The Autocephaly of the OCA - History, Arguments, and Aftermath. (original) (raw)
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Religions, 2022
The recognition of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2019 sparked a debate in the Orthodox world about the legitimacy of such an act. In the present study, we aim to explain, through the concept of theopolitics, this event which has caused a schism in the contemporary Orthodox Church. Following a brief introduction to Buber’s concept of theopolitics, we focus on a historical overview, demonstrating that the problems of the Orthodox world do not originate in theological issues, as it might seem at first glance, but primarily in political issues. The case of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church proves the importance of theopolitics.
Teologia, 2019
This article presents an analysis of the complex interdependencies between the nature of regional confl icts, broader geopolitical projections and their implications for religious institutions in Ukraine, especially for the majority church in the country, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. After a general introduction, the fi rst part analyzes certain Ukrainian and broader Eastern European geopolitical variables with the scope to demonstrate coercive mechanisms aimed to projecting power at regional levels. The fi rst chapter of part I presents some general geopolitical facts related with the Ukrainian confl ict. The second chapter deals with more specifi c geopolitical facts. It presents two examples of how big global actors play with geopolitical complexities. The third chapter presents a recent incident between Russia and Ukraine, which shows that the struggle for controlling the region of the Black Sea is ongoing. The second part deals with the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its immediate ecclesial and geopolitical implications. The fi rst chapter is aimed to provide evidence of interest for the problems we deal with in this article. The second chapter proves the important place and role played by religion in Ukraine. The third chapter explains the “Ukrainian issue” from an ecclesial perspective. The fourth chapter offers a short historical overview of six facts which determine the “Ukrainian issue” today. The fi fth chapter presents the recent events related to the granting of autocephaly to the newly established Ukrainian Orthodox Church which unites together two already existing Orthodox Churches in Ukraine (the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kiev Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church.) Chapter six presents and analyzes the fi rst reactions of some Orthodox Churches to this decision. This article is concluded with some remarks.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Ecclesiology and Politics in the Building of Bulgarian Autocephalies
Autocephaly. Coming of Age in Communion. Historical, Canonical, Liturgical, and Theological Studies, ed. by Edward G. Farrugia, S.J. – Željko Paša, S.J. (= Orientalia Christiana Analecta 314-315), vol. I, pp. 343-366., 2023
The modern Bulgarian Orthodox Church was born in an unusual manner. It was not set up by an Orthodox authority but by the Ottoman sultan. On 28 February 1870, he decreed the establishment of an autonomous branch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople under the name ‘Bulgarian Exarchate’. In this way, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church came to life as a legal entity of a non-Christian polity but needed an additional 75 years to gain the recognition of its mother church and all other canonical Orthodox churches. On 22 February 1945, the Ecumenical Patriarchate performed a double act: it abolished the schism of 1872 and granted full autocephaly to the Bulgarian Exarchate. As a rule, the former schismatic bodies pass through trial periods when they enjoy internal autonomy. Why the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was simultaneously relieved from the burden of the schism and declared a canonical autocephaly? Why did the other Orthodox churches automatically recognize this double act of Constantinople? What were the consequences of this autocephaly? The answers to these questions need a thorough analysis that takes into account not only the theological aspects of the issue of autocephaly but also certain historical, social, and political developments. This article is an attempt to reveal how the entanglement of all these factors influenced the long-lasting efforts of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to gain canonical recognition and full ecclesiastical independence. NB. Those interested in this text can make orders by sending an email to: edizioni@orientaliachristiana.it.
Studia Oecumenica, 2021
The subject of the article is an analysis of the impact of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's autocephaly process on Ukraine's relations with the Russian Federation. Orthodoxy, understood as both a religious institution and a denomination, has been a constant and most important component of Russia's identity since the very beginning of its existence. It remains the dominant religion in the Russian Federation, despite the religious diversity resulting from the multi-ethnic nature of the state. The aim of the article is to analyze the role of the Orthodox Church in the internal and foreign policy of the Russian Federation. In Russian-Ukrainian relations, it played an important role in supporting activities such as the annexation of Crimea or support for pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas. The position of the Russian Orthodox Church in contemporary Russia is also associated with a specific type (model) of the policy pursued by that state, referred to as "confessional ...