Expert: Polls show support for OCU but believers vote with feet for UOC

A Divine service at the Pochaiv Lavra. Photo: UOC

Religious scholar Andriy Kovalev stated in an interview that widespread sociological polls in the media, which demonstrate growing support for the OCU and declining trust in the UOC, cannot be considered an objective indicator of the real state of affairs in the church environment. He said this in a broadcast on "Channel 5".

According to the expert, the strength of the Church lies not in the number of temples or real estate, but in believers who regularly participate in Divine services. "We must understand that the strength of the church is not in real estate, not in temples, but in believers, in those people who attend these temples," Kovalev emphasized.

He noted that sociology can work when it comes to political parties, but is not applicable to religious organizations. "You can trust this sociology only on the condition that the UOC and OCU were not religious organizations, but political parties and participated in elections," the religious scholar explained.

Kovalev emphasized that regarding the Church, it is necessary to consider primarily practicing Christians – those who come to Divine services every Sunday and on feasts. It is they, according to him, who "vote with their feet", choosing one denomination or another.

The expert drew attention to the fact that a significant portion of respondents who declare a positive attitude toward the OCU actually do not participate in church life. "These are mainly people who do not go to church, are not members of an active church and possibly will never come there," he stated.

At the same time, as Kovalev noted, "there are organized, convinced parishioners of the UOC who every Sunday and on every feast vote with their feet and go to this Church."

As the UOJ wrote, Andriy Kovalev criticized the approach of Ukrainian authorities to the "law on UOC ban", stating that DESS developed the bill contrary to the state interests.

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