Experts speak on national Orthodox Church in Ukraine (06/26/05)

Experts speak on national Orthodox Church in Ukraine

Religious Information Service of Ukraine

KYIV - Most Ukrainian social sciences and religion experts and analysts agreed that a single national Orthodox Church needs to be created in Ukraine, but noted that it is more of a political and national security issue than a religious one.

This was revealed in a survey conducted by the Research Center for Political Values, whose results were reported by Interfax on June 9.

Below are the commentaries of some respondents.

According to Ivan Dzyuba of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, a national church is important for national self-identification and its establishment should prevent the use of the Church as a tool of anti-Ukrainian politics.

Myroslav Marynovych, vice-rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, noted that Orthodoxy may be divided into pro-Moscow and pro-Constantinople, but said he doesn't believe this to be disastrous. However, he emphasized that it is unacceptable for Moscow to preserve the monopoly in solving Orthodox issues in Ukraine.

Yevhen Sverstiuk, editor-in-chief of the religious newspaper "Our Faith," stated that President Viktor Yushchenko's wish for a united national Orthodox Church comes from a necessity to end the split in Ukrainian Orthodoxy, rather than a need to resolve problems of a theological character.

Dr. Vadym Skurativskyi, an art historian, said he believes Ukraine should follow the example of 19th century Germany, which during the rule of Otto von Bismarck separated from the Roman Catholic Church politically without violating its rights. Mr. Skurativskyi said there may be some denominational dependence on the Moscow Patriarchate, but by no means a political one.

Oles Donii, head of the Research Center for Political Values, said the religious issues surrounding the creation of a national Orthodox Church in Ukraine are secondary to political and national security interests. Mr. Donii said he doubts that Kyiv would be able to unite all branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy in the administrative sense. Moreover, he expressed doubt that the Moscow Patriarchate would give up its parishes. In addition, Mr. Donii pointed out that there is a problem in the language of religious services.

Kost Bondarenko, director of the Institute for National Strategies, voiced skepticism about the establishment of a national Orthodox church in Ukraine in the next decades, notwithstanding the efforts of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Even with the blessing of Patriarch Bartholomew, he noted, it should be kept in mind that there is also Patriarch Alexis II of Russia, who will oppose this idea.

Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta Center for Practical Political Research, stated that, considering the present circumstances, the establishment of a national Orthodox Church is hardly feasible, and it may lead to negative results.

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