Digital Commons Network^™

"Ruskiy Mir" And "Ukrainskyi Svit": Ontological And Anthropological Antagonists, Liudmyla Fylypovych, Oksana Horkusha

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article focuses on a crucial issue of global interest--attempts of the Russian Federation to reformat the world according to the worldview model of the "Ruskiy mir." The paradigm of the "Ruskiy mir" assumes a system of values (ontological, anthropological, theological, and historiographical ideas and behavioral models) programmed by the entire russian history, as defined by russian culture, traditions, and the russian worldview. According to the "Russian worldview," the world should have a different structure, and the global international system should have a different format: Moscow (the Russian Empire and the Russian Federation) should be at the center of the …

Coverage Of Charity In The Pr Activities Of Ukrainian Churches, Yuliia Kondratiuk, Oleksandr Mosienko, Lesia Zaiko, Nadiya Yablonska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Information technologies have an active impact on the development of the information society. The paradigm shift in humanity's communication capabilities has occurred with the active use of Internet technologies, which has accelerated the communication process in modern society. Societies are modernizing due to the widespread use of Internet communication to transmit information. This outlines the undoubted value of the possibility of rapid interaction between organizations and the public. The purpose of the article is to study the content and central areas of public relations (PR) activities of Ukrainian churches, analyzing the example of the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church …

The Activity Of Parliamentary Institutions In Ukraine And The Republic Of Poland In The Religious Sphere: A Comparative Analysis, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Serhii Stelnykovych, Liudmyla Horokhova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article provides a comparative analysis of the religious policies of parliamentary institutions in Ukraine and the Republic of Poland in regulating social relations in the sphere of religion. It overviews the principles, methods and mechanisms for the formation and implementation of state-church and interfaith relations. The influence of the church on the social and political life of Poland is noted, as it plays an important role in the formation of the state and nation and in preserving national identity. Secularization trends in Polish and Ukrainian societies have resulted in the decline of religiosity, in the weakening of the influence …

Frontmatter (Volume 44, Issue 8), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Introduction, Dace Balode

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Articles in this special issue of the journal are based on the research project "Living and Believing Gender in a Neo-Conservative Future: The Case of Women's (Non) Ordination in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church" which was funded by the Latvian Council of Science. They provide in-depth perspectives on how gender equality and the resistance to it are navigated within the religious practices and discourses in Latvia.

Tenets Of Neoconservatism: Biological And Theological Versions Of Life And Gender In Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Aivita Putniņa

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper examines the tenets of neoconservatism in current Christian discourse. The notion of life that evolves around biology and procreation is seen as a marker of conservative argumentation. As Jordanova (1995) has argued, a shift in the ‘natural’ association of children with their mothers instead of their fathers occurred in the18th century due to a shift in perspective in life sciences and technology. The new model of procreation involving both parents and a biological, rather than theological, understanding of the process supports arguments that justify not ordaining women and taking anti-LGBTQ+ positions while simultaneously deleting its historical ties to …

Sacred Discrimination: Latvian Lutheran Clergy Against Ordination Of Women, Ģirts Rozners

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper examines the resistance of contemporary Latvian Lutheran clergy to the ordination of women, rooted in historical factors and theological conservatism. It discusses the impact of Latvia's tumultuous history on theological discourse, revealing how practical concerns and traditionalism influenced the decision against women's ordination. Through clergy interviews, it uncovers a range of arguments used to justify this stance, exposing elements of sexism and neoconservatism. The clergy's prioritization of community identity over societal progress is evident, as they align with hierarchical leadership and resist external influences. This study highlights the disconnect between theological tradition and modern ethics, illustrating how theology …

Gendered Labor Division In The Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Latvia Through The Lens Of Gifts And Reciprocity, Māra Neikena, Gareth E. Hamilton

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the concepts of 'gift's and 'reciprocity' within anthropological literature and applies them to ethnographic fieldwork conducted within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. In interviews, pastors and members of parishes used the word 'gift' to rationalize gender differences in performed tasks and assumed inherent abilities of men and women. The article aims to investigate the variety of reciprocity that takes place when informants refer to the idea of the 'gift' in various social contexts. Through qualitative interviews, analysis highlights that the gendered labor division in managing the 'household' of a parish is tied to a sense of …

"God Has Given Women All Kinds Of Opportunities To Serve": How Media Discourse On The Ordination Of Women Constructs Understanding Of The Role Of Women In Church And Society, Ilva Skulte, Kristīne Briede

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The representation of a particular topic in the mass media not only forms the understanding of this topic at a particular moment of time, but also contributes to the cultivation of values and norms in a particular culture that go far beyond this topic. The discourse in media establishes relations of power between particular social groups and (re)structures the way people see the roles of those groups. This is why discussion of a particular case of denying ordination to women in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCL), the biggest church in Latvia, is determined by and has an impact on …

(Non)Ordination Of Women In The Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Latvia: Response Of Partner Churches, Dace Balode, Valdis Tēraudkalns

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article uses archival sources and other materials to analyze opinions in order to reconstruct events and responses, and to reveal theological arguments used by various sides in the debates on the ordination of women within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (ELCL). The primary interest of authors has been to provide a comprehensive historical exposition. In studying historical documents, authors employ classical methods like identifying the origin and context of documents, as well as using generic, comparative, and content analysis. Secondly, authors are exploring how the issue of women's ordination has impacted the ELCL's relationships with its partners, and …

"We Don’T Need No Ordination": Analysis Of The Discourse On Women’S Ordination In Latvian Online Media From 1999 To 2022, Emīls Zavelis, Sofija Anna Kozlova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper analyzes the discourse on women's ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (ELCL) as represented in Latvian online media from 1999 to 2022. The study combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine the argumentative strategies employed by different discourse producers. The findings reveal significant differences in the use of gender equality concepts and other argumentative patterns between those in favor and those against women's ordination. These differences can be attributed to the distinct sociocultural contexts and epistemic grounds of the ELCL and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia Worldwide (ELCLW). The paper highlights the need for a …

When Local Meets Global: Siberian Khanty Religious Traditions In The Everchanging World, Elena Glavatskaya

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article focuses on the ethnic history and religious traditions of the Khanty (formerly known as Ostiaks), a Finno-Ugric people dwelling in the north of Western Siberia and its responses to the global influences. With 40 other widely dispersed small peoples of the Russian North and Siberia, they are classified as aboriginal small-numbered people of the North and Siberia. The last three decades of their ethnic history was marked by a stormy process of ethnic and religious mobilization started in the context of the environmental crisis of the 1980-90s, which threatened their traditional land use. This article aims to analyze …

The Efffects Of The Rupnik Scandal On Slovenian Catholics, Marjan Smrke

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

At the end of 2022, Slovenia and the Catholic world were shocked by news of the inappropriate sexual behavior of the globally successful sacral artist Father Marko Ivan Rupnik. In 2023, after additional accusations of (former) nuns of the Slovenian based female Loyola Community, Rupnik was expelled from the Jesuit Order and the Loyola Community dissolved. In this discussion, I will present the impact of the scandal on Slovenian Catholics. An analysis of posts posted on ten Catholic websites reveals nine types of responses: silence; denial or conspiracy theories; relativization; justification of Rupnik’s behavior; fortress mentality; deep disappointment; regret over …

The Role Of The Moscow Patriarchate In Supporting The Russian-Ukrainian War, Bohdan Synchak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the role of the Moscow Patriarchate in supporting the Russian-Ukrainian war. It provides numerous examples of the Russian Orthodox Church’s (ROC) endorsement of Putin’s state ideology. The complexities of the ROC’s interactions with its branches abroad are outlined, highlighting both the alignment and contradictions in the statements of ROC leaders in Ukraine, the United States, Estonia, and other countries where public support for the war by representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate has been observed. The study tracks changes in the rhetoric of the ROC’s leader, Patriarch Kirill, from the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in …

Morphometry Of The Superior Ophthalmic Vein Unaffected By Dilating Factors, Farida Mehrhoff, Melissa Zolnierz, Alla Barry, Shelby Kuhnert, Mary Kilmer, Dmitry E. Tsyplakov, Robert Hillard

Faculty and Staff Publications

Context:
Data on the superior ophthalmic vein (SOV) dilation captivate the attention of neurologists as an early sign of several neurovascular disease manifestations, but measurements vary widely in publications.

Aims:
This study attempts to shed light on disparate data and develop more stringent criteria for determining the dilation of these veins.

Settings and Design:
To this end, 44 orbits of 25 formalin-embalmed human cadavers without risk factors for SOV dilation were dissected.

Materials and Methods:
The SOV branching pattern and length were photographed, and multiple segments were analyzed microscopically, histologically, and statistically.

Statistical Analysis Used:
Simple descriptive statistics as well …