The Orthodox Schism and the Spiritual Limits of Politics (Russia-Ukraine)

Kyiv Post ^ | Oct 19, 2018 | Nikos Konstandaras

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Russia’s effort to keep Ukraine under its thumb prompted a revolution in 2014 and a war that has claimed more than 10,000 lives. It also prompted, on Monday, what may be one of the most serious splits in Christendom since the Great Schism between Rome and Constantinople in 1054 and the Protestant Reformation 500 years ago. This new crisis has deep historical roots, and could shape religious and secular ties among many countries for years to come.

Here’s what happened: The Church of Russia announced this week that it was breaking ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has primacy in Orthodoxy and which has decided to give autonomy to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This decision stems directly from Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, although Ukrainians had long been unhappy about their church remaining subordinate to Russia’s, as it had been since 1686. This year, their president, Parliament and religious leaders petitioned the leader of the Constantinople Patriarchate, Bartholomew, to grant their church independence — or autocephaly, as it is known in the church.

These developments will have serious implications within Ukraine. Its mostly Orthodox population is divided among three main churches; the newly independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate would gain influence and most likely seek to take over houses of worship and other property from the church under Moscow’s jurisdiction, which, until now, was the largest in Ukraine and the only one recognized by other churches.

This will further strain relations between Ukraine and Russia...

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Russia wants to project its leadership of the Orthodox world as the “Third Rome,” a role it took upon itself after breaking away from Constantinople in 1448, when its leadership disagreed with efforts to unite East and West Christendom. After 1453, many Orthodox, including the Greeks, looked to Russia for salvation from the Turks.

But today Ukraine is forging a separate identity after centuries of Russian domination...

[newberger]

The problem is that Constantinople has NO authority to interfere in Ukraine and hasn’t for almost 400 years.

By the way, Although I support the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate, I oppose Putin’s use of the crisis to control Ukraine. I oppose Putin in general. He is simply NOT the hero of Christian culture that he paints himself as.

What a mess!

[CondoleezzaProtege]

I think Constantinople reclaiming its rightful place in Christendom is long overdue...Baby steps.

Kiev also.

[NRx]

“I think Constantinople reclaiming its rightful place in Christendom is long overdue...Baby steps.”

Sorry, if we wanted a pope we could just go to Rome and get the real thing. Pretty much the entire of the Orthodox Church is refusing to recognize Bart’s papal pretensions. The Russian Church has some issues, but none of that can justify abandoning canon law and provoking schism. Do you also favor Catholic bishops severing ties with the Red Pope?

Beyond which this article is a specie of propaganda aimed at the politically and historically illiterate. Russia and Ukraine have been one nation for almost a thousand years. Before 1918 there was never any such thing as an independent Ukraine. The Revolution was nothing more or less than the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government orchestrated by the CIA and other western intelligence services.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Well enough Ukrainian faithful disagree with your historical perspective and enough of the faithful are fed up with Russia’s current leadership: both in church AND state.