German theologian to authorities: UOC's connection to Moscow has no evidence

Thomas Bremer. Photo: “Spirit and Letter"

Thomas Bremer, Catholic theologian and professor at the University of Münster, wrote in a letter to Viktor Yelensky, head of the DESS, that all statements by Ukrainian authorities about the connections between the UOC and the ROC, based on the expertise of State Ethnopolitics, are completely unconvincing. Bremer's letter to Yelensky was published by the "Dialog.tut" resource.

Bremer stated that the expertise initiated by Yelensky did not provide evidence of the UOC's connection to the ROC.

"The UOC claims that it does not belong to the Moscow Patriarchate. If someone does not believe this or wants to verify it, they should provide evidence that the UOC is part of the ROC. However, no such evidence has been presented," the theologian writes.

According to him, he has no doubt that "the Security Service of Ukraine is monitoring the movements and communication of UOC hierarchs."

"An exchange of emails, a phone call, or a video conference in which the leadership of the UOC receives consultations or orders from the leadership of the ROC could clearly sort out the situation. But no one has been able to provide such evidence so far," he writes, emphasizing that the DESS expertise did not provide such evidence either.

Bremer also believes it is a mistake to say that if the UOC did not declare autocephaly, it must necessarily remain part of the ROC.

"No one can rule out that it separated from the ROC without becoming autocephalous," the theologian concludes.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the status of the UOC cannot be evaluated through the documents from the ROC.

Read also

Primatial Liturgy of American and Macedonian Churches to be held in USA

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is set to formally recognize the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church during a joint Divine Liturgy on September 2, at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, D.C.