Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, recently blessed the Russian soldiers who are invading Ukraine; Kirill's support of Putin's violent campaign against Ukraine is angering the Christian Orthodox world.
Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, recently blessed the Russian soldiers who are invading Ukraine; Kirill's support of Putin's violent campaign against Ukraine is angering the Christian Orthodox world.
The devastating Russian war on Ukraine has raised important questions regarding the nature of the relationship between state authority and the Eastern churches in Russia and Ukraine, as well as the role of religious heritage in political culture more broadly.
February 12, 2021
Special Dispatch No. 9180
Russian Orthodox Scholar Chapnin: The Church, By Marching Lock Step With The Authorities, Is Alienating Russian Youth
February 12, 2021
The religious scholar and former deputy editor-in-chief of the Moscow Patriarchate s publishing house, Sergei Chapnin[1] is worried about the long-lasting effects of the church hierarchy s unwavering support for Putin. This support was reiterated in response to the demonstrations supporting Alexey Navalny. Chapnin believes that the church is alienating the youth, who played a major role in the demonstrations, and is making no effort to understand the motivations behind their participation.
Some local priests provide an exception by engaging with the youth. Thus ironically, it turns out that one task of a priest is to protect young people from church officialdom.