KDAiS shows inconsistency of State Ethnic Policy expertise on UOC
Head of State Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience V. Yelensky. Photo: risu.ua
The Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary released a video, in which they analyzed the religious expertise of the UOC Statute, conducted and published by the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience on January 27, 2023. This was reported by the Information and Education Department of the UOC.
“In the Conclusion, there is no definition of the basic concepts that the expert group of religious scholars used. These are such concepts as ‘autocephaly’, ‘autonomy’, ‘letter’, ‘tomos’, ‘diptych’ and especially ‘ecclesiastical-canonical relation’. In the absence of a clear definition of these concepts, the expert group operated on them rather arbitrarily, suggesting their own interpretation, on which the objectivity and professionalism of the Conclusion ultimately depended,” the video says.
The KDAiS recalled that autocephaly cannot be proclaimed independently but must be granted.
“The UOC at the Council on May 27, 2022, decided on complete independence and self-governance. In a letter to the Chairman of the DESS dated June 1, 2022, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry outlined the status of the UOC in terms of ‘administrative independence’ and ‘complete canonical independence’. In addition, it clearly stated the delimitation of the UOC from the Moscow Patriarchate,” the Kyiv Theological Academy said.
“Therefore, it can be asserted with confidence that the ‘conclusion’ of the religious expertise of January 27, 2023 regarding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is groundless, unfounded and contains all the signs of manipulation. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church was, is and will be the Church of the Ukrainian people. In the future, as well as more than 1000 years ago, She will carry out her salvific mission with peace and love, fulfilling the eternal gospel instructions of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” the KDAiS emphasized.
As reported by the UOJ, the former head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, Olena Bohdan, said that the conclusions of the DESS expert opinion on the discovery of ecclesiastical-canonical relations between the UOC and the ROC are unsubstantiated and full of assumptions.
Read also
Chernihiv Jews equate vandalism against menorah to arson of TRC
The Jews of Chernihiv are convinced that the vandals who toppled the menorah acted on Russia’s orders.
Mukachevo Metropolitan hands over aid to AFU and children's boarding home
With the blessing of Metropolitan Theodore, charitable events were held in the eparchy.
OCU takes over UOC church in the village of Checheliivka
Raiders from the OCU, after cutting the locks, broke into the Intercession Church, which was sealed until the court's ruling.
UOC publishes new liturgical texts approved by Synod
The Synodal Liturgical Commission presented prayers and services approved by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Khmelnytskyi hierarch offers condolences to family of man killed in shelling
Metropolitan Victor addressed the faithful following the shelling of Khmelnytskyi by Russian forces.
Sumy Eparchy donates over one million hryvnias for children with cancer
The press service of the Sumy Eparchy has reported on the results of the fourteenth charitable campaign “Bright Deeds for the Bright Feast.”