author: Viktor Bondarenko
Relevance of the research. The most acute problem of contemporary religious life in Ukraine is the long-standing inter-Orthodox conflict, which has resulted in the simultaneous activity of several Orthodox jurisdictions, the main ones being the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The unification of these churches constitutes the relevance of this study.
Problem statement. The Unification Council held in 2018 in fact led only to a partial unification of these two churches. Without resolving this issue, internal Orthodox problems in Ukraine cannot be settled. Overcoming the existing contradictions requires finding an acceptable form for continuing the unification process within Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
Analysis of recent research and publications. Given the acute nature of the issue of restoring Orthodox unity in Ukraine, both domestic and foreign researchers analyze the situation in Ukraine and model possible ways to resolve the existing inter-Orthodox contradictions.
Research task. To propose ways of resolving the inter-Orthodox conflict in Ukraine through seeking the unification of all Orthodox jurisdictions operating in the country, beginning with the unification of the largest among them—the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC)—on the basis of the already granted Tomos of autocephaly of Orthodoxy in Ukraine.
Main material presentation. The author proposes a concrete model for the unification of Orthodoxy in Ukraine, based not on speculative assessments of the activities of existing Orthodox churches, but on a sober calculation that would ultimately lead to the resolution of inter-Orthodox contradictions and the formation of a single Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
Conclusions. In Ukraine, it is necessary to bring the unification of Orthodox jurisdictions into a single church to completion by finding a mutually acceptable, canonically sound way to achieve their unification.
Key words: UOC-KP and UAOC as patriotic churches; the UOC as a supporter of the “Russian world”; the emergence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine; transformation of the position of the UOC; the Unification Council of 15 December 2018; Ukrainians and the magic of jurisdiction.
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