SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Seton Hall University’s Catholic Studies Program will present “Freedom and Dialogue: The Trajectory of the Ukrainian Church” on Wednesday March 25, at 1 p.m. in the Chancellor Suite (University Center – lower level).
After centuries of struggle, the Ukrainian Church has reached an inflection point. As a newly recognized autocephalous Orthodox Church, it is poised to push ecumenical dialogue to the next level – both locally and globally. As an Eastern Catholic Church, legal in Ukraine since 1990, it has made inroads in Eastern Europe right up to the Russian border.
At an accelerated rate in the 20th and early 21st centuries, the political situation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora have shaped the history and development of this Church. Will political decisions regarding freedom of religion and the supremacy of individual conscience continue to exert a strong influence on the trajectory of the Ukrainian Church? Is there reason for optimism about the future of ecumenism as it pertains to this Church? Will the Church continue to grow or will it be stifled by forces from the East, i.e. Russia?
Speakers at the event will be:
- The Rev. Dr. Ivan Kaszczak, pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, who will present “The Concept: Freedom of Religion in Ukraine, Russia and the United States – A Historical Perspective of the Ukrainian Church and Freedom”; and
- Anatolii Babynskyii, research fellow from St. Michael College and the University of Toronto, who will speak about “Ukrainian Autocephaly: New Opportunities and Challenges.”
The event is open to the public; online RSVPs are requested at https://events.shu.edu/view/event/event_id/7874. For more information, readers may e-mail Gloria Aroneo at [email protected].