The “Russian World” ideology, the invasion of Ukraine, and the Orthodox Church
Instead of strongly condemning Russian President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian Patriarch Kirill has given his full-throated support to the Kremlin. This support stems from an ideology supported by both Putin and Kirill known as "Russian World", which links faith with Russia’s nationalist aims. This support has resulted in a splintering within the Orthodox world, and is in clear contrast to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s condemnation of Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. In the meantime, leading Orthodox theologians around the world issued a joint statement denouncing the “Russian world” ideology and the invasion of Ukraine. George Demacopoulos, the co-director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University, joins our host Thanos Davelis to discuss the “Russian World” ideology pushed by the Kremlin and Patriarch Kirill, and look at how the war in Ukraine is impacting the Orthodox world.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
A Declaration On The “Russian World” (Russkii Mir) Teaching
Analysis: Ukraine invasion splits Orthodox Church, isolates Russian patriarch
Ukrainian ambassador calls on Greece to shut ports to Russia
Greece will not send Soviet-era missile systems to Ukraine
Turkey's top diplomat says in Moscow that war must stop
In call with Putin, Erdogan offers to host him and Zelenskyy for talks