Софійське Братство – громадська організація
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Over the past 30 years of Orthodoxy’s existence in independent Ukraine, many mutual grievances, conflicts, and destructive myths have accumulated among Orthodox believers. These hinder not only peaceful coexistence among churches but also deepen conflict within Ukrainian society.
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
The most significant event of the Easter period in Ukraine’s socio-religious life was undoubtedly the Roundtable and panel discussion within the project “Modern Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Debunking Myths for the Sake of Reconciliation Among Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and Societal Unity,” organized by the Sophia Brotherhood.
The most significant event of the Easter period in the socio-religious life of Ukraine was undoubtedly the Round Table and panel discussion within the framework of the project “The Contemporary Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Myth-Busting for the Reconciliation of Orthodox Believers in Ukraine and for the Consolidation of Ukrainian Society”, organized by the Sophia Brotherhood.
America is changing profoundly. It is a kind of kaleidoscopic change, such that you do not recognize the America that existed even two weeks ago. I have personal experience.
As a parish priest, like many other clergy, it is very important to identify and investigate how myths influence parishioners, and what factors play a key role in shaping the religious mindset of Orthodox Ukrainians.
Since 2004–2007, Orthodox theology has undergone a radical turn toward a new type of theological thinking. Leading contemporary theologians—especially David Bentley Hart, John Manoussakis, Cyril Hovorun, Aristotle Papanikolaou, Pantelis Kalaitzidis—have elevated Orthodox theology to a qualitatively new stage of development.
On April 29 in Kyiv, a roundtable and three panel discussions took place as part of the educational-analytical project “Modern Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Debunking Myths for the Sake of Reconciliation Among Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and the Consolidation of Ukrainian Society,” organized by the Sophia Brotherhood with the support of the Renovabis Foundation.
In the Old Testament, Israel is described as the “chosen people” of God (Exodus 19:5–6): “You shall be My treasured possession out of all the peoples.”
I suggest looking at religion through the lens of conflict studies, while also considering its practical aspects. To begin, it is worth recalling the words of sociologist Clifford Geertz, who pointed out that religion is interesting not only because it helps define social order, as was once commonly believed, but also because it is shaped by its surrounding environment.
I chose this topic deliberately, to attempt a deeper understanding of myth as a methodological and philosophical problem. I would like to shed more light on the situation that accompanies us all. We constantly witness conflicts, arguments, debates, “battles,” and heated discussions among Orthodox believers on social media, conflicts around churches, and how these are presented in the mass media.
This presentation was delivered on April 9, 2025, during the webinar “Myths and Prejudices as Obstacles to the Unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy,” held within the joint project of the *Sofia Brotherhood* and the *Renovabis* Foundation: “Contemporary Ukrainian Orthodoxy: Debunking Myths for the Sake of Reconciliation among Orthodox in Ukraine and Consolidation of Ukrainian Society.”
The Russian–Ukrainian war, especially since the full-scale invasion in 2022, has forced us to confront difficult questions: What kind of state have we been building, and what kind of state do we want to see after the war?
In the modern world, where the flow of information seems limitless, we often rely on claims that appear indisputable. Yet it is worth asking: how well-founded are these claims?
Interview conducted by Taras Antoshevskyi, Religious Information Service of Ukraine “Ukrainian Orthodoxy has been in a state of division for more than 30 years. During
Cleric of the UOC, Priest Vasyl Maksymyshynets, who currently resides in Belgium, recently published on his YouTube channel a new episode of his authorial program entitled “Why Did the UOC End Up in the Grey Zone and How to Get Out of It? The Path to Autocephaly.”