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as early as tomorrow, May 27. What historic decision could this Council make?
Recently on the talk show “Novyi Vidlik” (New Countdown), broadcast by Suspilne, the discussion centered around possible consequences for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) following the enactment of the law banning religious organizations in Ukraine that are affiliated with Russia.
“The world has entered a period of instability, where everything is collapsing and falling apart. We will endure only through unity—and the sooner we recognize this and embrace our shared foundation in the joy of the Resurrection, the more people we will save from destruction.”
Author: Olga Mariyan The non-governmental organization Sofia Brotherhood has announced that it is developing strategies to help Ukrainian Orthodox believers find shared reference points and a
I hope that I will still live to see that complete unity, but much of that depends on you. Because you can continue to meet, to discuss, to live together in peace, and to carry out common projects in harmony. And people will see this—and they will surely join in. Perhaps not immediately, perhaps not swiftly.