Religion Commons^™

Disenchantment Of The World In The Context Of The Russian-Ukrainian War,, Olga Dobrodum, Eduard Martyniuk, Olena Nykytchenko, Mykola Palinchak, Ruslana Tkachenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes Max Weber's concept of the "disenchantment of the world" («Entzauberung der Welt») in the context of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, which began with Russia's invasion in February 2022 and continues to the present. The author examines disenchantment as a process of rationalization and desacralization of society, tracing its development from ancient origins (Epicurus) and monotheistic traditions to contemporary interpretations (Adorno and Horkheimer, Barthes, Baudrillard, Habermas, Taylor, Haraway, Latour). The paradoxical nature of the process is emphasized: secularization does not eliminate the sacred but transforms it into new forms—from commodity fetishism to digital eschatology and posthumanist animism.

The …

Religious Television Of Ukraine In Shaping Spiritual Identity In The Context Of Contemporary Media Practices, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Vadym Slyusar, Maksym Melnychuk, Yuliia Kondratiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to analysing religious television in Ukraine as a key institution of contemporary sacred communication, which shapes a new configuration of spiritual presence within the digital media space. Religious TV channels are examined as mediatized spaces for producing and transmitting symbolic meanings, within which traditional theological narratives are adapted to the demands of audiovisual culture, and the sacred acquires new forms of visualisation, emotional accessibility, and communicative dynamism. It is demonstrated that television broadcasting provides a unique format of spiritual support, enabling faith communities to participate in prayer practices, catechetical programmes, and moral-ethical discourse beyond the boundaries …

The Human Rights Argumentation Of The Uoc-Mp As A Strategy Of Institutional Self-Preservation Under Conditions Of Armed Aggression, Mariia Rudiuk, Valeriy Bulatov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the strategy of institutional self-preservation employed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) under conditions of Russian armed aggression. The relevance of the topic is determined by the adoption of Law of Ukraine No. 3894-IX “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activities of Religious Organizations,” aimed at limiting the influence of religious structures affiliated with the aggressor state. Particular attention is devoted to the ways in which the UOC-MP utilizes democratic legal mechanisms and European human rights rhetoric in order to delay or neutralize Ukraine’s national security measures. The …

Use Of Courts By The Totalitarian Regime Against Protestant Communities In Ukraine, Oksana Vysoven, Natalia Varadi, Yurii Fihurnyi, Ganna Kriukova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article analyzes the use of the courts by the totalitarian regime against Protestant communities in Ukraine. It has been established that the show trials held in the 1960s–1980s against the leaders and active members of the Council of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists, which opposed the totalitarian regime, and against ordinary believers in Protestant communities were conducted according to the plan of atheistic campaigns by officials of the communist regime and were organized by the repressive special services of the State Security Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It has been established that the trials led to the …

The Russian Orthodox Church In The Ukrainian Ssr, 1946–1951: Activity And State Relations In Vinnytsia Region, Natalka Zhmud, Anatoliy A. Voynarovskiy Skiy

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereafter, ROC) and its relations with Soviet authorities in the Ukrainian SSR between 1946 and 1951. It draws on archival materials introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time–specifically, reports by commissioners of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Council for the Affairs of Religious Cults in the Ukrainian SSR, with particular reference to Vinnytsia region. Relations between the ROC and the Soviet authorities, in authors opinion, should be regarded in the context of a noticeable easing of anti-religious pressure under Stalin’s totalitarian regime …

The Theological Tradition Of The Orthodox Church In The Aspect Of The Formation Of Military Leadership In Ukraine, Olga Dobrodum, Andrii S. Zborchyi, Tetyana Kondratyuk-Antonova, Oleksandr L. Kolomiiets

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Analysis of the Orthodox theological tradition as a moral foundation for military leadership in the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the full-scale war. The study moves beyond pragmatic managerial models, exploring Orthodox categories such as service (diakonia), sacrifice, and spiritual warfare. Drawing on patristic heritage and modern theologians, the authors examine leadership motivation, the role of faith in professional resilience, and the integration of Orthodox anthropology into military training. Special emphasis is placed on the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's chaplaincy as a key mechanism for actualizing these values while addressing challenges like secularism and multiconfessionalism.

Belief, Religious Practice, And Religious Self-Description: A Comparative Analysis Of World Values Survey Wave 7 Data From Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, And Uzbekistan, Margulan Alpysbay, Dinara Utebayeva, Asset Kuranbek

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Although religiosity may appear straightforward to measure empirically, no single survey item captures it fully. This limitation is particularly evident in societies where belief in God is widespread: belief may not correspond to religious attendance, prayer frequency, or self- description as a religious person. Treating these differences as merely methodological would obscure important variation in how religiosity is expressed. A comparison of five empirical indicators of religiosity in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. It examines how belief in God, the importance of God in life, religious attendance, prayer frequency, and religious self-description converge or diverge. The analysis uses World Values Survey …

Transformation Of Lived Vernacular Religiosity During The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Symbolism Of Ukrainian Graffiti And Nativity Scenes, Mariia Chikarkova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines transformations of lived religion in Ukrainian society in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War, drawing on contemporary graffiti and Nativity scenes as its primary material. The study aims to identify the ways in which Christian symbolism is actualized, recontextualized, and semantically reinterpreted under the impact of the immediate experience of war. The methodological framework is based on an interdisciplinary approach to the study of religion, combining the concept of lived religion with iconographic and iconological analysis, as well as hermeneutic, semiotic, contextual, and comparative methods. The study analyzes representations of selected Christian figures and narratives in graffiti, …

The Romanian Orthodox Church And Ukrainian Refugees: Humanitarian Response And Ecclesial Solidarity, Damian Buchiu

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Romanian Orthodox Church’s public response to Ukrainian displacement combined emergency assistance with forms of solidarity that became increasingly connected to ecclesial life. A purposive corpus of twenty-four English-language items published by the Basilica News Agency, the official news agency of the Romanian Patriarchate, between February 2022 and December 2025 forms the principal source base. These materials record humanitarian and pastoral activity while also showing how the Church publicly interpreted its response. The early response relied heavily on structures already present in dioceses and local communities, which could be redirected quickly toward …

Reassessing Islamization In South Kazakhstan Through Written, Genealogical, And Archaeological Sources, Mukhtar Kozha, Asset Kuranbek

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article re-examines the early spread of Islam in South Kazakhstan through a comparative analysis of Arabic-Persian frontier narratives, nasab- nama (genealogical charter) traditions, and archaeological evidence from the Syrdarya, Otrar, Turkestan, and Sayram regions. It argues that Islamization in South Kazakhstan did not begin as a single act of conquest or mass conversion, but as a gradual frontier process shaped by military expansion, political realignment, migration, sacred-lineage formation, and urban transformation during the Umayyad (661–750 CE) and early Abbasid (from 750 CE) periods. The study applies a triangulatory method, distinguishing between contemporaneous frontier narratives, retrospective sacred genealogies, and archaeological …

Religious Radicalism And Terrorism In Central Asia After The Collapse Of The Soviet Union: Historical Roots, Geopolitical Factors, And Security Dynamics, Meltem Akıncı Phd

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article provides a comprehensive academic analysis of the historical origins, ideological foundations, and systemic impacts of religious radicalism and international terrorism on the geopolitical landscape of Central Asia in the post-Cold War era. The study closely examines how the ideological vacuum created by the collapse of the Soviet legacy, complex socioeconomic transformations during the transitional period, and external geopolitical influences from the Middle East and South Asia facilitated the latent and overt expansion of destructive radical religious movements in the region. Special emphasis is placed on the dual nature of the Islamic factor in the nation-building processes of Central …

Religious Security In The Post-Soviet Space: The Evolution And Socio-Political And Legal Consequences Of Religious Extremism In Kazakhstan, Zharas Akhan Phd

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Examination of the processes of emergence, institutionalization, and development of religious extremism in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Utilizing historical-comparative and institutional methodologies, the study analyzes the socio-political and economic factors that have contributed to the spread of radical religious ideologies from the 1990s to the present. The development of religious extremism in Kazakhstan is categorized into three chronological stages: the latent formative period (1991–1998), the stage of institutional adaptation and prevention (1999–2010), and the phase of transition to terrorist methods (2011–present). The research findings demonstrate that religious extremism in Kazakhstan has evolved from a perceived external threat into a complex internal security …

Russian-Speaking Muslim Female Bloggers And The Rise Of Gender-Justice Religious Narratives, Kymbat Karatyshkanova, Kudaiberdi Bagasharov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines how Russian-speaking Muslim female bloggers use social media to construct gender-justice narratives and contest religious interpretations they perceive as patriarchal. Drawing on qualitative thematic discourse analysis of publicly available content on YouTube, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok, the study conceptualizes these practices as digital counter-preaching: the public contestation and reframing of existing religious messages through alternative Islamic arguments. The findings identify several strategies, including framing women’s rights as divinely grounded entitlements, distinguishing Islam from patriarchal cultural practices, promoting economic resilience, challenging selective gendered accountability, and emphasizing reciprocity in marital relations. Digital counter-preaching emerges from perceived interpretive injustice, women’s …

Postsecular Coping Mode (Pscm): The Mechanism Of Sacred Meaning Reactivation Under Secular Pressure In Post-Soviet Societies, Aruzhan Akhmetova Aru, Mukhan Issakhan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article introduces the concept of Postsecular Coping Mode (PSCM) to explain the changing psychological dynamics of religiosity in post-Soviet societies. Classical studies of religious coping typically conceptualize religion as a relatively stable strategy or behavioral response. However, under postsecular conditions, religious experience increasingly appears as a context-sensitive, episodically activated meaning-regulation mode. In response, the notion of coping mode is conceptualized as a distinct psychological category analytically differentiated from conventional coping frameworks. The proposed PSCM model describes the selective reactivation of sacred meaning resources under conditions of perceived secular pressure. Its processual architecture unfolds through four stages: (1) the trigger …

Religious Situation In Ukraine: Main Trends And Prognostic Visions, Olena Predko, Denys Predko, Ihor Maksymenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The contemporary religious situation in Ukraine is characterized by the resilience of religious institutions despite the full-scale war and destruction of infrastructure, which demonstrates a high level of nominal religiosity and the social significance of religion. At the same time, a profound structural transformation of the Orthodox field is underway, reflecting processes of national identification, security, and the delegitimization of pro-Russian structures. In parallel, there is a shift in religiosity from a mobilizational to a reflective, individualized form, in which faith performs psychological, meaning-making, and symbolic functions rather than mere institutional affiliation. At the same time, the post-war period retains …

Book Review: Rev. Jacek Urban, Archidiecezja Krakowska W Latach 1925-2025. Szkice Historyczne [The Archdiocese Of Kraków In 1925-2025: Historical Sketches], Filip Mazurczak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Rev. Jacek Urban, Archidiecezja Krakowska w latach 1925-2025. Szkice historyczne [The Archdiocese of Kraków in 1925-2025: Historical Sketches], (Kraków: Księgarnia Akademicka, 2026), 416 pages, 60 PLN. ISBN 9788383684239.

The Role Of Religion In Ensuring National Security In Kazakhstan, Nurzhan Arystanbekuly Tursin Nur, Mukhan Issakhan, Shamshadin Kerim, Kovalev Dmitriy, Kalimash Begalinova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the foundations of state policy aimed at ensuring religious stability in Kazakhstan. It analyzes the scientific basis of religious studies, principles of tolerance toward the country’s traditional religions, and the role of religion in maintaining national security. The methodology, goals, and objectives of the study are shaped by the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. The research examines state and interfaith relations, the development of freedom of religion, its integration into domestic and international law, and ways of resolving legal contradictions, traditions, and stereotypes. The theoretical framework relies on the works of domestic and foreign scholars devoted to …

The Rhetorical Discourse Of Uniate Writers’ Polemic Literature Of The End Of The 16th – First Half Of The 17th Century In The Retrospection Of Oratory's History, Ruslan Tkachuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The examination of the poetics inherent in the polemical prose authored by Uniate writers during the late 16th and the first half of the 17th centuries holds substantial significance for comprehending rhetoric as a pivotal element in the stylistic evolution of Ukrainian literature throughout this period. The objective of this article is to explore the interrelationship between the works of Uniate polemicists and the framework of classical rhetoric, particularly by elucidating the functioning of rhetorical figures and argumentation techniques within their texts. To accomplish this aim, a range of literary methodologies were employed. Those methods included historical-cultural, comparative-historical, biographical, structural-analytical, …

The Legal Position Of The Religious Communities In The Republic Of Macedonia, Jovan Jonovski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The territory of the modern Republic of Macedonia (official name as of recently is Republic of North Macedonia) has historically been exposed to Judaism, Eastern and Western Christianity, Islam, and later to Protestantism. In the People’s /Socialist Republic of Macedonia, the religious communities were kept out of public life and suppressed. The government favored the Macedonian Orthodox Church for strengthening the Macedonian national consciousness. The Republic of Macedonia is a self-declared secular multi-confessional state. The article covers the history of the religious landscape as well as the legal framework and practices of the state toward the Churches, faith communities, and …

Religious Communication In Ukraine's Media Space As Factor In The Formation Of Confessional Identity, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Dmytro Garaschuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article presents a comprehensive study within religious studies of religious periodicals in Ukraine from the early 1990s to the present. It attempts to analyze the dynamics of the emergence and transformation of printed religious mass media in the context of the democratization of social life, changes in the information environment, and the development of civil society. It is noted that religious periodicals occupy a special place within the media landscape, since they perform not only the function of conveying information but also tasks of catechesis, spiritual-educational ministry, the formation of value orientations, and the preservation of cultural-historical heritage.

The …

Religion And Human Rights In The Realities Of The Russian-Ukrainian War, Andrii Marchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the relationship between religion and human rights in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It is noted that Russia’s expansion results in a decrease in religious freedom in the temporarily occupied lands, a narrowing of the scope of this fundamental norm. At the same time, the author emphasizes not only the violations of the rights and freedoms of believers in the temporarily occupied territories of the country caused by external factors, but also some internal problems of the socio-religious life of modern Ukraine.The article analyzes the actions of the Ukrainian authorities to …

Orthodoxy, Culture And Language: Alaska In Russia’S Religious Diplomacy Of The 21st Century, Oleksandr Lukyanenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the analysis of the religious factor of the Russian foreign diplomacy in the light of Vladimir Putin’s high-profile visit to Alaska n August 15, 2025. The paper studies a special place of Alaska in the historical imagination of Russian political and church discourse. The status of this particular territory in Russian state worldview – the former “Russian America” – is indicative: it refers to the idea of an unfinished imperial legacy. The research doesn’t touch a main event that included a meeting with US President Donald Trump but an off-schedule meeting with Archbishop Alexei (Trader) …

Spiritual Music As A Factor Of Religious Identity In Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Maksym Melnychuk, Sviatoslav Melnychuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This scholarly article explores current challenges and spiritual-cultural trends arising in the context of historical events and civilizational transformations experienced by modern Ukraine. The study focuses on the revival of authentic traditions of sacred musical art within Ukrainian Orthodoxy, regarded as one of the fundamental factors in the formation of national identity. Within an interdisciplinary approach that combines religious studies, philosophy, art history, and cultural studies, the research analyzes the musical sacredness as a phenomenon of numinous experience imbued with transcendental meaning and cathartic energy. It is established that the spiritual music of the Orthodox tradition functions as a form …

The Orthodox Parish And Community: A Reflection On The Post-Totalitarian Model Of Identity In Bulgaria, Presb. Sava (Shtoni) Kokoudev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines parish multifaceted identities and its function as a Eucharistic community, while also exploring its cultural, and historical influences in post-totalitarian context. The study delineates two identities and ecclesiological models—liturgical and institutional—to facilitate comparative analysis. The confusion and mixture of these models has caused a loss of parish community identity and function, which is evident in contemporary post-totalitarian status quo. Important issue is the restoration of the Orthodox Church’s authentic catholic identity (ɫɴɛɨɪɧɨɫɬ). This predicament gives rise to the second challenge of revitalizing liturgical life in parishes and reestablishing communion between bishops, priests, and laypeople. It also necessitates …

The Idea Of A Just Peace In Christian Social Ethics And The Possibility Of Its Implementation In The Context Of The Russian-Ukrainian War, Iryna Fenno

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This research examines the concept of just peace, which is most often discussed in the public sphere, particularly among political and religious circles, in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. After analyzing Christian discourse on war and peace—including extreme pacifism, the idea of a just war, and just peacemaking—the author argues that the idea of a just peace is the most effective response. Through an analysis of sociological surveys, the article reveals Ukrainian society's attitudes toward the idea of just peace and demonstrates a direct correlation between these attitudes and political events on the international stage. Nevertheless, the mechanisms and …

Faith On The Frontlines: Exploring The Religiosity Of Ukrainian Soldiers During War, Alexander Karlsson

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Wartime religiosity among Ukrainian Christian soldiers reveals a spectrum of spiritual responses shaped by personal experience, cultural identity, and institutional dynamics. Interview-based evidence indicates that war influences religious engagement in diverse and often contradictory ways. For many, religiosity intensifies during moments of danger, functioning more as a coping mechanism than a transformation of belief. Institutional realignment may also reflect broader socio-political changes, as soldiers gravitate toward religious communities that resonate with their evolving values. For some, the adoption of Norse mythology illustrates the fluidity and adaptability of religious identity in wartime. Simultaneously, confrontations with theodicy may give rise to both …

The Paradoxical Effect: How Destruction Of Religious Buildings In Ukraine Undermined Russian Propaganda Narratives (2022-2024), Oleksandr Kostiuk, Fedir Vlasenko, Vitalii Turenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This research examines the paradoxical relationship between the destruction of religious buildings in Ukraine during the Russian invasion and the effectiveness of Russian propaganda narratives. Using a mixed-methods approach combining statistical data, sociological surveys, and document analysis, we investigate how the systematic targeting of Ukrainian religious sites by Russian forces has produced effects contrary to those likely intended. The research reveals that instead of undermining Ukrainian national identity, the destruction of churches and other religious buildings has catalyzed profound transformations in Ukraine's religious landscape, accelerated the transition of parishes from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to the Orthodox Church …

Religious Situation In The Occupied Territory Of Donetsk Region, Roman Dodonov, Andrii Fesenko, Volodymyr Glazunov, Igor Kapritsyn, Olesia Stoliarchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the analysis of dynamics of the religious situation and its impact on the population of the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region in the period from 2014 to 2024. When analyzing the religious situation in the occupied territory, it should be borne in mind that after the beginning of the armed conflict in the Donetsk region, the territory under the control of anti-Ukrainian forces has been constantly changing. The study of the peculiarities of religious processes in the Donetsk region in the light of occupation reveals not only aspects of politics and socio-cultural dynamics, …

Study Of Religious Experience Using The Introspection Method: Case Of Estonia, Siim Nigulas, Tõnu Lehtsaar

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article revisits the method of introspection as a valuable tool for studying religious experience in Estonia, where spirituality is often personal, unaffiliated, and deeply introspective. Drawing on the legacy of the Dorpat school—particularly Karl Girgensohn—it highlights how experimental introspection can illuminate the dimensions of faith. Considering Estonia’s post-Soviet religious individualization, the method offers a culturally fitting and academically rigorous approach. The study argues for the revival and adaptation of introspective techniques to explore the inner dynamics of belief in a secular yet spiritually curious society.

Catholic Social Services In Ukraine During The Current War Against Ukraine, Olga Nedavnya

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the organization and content of the social work of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine (RCC in Ukraine) during the ongoing war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The application of the social services of these Churches, its performers and beneficiaries, and the features of the implementation of humanitarian charity in wartime are identified. In the UGCC, social work is supervised by its Department of Social Service, in the RCC in Ukraine by the Caritas-Spes Commission, and the relevant practical activity is carried out mainly through the specific Catholic organizations …