What autocephalists should expect from radicals

Filaret meeting the radicals from the "Right Sector"

The Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, held on November 13, showed with utmost clarity that the episcopate remains loyal to the Church of Christ and does not wish to participate in the creation of a pseudo-religious, in fact, a political organization of the Orthodox rite called the Single Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine (hereinafter SLC). Even before the Council of Bishops, clergy meetings were held in many eparchies, which confirmed the unity of the clergy and the episcopate. But, despite this unanimity, there are people in the UOC who do not see anything threatening to participate in the SLC. Let's see if it is nothing to worry about?

But first, as written in scientific articles, several terminological remarks. Why is the UOC the Church of Christ, and the created SLC – a political organization? For clarity, we take only one criterion: goals. Political organizations need the first roles in politics, and the Church – the unity of man with Christ. In addition, the Church of Christ is the one that was created and lives the way the Savior taught.

And now let's see what goals are declared by the people who create the SlC, and what -  the archpastors of the UOC.

The main initiator of the creation of the SLC is the President of Ukraine. In all his speeches, he tirelessly insists that the SLC is necessary for the establishment of independence and for the struggle against the “aggressor state”.

Here is, for example, a quote from a speech on the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’: “Tomos on autocephaly will finalize the affirmation of the independence and autonomy of our state and enhance religious freedom, interfaith peace. It will strengthen the rights and freedoms of citizens ... <...> Autocephaly is a matter of our independence. This is a matter of our national security. This is a matter of all world geopolitics.”

And here is a quote from a speech in the Verkhovna Rada in April 2018: “This is geopolitics. For me, the affirmation of an independent Local Church is as important as a visa-free status, the Association Agreement, as our common struggle for membership in the European Union, for membership in the NATO. It's a matter of national security and defense in this hybrid war.”

So, purely political goals: independence, a hybrid war with the "aggressor state", geopolitical deals. There are no other goals for the SLC. Denisenko’s symbol of the Ukrainian schism is echoed by the President at a briefing in October 2018: “We want the Ukrainian Orthodox Church ... to serve the Ukrainian people, protect the Ukrainian state from external enemies but not give ground for external interference. The objectives are similar: the assertion of statehood and protection from external enemies. The allegations that "an independent church – to an independent state" are heard from the lips with an enviable constancy.

The rhetorical question: is it mentioned somewhere in the Gospel that Christ set for his apostles the tasks mentioned above?

“Go, then, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28, 19-20). So the Lord said. And any faithful servant of His, a shepherd or an archpastor of the Church of Christ can say nothing else.

The true shepherd of Christ’s flock, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry says precisely this: “The Church fulfills its mission, it leads a person to God. It reminds people that we are all God's creation, God calls us to love each other, to tolerate each other and help each other. This Church will be to the end of the world. I know it will be so! Because the Lord said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against this Church” (from an interview with the Inter TV channel in April 2018).

But the quote, which literally in a few days has become so popular that it is already retold by both believers and non-believers as an expression of the very essence of what is happening today in the religious sphere of Ukraine: “And the fact that they want to turn us today into a political organization called "a local Church”, etc. is the bait that the Church does not take. The Church cannot be a political organization. Perhaps this is trendy, and we might be applauded today if we become such – we would serve not the salvation of the human soul but some political system ... But we will have an answer for that before God, and history will condemn us, too. Because people know that the Church on earth is founded by Christ and the head of the Church is Christ. Her goal, Her ministry is to prepare a man for meeting with God in eternity” (from the program “A Word of the Primate”, November 2018).

So, the UOC prepares "a man for meeting with God in eternity", and the SLC is called upon to "finalize the affirmation of the independence and autonomy of our state". This is an obvious fact. And now let's see what are the consequences of SLC creation for Ukrainians.

The Primate and hierarchs of the UOC in all their activities rely on Christ; in Him, and only in Him they see their support and foundation. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3, 11). This is not a simple statement, as it may seem at first glance.

The Bishops’ Council of the UOC showed on November 13 that the Ukrainian bishops dared to go against the government, which is doing everything possible to make the Church serve not the Christ, but the state. The entire power apparatus, the police, the National Guard, the SBU, the Prosecutor's Office, courts, and the Department for Religious affairs are on the side of the President. And what is on the side of the Church? Only faith that Christ will not leave His faithful. Only hope in the providence of God and the hope that the Lord will give strength to endure all trials. The Bishops’ Council was followed by the statements of the enemies of the Church that the Kremlin instructed the UOC bishops to go against the will of the President. But it is clear to anyone who is in their right mind that today the Kremlin can’t influence the opinion of the UOC, as well as it can’t provide any substantial support. It can only "express concern" and "appeal to the attention of international human rights organizations". The Ukrainian hierarchs were not afraid to incur the wrath of the President; they were not afraid that with refusal to bow to Petro Poroshenko at the former Lenin Museum, repressions could start against the Church, they were not afraid of either administrative resources or other threats. "Do what you have to do, and come what may". The consequences of the firmness shown by the bishops on November 13th already manifest themselves. They have already been summoned to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) for conversations. Church communities and the clergy of the UOC are subject to various provocations. the Anti-Church media have increased the defamation of the Church. “What to say to that? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom. 8, 31). “Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.….” (Ps. 19, 8-9).

But the SLC adherents, like schismatics in the 90s, rely on a quite concrete and tangible force – nationalists. It was the national radicals who tried to seize the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in 1992, before the arrival in Kiev of His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir, elected by the Kharkov Council to the Kiev see. It is the national radicals who are engaged in the seizure of Orthodox churches today. It is the national radicals who promise to the schismatic organizations of the UOC KP and the UAOC force support for the transfer of Orthodox churches to the SLC. But there is one nuance.

The Orthodox rely on God and, accordingly, must fulfill what God commands them. Gospel commandments are known. But the schismatics rely on radicals and must fulfill their will. And it is also known. State flags instead of icons and holy banners, “Death to enemies!” instead of “Lord, have mercy”, torchlight processions instead of cross processions.

And here lies the most terrible thing for an Orthodox Christian, and even more so for a priest or a bishop. Maybe someone thinks that transferring from the UOC to the SLC, they will also preach the Gospel to people, call for repentance and purifying from passions? You can hope, but will it be needed there for someone? After all, it is not repentance that is the main thing on the agenda of the SLC. Recall the words of the President: “Autocephaly is a matter of our independence. This is a matter of our national security. This is a matter of all world geopolitics.” This is what you need to do, and not to call people into the Kingdom of Heaven!

Recently, one of the most notorious national radicals, the head of the “Brotherhood” movement Dmitry Korchinsky explained in a more detailed and intelligible way what the right clergy should do. In his “Appeal to the hierarchs of Ukrainian confessions” on “Brovary Worldwide Television,” he straightforwardly stated, “Brothers, we love you for not being Moskals. But ... today this is not enough!”

Among the clergy and believers of the UOC, there are people who have different and sometimes opposing views on politics and geopolitics. There are those who do not sympathize with either Moscow or the “Russian world”. But "today this is not enough". What will radicals demand from possible defectors from the UOC? What they demand from the "nationally-minded" UOC KP, the UAOC, the UGCC, and others. A word to Dmitry Korchinsky: “We would like to see you ... at war, in the trenches and dugouts together with our soldiers. We would like to see you on the barricades. I would like to see you at the demonstrations.” Korchinsky also blames "patriotic hierarchs" for the fact that "not a single metropolitan has picked up a machine gun to be photographed in order to raise the morale of our fighters."

We immediately disappoint those who listened to this appeal and hurried to admire it. After all, it seems to be right to call upon the “episcopate” not to sit in the offices and not to live life secured from all sides but to be with the people, with the flock. Everything seemingly sounds beautiful and correct, but it all reminds too much of the “begging” Catholic orders: Franciscans, Dominicans, Tertiaries, and others. They began with exactly the same appeals as that of D. Korchinsky: “to the Gospel ideals”, “to the apostolic poverty”, “closeness to the common people”. And it ended up with the fact that these orders accumulated such wealth, which the “common people” never dreamed of. "Gospel ideals" turned into intrigue, political struggle, merciless inquisition and so on.

But what actually sounds in D. Korchinsky’s speeches is that not the "clergy" will teach what the flock should do, but the flock, in particular national-radicals, will say to the "clergy" what to do, where they have to be, against whom to speak and with whom to fight. Such is the main message – once you rely on us, please play by our rules.

And all those who have taken the side of the SLC will invariably be forced to serve precisely those purposes for which this organization is being created. If they tell you to go to the demonstration, you will go; if they tell you to take a machine gun in your hands, you will take it; if you are said to shout “Glory to the nation! Death to enemies!”, you will do it anyway. As for the Kingdom of Heaven ... the Kingdom of Heaven will not be among the priorities. And this is really terrible. And taking this path, it will be very difficult not to follow it. Having said “A”, it is difficult not to say “B”.

Well, which to choose: "Lord, have mercy!" or "Death to enemies!" everyone decides for themselves.

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