Really good, albeit painful, stuff. I opened my own similar essay -- "Waving Farewell to Byzantium" (https://sabbathempire.substack.com/p/essay-10-waving-farewell-to-byzantium) with a quote from Ellul which says about all that needs to be said, really: "Jesus does not seem to have had a vision of a triumphant and triumphal church encircling the globe. He always depicts for us a secret force that modifies things from within, that acts spiritually, that shows us community, unable to be anything else but community...The concept “Christian,” then, bears an inverse relation to numbers, whereas that of the State bears a direct relation. Nevertheless, the two concepts have been combined, to the great advantage of nonsense and the priests....People cannot see or understand that Christianity has been abolished by its propagation." – Jacques Ellul, The Subversion of Christianity.
I've been Orthodox for 13 years, and it's taken me this long to realize: Orthodoxy is a religion for empire, period.
An ideology -- beautiful and profound in certain ways, yes -- but ideological. What it's doing in Russia is exactly what it's supposed to do, and has always done -- alas.
Thank you for this extremely well researched and thoughtful article. I am glad that you included all the references and links and will certainly take some time to go thru them one by one carefully and again reread the entire article. As a new convert to Orthodoxy living in the USA, the land where nothing is transparent and everything is in question, it is very hard to even believe that objective truth can be obtained …… But I do understand what you have made so clear towards the end of the article. That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ came here to seek and save the lost, the sinners of whom I am first. Lord have Mercy on us! The Body of Christ, the Church of Christ I believe must stand for Love and must hold to the faith of the Apostles and Martyrs that in Christ alone are we free. All oppression and genocide and war must be condemned. We Christians overcome by the word of our testimony, the blood of the Lamb and that we love not our lives unto death.
There is video footage, in several places across Telegram and other platforms, which do not censor the truth l, and they show Pro-OCU forces physically removing parishioners from UOC churches, with violent tactics, beating the priests, beating the laity, and then locking them out of their churches. These people aren't Orthodox. They don't even know how to cross themselves properly. They then desecrate the churches, bring in musical bands with drums and guitars, completely unorthodox in nature, and behave in the most vile ways on the alters of these churches.
I think the information you are providing here is highly inaccurate. It does not reflect what is actually happening in former UOC churches that have existed in the region for hundreds of years. The OCU is a corrupt and heretical organization, propped up by the west and their depraved ideology.
Look at "Voice of Orthodox Ukraine" on Telegram to see what is really happening in these churches:
Great article! It seems to me that Russian and Eastern European homophobia is proving to be every bit as disastrous as antisemitism was, politically. It took the Holocaust for the Western Church to confront antisemitism, and it is only very recently beginning to confront homophobia. What do you make of this dynamic in the East? I’ve noticed a similar thaw in the Serbian and Greek Orthodox spheres, but certainly nothing in Russia.
I agree completely with your conclusions regarding the hypocrisy of the Russian Patriarch's complete union and submission to the Russian government. The Russian Exarch in Africa and Korea are other examples of the Russian Church being used as a soft power to push Russian political interests in the area. However, your argument would be stronger if you reframed from using American talking points about Russia and instead focused on the criticism from Ukrainian Orthodox who support Met. Onuphry.
Calling the Russian-Ukraine War a genocide is one such talking point. 10,000 Ukrainian civilian deaths in 2 years is terrible. 30,000 Palestinian civilian deaths in the past 4 months is even worse! Calling the Ukraine-Russian a war is justified as it has mostly been between two militaries with war crimes committed by both sides since 2016. Calling it a genocide when a real genocide is taking place in Gaza discredits your argument. Geopolitically, I can understand why the Russian government directly joining in the Ukraine civil war that has been taken place since 2016. I can understand Russia's geopolitical security concerns in not wanting NATO bases and nuclear weapons in the Ukraine (much like the US does not want those things in Cuba).
What I can't understand is why Patriarch Kirill would publicly support a war against his own flock in the Ukraine. Why call only fallen Russian soldiers martyrs? Are not Ukrainians fighting for their country too? These are rightfully terrible things!
I really enjoy your essays and was disappointed by this one. I recommend strengthening your argument with criticisms from faithful Ukrainian Orthodox who feel rightfully betrayed by Patriarch Kirill. The Union of Orthodox Journalists from Ukraine presents that perspective.
Really good, albeit painful, stuff. I opened my own similar essay -- "Waving Farewell to Byzantium" (https://sabbathempire.substack.com/p/essay-10-waving-farewell-to-byzantium) with a quote from Ellul which says about all that needs to be said, really: "Jesus does not seem to have had a vision of a triumphant and triumphal church encircling the globe. He always depicts for us a secret force that modifies things from within, that acts spiritually, that shows us community, unable to be anything else but community...The concept “Christian,” then, bears an inverse relation to numbers, whereas that of the State bears a direct relation. Nevertheless, the two concepts have been combined, to the great advantage of nonsense and the priests....People cannot see or understand that Christianity has been abolished by its propagation." – Jacques Ellul, The Subversion of Christianity.
I've been Orthodox for 13 years, and it's taken me this long to realize: Orthodoxy is a religion for empire, period.
An ideology -- beautiful and profound in certain ways, yes -- but ideological. What it's doing in Russia is exactly what it's supposed to do, and has always done -- alas.
🌐 Most Holy Theotokos save us!
Lord, have mercy....☦️ ❤️🩹 📖🕯️📿
Thank you for this extremely well researched and thoughtful article. I am glad that you included all the references and links and will certainly take some time to go thru them one by one carefully and again reread the entire article. As a new convert to Orthodoxy living in the USA, the land where nothing is transparent and everything is in question, it is very hard to even believe that objective truth can be obtained …… But I do understand what you have made so clear towards the end of the article. That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ came here to seek and save the lost, the sinners of whom I am first. Lord have Mercy on us! The Body of Christ, the Church of Christ I believe must stand for Love and must hold to the faith of the Apostles and Martyrs that in Christ alone are we free. All oppression and genocide and war must be condemned. We Christians overcome by the word of our testimony, the blood of the Lamb and that we love not our lives unto death.
There is video footage, in several places across Telegram and other platforms, which do not censor the truth l, and they show Pro-OCU forces physically removing parishioners from UOC churches, with violent tactics, beating the priests, beating the laity, and then locking them out of their churches. These people aren't Orthodox. They don't even know how to cross themselves properly. They then desecrate the churches, bring in musical bands with drums and guitars, completely unorthodox in nature, and behave in the most vile ways on the alters of these churches.
I think the information you are providing here is highly inaccurate. It does not reflect what is actually happening in former UOC churches that have existed in the region for hundreds of years. The OCU is a corrupt and heretical organization, propped up by the west and their depraved ideology.
Look at "Voice of Orthodox Ukraine" on Telegram to see what is really happening in these churches:
https://t.me/orthodoxvoice_ua
Great article! It seems to me that Russian and Eastern European homophobia is proving to be every bit as disastrous as antisemitism was, politically. It took the Holocaust for the Western Church to confront antisemitism, and it is only very recently beginning to confront homophobia. What do you make of this dynamic in the East? I’ve noticed a similar thaw in the Serbian and Greek Orthodox spheres, but certainly nothing in Russia.
Mr. Noah,
I agree completely with your conclusions regarding the hypocrisy of the Russian Patriarch's complete union and submission to the Russian government. The Russian Exarch in Africa and Korea are other examples of the Russian Church being used as a soft power to push Russian political interests in the area. However, your argument would be stronger if you reframed from using American talking points about Russia and instead focused on the criticism from Ukrainian Orthodox who support Met. Onuphry.
Calling the Russian-Ukraine War a genocide is one such talking point. 10,000 Ukrainian civilian deaths in 2 years is terrible. 30,000 Palestinian civilian deaths in the past 4 months is even worse! Calling the Ukraine-Russian a war is justified as it has mostly been between two militaries with war crimes committed by both sides since 2016. Calling it a genocide when a real genocide is taking place in Gaza discredits your argument. Geopolitically, I can understand why the Russian government directly joining in the Ukraine civil war that has been taken place since 2016. I can understand Russia's geopolitical security concerns in not wanting NATO bases and nuclear weapons in the Ukraine (much like the US does not want those things in Cuba).
What I can't understand is why Patriarch Kirill would publicly support a war against his own flock in the Ukraine. Why call only fallen Russian soldiers martyrs? Are not Ukrainians fighting for their country too? These are rightfully terrible things!
I really enjoy your essays and was disappointed by this one. I recommend strengthening your argument with criticisms from faithful Ukrainian Orthodox who feel rightfully betrayed by Patriarch Kirill. The Union of Orthodox Journalists from Ukraine presents that perspective.
https://spzh.media/en/zashhita-very/78886-what-would-st-nicholas-of-japan-say-about-smo
Or Met. Onuphry who has been against the invasion since the beginning.
https://spzh.media/en/news/78986-uoc-primate-addresses-ukrainians-on-the-second-anniversary-of-rf-invasion
Let's fight propaganda with facts and empathy. Fighting propaganda with propaganda just discredits our arguments.